Ulster ready for tough game

Ulster v Leinster: Setanta's needs have also obliged Ulster to reluctantly sacrifice their tried and trusted Friday night slot, although the nature of this first home fixture of the season may well compensate for the enforced shift.

Ravenhill is a notoriously difficult venue for all European teams at any time, and especially an Irish province.

The allure of this fixture to home support is such that 5,000 or more tickets have been sold in advance and so the eventual attendance may not be much shy of a normal Euro night.

And even closer to full-strength, with their experienced internationals on board, Leinster have struggled here in recent years.

It is commentary on the superior coexistence of the clubs in Ulster, compared to other provinces, that some of them will be laying on buses to take supporters from their league matches earlier in the afternoon to and from Ravenhill.

It helps, too, when you're winning, and aside from last week's excellent victory away to Edinburgh, Ulster have won 21 matches in succession at Ravenhill dating back two years and five days.

Leinster have proved a tough nut to crack in pre-season and again last week to Cardiff. "Typical of a side coached by Declan Kidney," said Mark McCall yesterday.

But Leinster's new coach concedes that whereas Cardiff might have regarded their opponents last week as something of a soft touch, the nature of these 'interprovincial' encounters ensures that Ulster are unlikely to make the same mistake.

"Ulster won't. All of the provinces have too much respect for each other to ever do that. Ulster had a great win last week and Ravenhill is a very tough place to play for visiting teams. They just challenge you everywhere and put you under an awful lot of pressure all over the pitch," said Kidney yesterday.

McCall accepts that the absence of the Irish squad members is a relative burden to the two provinces and that this is not a bad time to be playing Leinster.

"Even so, you look down their teamsheet and it still isn't bad, and particularly the pack looks very strong," he added.

Individually, and as units, it's also a window of opportunity. One thinks of the backrow contest especially, where the return of Roger Wilson - chomping at the bit according to McCall - is liable to have as much of a galvanic effect on the Leinster breakaways.

THE TEAMS

ULSTER: B Cunningham; T Bowe, J Bell, P Steinmetz, A Maxwell; P Wallace, N Doak; S Best, P Shields, R Moore, M Mustchin, R Frost, A Ward (capt), R Wilson, N Best.

Replacements: N Brady, R McCormack, M McCullough, C Feather, K Campbell, S Mallon, S Young.

LEINSTER: J Norton; J McWeeney, C Warner, D Quinlan, G Brown; D McAllister, B O'Meara; E Byrne, G Hickie, P Coyle, L Cullen (capt), B Gissing, A McCullen, D Dillon, S Jennings.

Replacements: A O'Donnell, D Blaney, C Potts, V Costello, B O'Riordan, K Lewis, C Kilroy.

Referee: Nigel Williams (Wales).

Forecast: Ulster to win.

Also playing (today): The Borders v Glasgow Rugby (3.00) and Cardiff Blues v Newport Gwent Dragons (5.30).