Ulster unchanged for must-win rematch

European Cup News:Ulster coach Mark McCall has retained the match 22 who were on duty at the weekend for Friday night's clash with London Irish at Ravenhill. The Irish province lost against the Exiles and must prevail in the second of back-to-back clashes to have any chance of making the play-offs of this season's European Cup.  

McCall will be buoyed by the fact Ulster are unbeaten at the Belfast venue this season, and that Saturday's defeat was something of an aberration, arguably one of their poorest performances this season. They rarely managed the continuity that has become a feature of their play and were well beaten by a more direct London Irish side.

Ulster's defeat and Llanelli's 20-19 win over Toulouse at Stradey Park mean the Irish province trail the Welsh club by eight points. Anything other than a victory with a bonus point would effectively rule them out of contention for the play-offs. Even if they were to win they'd still need to beat Llanelli at home and then Toulouse away.

Wings Andrew Trimble and Tommy Bowe, both of whom played their first games following injury at the Madejski stadium, will have benefited from the game and should offer more of an attacking presence.

It's unlikely McCall will make any changes to the starting XV as Ulster seek a third successive victory over English opposition at Ravenhill.

Australian second row Justin Harrison offered a phlegmatic appraisal of the weekend defeat. "We're buoyed by the fact the squad was still positive in training. There is no doubt that there was disappointment, but it's coupled with what sport provides you with, and that's challenges.

"Everyone meets challenges in different ways and the character of the team will come through in Friday's match."

Munster will announce their squad for Saturday's reverse fixture against Cardiff at Thomond Park today. Their main injury concerns centre on wings John Kelly and Anthony Horgan and centre Barry Murphy.

Horgan withdrew on the day of Munster's victory in Cardiff with an Achilles injury, while Kelly and Murphy had been injured the previous week. Freddie Pucciariello, who was taken ill after the game and stayed in Cardiff on Sunday night, should be available.

Leinster coach Michael Cheika will name a squad for Saturday's trip to Agen at lunch-time following medical reports on Cameron Jowitt, Chris Whitaker, Denis Hickie, Brian O'Driscoll and Brian Blaney.

Jowitt suffered a heavy blow to the head in tackling Agen number eight Opeti Fonua after coming on as a replacement at Lansdowne Road last weekend, and, following prolonged treatment, was helped from the pitch. Whitaker took a bang on a shoulder, while Hickie sustained a gash in his head that forced him to sport headgear for part of the match.

But all three are expected to be in the squad, along with O'Driscoll and Blaney, both of whom were ill last week but played the match.

If Guy Easterby takes the field for Leinster against Agen, it will be his 50th appearance in the European Cup for the Irish province.

Connacht coach Michael Bradley has made four changes to the squad that beat Montpellier at the Sportsground for the trip to France against the same opposition in Friday night's European Challenge Cup tie. David Slemen, who started at outhalf, is ruled out because of a hamstring injury and joins Joe Merrigan, Ronan Loughney, Tom Tierney, Matt Mostyn and Ray Hogan on the sidelines.

Brendan O'Connor, Ray Ofisa and John Hearty drop out of last weekend's squad and are replaced by Matt Lacey, Conor McPhillips and Ryan Strudwick, who has been cleared to play by the ERC.

ULSTER: B Cunningham, M Bartholomeusz, T Bowe, A Trimble, P Steinmetz, K Maggs, P Wallace, D Humphreys, I Boss, K Campbell, J Fitzpatrick, B Young, S Best, R Best, P Shields, J Harrison, M McCullough, T Barker, N Best, K Dawson, N McMillan, R Wilson.

CONNACHT: C O'Loughlin, C Keane, M McHugh, D Yapp, C McPhillips, T Robinson, K Matthews, D Riordan, P Warwick, G Williams, C Rigney, D Gannon, A Flavin, J Fogarty, B Sturgess, B Wilkinson, S Knoop, M Swift, A Farley, J Muldoon, R Strudwick, M Lacey.