MAGNERS LEAGUE NEWS: ULSTER COACH Matt Williams is likely to hand World Cup winner BJ (Brendan) Botha a Magners League debut against Llanelli Scarlets at Ravenhill on Friday night. The Springbok tighthead prop, who has signed a three-year deal with the province, will be expected to make an immediate impact.
Williams enthused: "BJ is a world class player and is one of the best tight-head props in the game. He was part of the South African squad that won the World Cup and is used to being part of a winning team. BJ will bring with him the culture of excellence and winning, a mindset I hope he can pass onto our younger players."
Number eight Robbie Diack, second row Ed O'Donoghue, Fijian wing Timoci Nagusa and fullback Clinton Schisfoske will also make their Magners debuts, either from the start or the bench. The 22 man squad - the team will be confirmed tomorrow - also contains a couple of promising young players in centre Darren Cave, flanker David Pollack and former Leinster scrumhalf Cillian Willis.
Leinster coach Michael Cheika has announced a 30-man squad ahead of the holders' opening match against Cardiff at the Arms Park on Saturday.
Tighthead prop Stan Wright is still not fit so Cheika will be hoping Stephen Knoop recovers from the illness that prevented him playing against the Queensland Reds.
Cheika said: "We have a bit of a problem at tight-head with CJ (Van Der Linde) getting suspended, Stan Wright still injured while Stephen Knoop was ill in the build-up to last weekend.
"Ronan McCormack did a great job against Queensland, but we'll just have to assess things and move on from there."
Happy in general with Leinster's pre-season form, Cheika is hoping to get the season off to the perfect start against a Cardiff side that were Leinster's closest pursuers in the league last season.
"They (Cardiff) had a big win last weekend against Northampton and it's always tough down there. So it's a matter of how we set ourselves up as a team, then the strategy that we take into the game. We need to be better in our defence than we were on Saturday. But it was good that players are starting to get into the routine of playing 60, 70 and 80 minutes.
"Cardiff has a strong pack - even without Xavier Rush - with the likes of Martyn Williams, Gethin Jenkins and Paul Tito. They also have quality backs.
"Last Friday they were able to play two totally different teams in the first and second halves and both teams could easily have played at Magners League level.
"That's something we'll have to deal with, so we've got to be smart and we've got to be hungry."
Meanwhile, Munster and Connacht will today announce their squads for Friday's matches against Edinburgh and the Ospreys respectively.
ULSTER SQUAD: J Fitzpatrick, N Brady, T Court, R Best, BJ Botha, C Del Fava, E O'Donoghue, R Caldwell, D Pollock, M McCullough, K Dawson, R Diack, I Boss, P Wallace, T Nagusa, R Dewey, D Cave, A Trimble, C Schisfoske, C Willis, N O'Connor, B Cunningham
LEINSTER SQUAD: C Whitaker, C Keane, P O'Donohoe, J Sexton, F Contepomi, B O'Driscoll, G Brown, S Horgan, L Fitzgerald, I Nacewa, F McFadden, R Kearney, S Keogh, E O'Malley, G Dempsey, C Healy, S Knoop, R McCormack, B Jackman, B Blaney, J Fogarty, C Jowitt, M O'Kelly, D Toner, T Hogan, S Keogh, S Jennings, S O'Brien, K McLaughlin, J Heaslip.
FIXTURES
TODAY
Limerick Charity Cup: Old Crescent v Shannon, Rosbrien (6.0).
Under-20 Interprovincial: Connacht v Leinster, Sportsground (2.30).
Friendly: UCC v Munster U-20, Mardyke.
FRIDAY
Magners League: Connacht v Ospreys, Sportsground (6.30); Ulster v Llanelli, Ravenhill (7.30); Edinburgh v Munster, Murrayfield (7.30).
SATURDAY
Magners League: Cardiff v Leinster, Arms Park (6.30).
Leinster Senior League Cup (2.30).
Pool 1: Dublin University v Suttonians, College Park; Navan v Blackrock, Balreask Old. Pool 2: DLSP v Naas, Kilternan.
Pool 3: Barnhall v UCD, Parsonstown; Lansdowne v Greystones, (tbc). Pool 4: Old Belvedere v Bective Rangers, Anglesea Road; Old Wesley v Clontarf, Donnybrook. Pool 5: Skerries v Terenure, Holmpatrick; Wanderers v Carlow, Merrion Road.
Ulster Senior League (2.30): Dungannon v Portadown, Stevenson Park; Belfast Harlequins v QUB, Grafton Arena; Banbridge v Rainey Old Boys, Rifle Park; Instonians v Malone, Shaws Bridge; Ballynahinch v Ards.
Cork Charity Cup (2.30): Clonakilty v Midleton, Shannonvale; Highfield v Sunday's Well, Woodleigh Park.
Limerick Charity Cup (3.0); Garryowen v UL Bohemian, Dooradoyle.
Connacht Senior League (2.30): Galwegians v Connemara, Crowley Park; Buccaneers v Corinthians, Dubarry Park.
