Ulster hoping to settle back in at home

Celtic League:  Ulster coach Mark McCall has made three personnel and one positional change to the starting side narrowly defeated by the Dragons in Newport two weeks ago. He is hoping to arrest a three-game run of defeats in the Celtic League and Heineken European Cup.

Simon Best switches to tight-head prop to accommodate Ronan McCormack, named this week ahead of Rod Moore, while Paul Shields starts for the first time since the European Cup match against Cardiff in January.

No doubt questioning the timing of the charity match, McCall will also have to make do without his outstanding kicker and playmaker David Humphreys. The Irish outhalf's involvement in the North v South game at Twickenham in aid of the Tsunami Appeal on Saturday allows Adam Larkin to return to the number 10 position.

This will be Ulster's first home game since the first week of the year and they will be hoping that the return to Belfast will bring an improvement in their fortunes.

Neil Doak and Andy Ward return to the squad of 22 on the replacements bench, Ward having recovered from a knee injury. Tim Barker provides second row cover with Rowan Frost unavailable having sustained a ligament injury to his ankle during training.

McCall will be pleased to have Kevin Maggs back in the centre. The Irish bench player is named at outside centre beside Paul Steinmetz.

Connacht have announced a squad of 22 for tomorrow's Celtic League clash with Edinburgh at Murrayfield (7.30pm). Back row John O'Sullivan and outhalf Eric Elwood make a return to the squad after suspension and injury respectively, while outhalf Paul Warwick misses out following a groin operation.

Neither Munster or Leinster have decided on their squads yet. Leinster are waiting for news of Gordon D'Arcy's availability and Keith Gleeson's fitness. Munster too have delayed, although flanker Denis Leamy remains sidelined, while Donncha O'Callaghan will join Humphreys on the Northern Hemisphere team in Twickenham.

David Pusey and Mossie Lawlor are long-term concerns and will have to impress someone other than Alan Gaffney to regain their places next season. Lawlor underwent shoulder surgery this week.

Ireland's Donal Courtney and Nigel Whitehouse of Wales will referee the first and second legs respectively of the European Challenge Cup semi-final first leg between Pau and Brive, while French referee Christophe Berdos will take charge of Connacht's match against Sale Sharks on Saturday, April 2nd.

Scotsman Rob Dickson will control the second leg at Sale two weeks later. All four have been heavily involved in the pool stages of this season's European Cup - Whitehouse and Courtney each controlling five matches, Dickson four fixtures and Berdos three matches.

ULSTER: B Cunningham; T Bowe, K Maggs, P Steinmetz, T Howe; A Larkin, K Campbell; R McCormack, P Shields, S Best, G Longwell, M McCullough, C Feather (Captain), N Best, R Wilson. Replacements: R Best, R Moore, T Barker, A Ward, N Doak, P Wallace, S Young.

CONNACHT: Backs - T Robinson, M Mostyn, C McPhillips, D Slemen, D Yapp, M McHugh, E Elwood, C Keane, M Walls. Forwards - D McFarland, A Clarke, S Knoop, T Buckley, B Jackman, J Fogarty, A Farley, C Short, J Muldoon, M Swift, J O'Sullivan, M Lacey, B O'Connor.