Ulster recall Bell to face Munster

Jonathan Bell returns to the Ulster side after an absence of over two years for tomorrow evening's crunch Interprovincial match against Munster at Ravenhill. Ulster coach Harry Williams is obliged to bring the prodigal Irish centre back for his first full game of the season a little ahead of schedule due to the hamstring injury Stanley McDowell sustained in training on Monday.

There's some irony in that, for it was recurring hamstring problems which sidelined Bell for much of last season at Northampton and then brought the 24-year-old's tour of South Africa to a premature conclusion in the first half of the opening match against Boland.

Interestingly, Bell is the only change from the Ulster side which beat Glasgow Caledonians by 3215 last Friday night, as the young Dungannon winger Jonathan Davis, scrum-half Andy Matchett and flanker Dean Macartney all retain their places ahead of Andy Park, Stephen Bell and Stephen McKinty (all of whom are on the bench) in three further changes from the side which lost to Connacht a fortnight ago.

A notable inclusion on the Ulster A side at out-half is the recent Ballymena recruit, South African Clinton van Rensberg.

Another Irish international making his first full appearance since the South African tour is scrum-half Conor McGuinness, who is included in Connacht's starting line-up for tomorrow evening's game in Scotland against Glasgow Caledonians.

Concerned by Connacht's difficulties in the scrum against Leinster, Glenn Ross has given John Maher and Mick Finlay a chance to press their claims at prop while Graham Heaslip is picked in the second row.

Due to the unavailability of Bernard Jackman and injuries to Eric Elwood, Barry Gavin (detained in hospital since last Sunday due to an infection arising from a cut knee in the defeat by Leinster), Junior Charlie and Billy Mulcahy, there are also promotions for Owen Cobbe, John Casserley and Joe McVeigh, with Shane McEntee switching from flanker to number eight. Mervyn Murphy captains the side.

Concern about injuries to Eddie Halvey, Ian Murray, Killian Keane, Brian O'Meara and Mick Lynch has resulted in Munster postponing their selection and instead they've released a 25-man squad. Winger John Lacey has been omitted and it is likely to be a much-changed team from that beaten at home by Leinster a fortnight ago.

Both the Scottish Districts will announce their sides today. Glasgow expect to welcome back a couple of internationals in flying winger James Craig and Kevin Mckenzie, while another winger, Tony Stainger, could be back in the frame for Edinburgh against Leinster.

Ulster: S Mason; J Davis, J Bell, M McCall (capt), J Cunningham; D Humphreys, A Matchett; J Fitzpatrick, A Clarke, G Leslie, M Rea, G Longwell, D Macartney, T McWhirter, A Ward. Replacements: A Park, B Cunningham, S Bell, S Duncan, S McKinty, R Irwin, R Weir.

Ulster A (v Munster A): R Collins; S Carroll, A Clarke, A Mackey, N McCluskey; C van Rensberg, M Edwards; R Mackey, S Ritchie, S Best, M Blair, A Robinson, C McCarey, B Wilson, D Topping. Replacements: C Shields, P Wallace, G McCullough, K Walker, J Andrews, L Stewart, C Weiniger.

Connacht (v Glasgow Caledonians): W Ruane; R Southam, P Duignan, M Murphy (capt), N Carolan; O Cobbe, C McGuinness; J Maher, J McVeigh, M Finlay, G Heaslip, J Duffy, J Casserley, S McEntee, I Dillon. Replacements: D Reddan, A Reddan, S Allnutt, J Screene, M Cahill, D Lee, N Cullerton.

Munster (squad, v Ulster): D Crotty, A Horgan, J Kelly, Cian Mahony, R O'Gara, B O'Meara, D Clohessy, F Sheahan, J Hayes, D O'Callaghan, S Leahy, D Wallace, J Murray, A Foley, I Murray, M McDermott, P Clohessy, M Galwey, D Corkery, E Halvey, T Tierney, K Keane, M Lynch, B Walsh. Conor McGuinness . . . . back for Connacht