THE MAGNERS League champions, Leinster, will be without Jamie Heaslip, Rob Kearney, Felipe Contepomi, Ollie le Roux and Keith Gleeson for tomorrow night's final match against the Dragons at Rodney Parade.
Le Roux has returned to South Africa, Gleeson is retiring from the sport while Heaslip, Kearney and Contepomi are all given a well-deserved break after a long season. Coach Michael Cheika gives an opportunity to squad players like Juan Gomez, Ronan McCormack, Richie Leyden and Kevin McLaughlin in an extended squad of 24 players.
Michael Berne and Gary Brown have been included among the backs, while the team will once again be led by Brian O'Driscoll. The province continued to be linked with a number of players and the latest is All Black backrow forward Jerry Collins.
The Dragons victory over the Ospreys on Tuesday night guaranteed they will compete in next season's Heineken Cup effectively ending Connacht's hopes of catching them. The Irish province host the Ospreys at the Sportsground tomorrow night in their final match.
Coach Michael Bradley has named a squad of 26 players that includes scrumhalf Conor O'Loughlin who has recovered from his shoulder injury.
Galwegians duo prop Brian McGovern and secondrow Andrew Browne have also been included.
The Ulster fans would relish the opportunity to give their iconic outhalf David Humphreys the requisite send-off as he retires from the sport after tomorrow night's game against the Cardiff Blues at Ravenhill. He has been included in the squad and coach Matt Williams is hoping he will be available despite a persistent injury.
"David is an iconic figure in Ulster and Irish rugby, I hope he gets out tomorrow night and hope the people of Ulster turn up to say thank you for a remarkable career."
The game will also mark the final game in an Ulster shirt for Mark Bartholomeusz, Justin Harrison, Neil Best, Tommy Bowe, Kieran Campbell and Roger Wilson.
Williams has made four changes from the side that lost to Glasgow last time out but has challenged his charges to finish the season in style. "The fans at Ravenhill have been so supportive of the team throughout the season so we really want to have a great game to end on.
"For a number of players this will be there last game with Ulster, so it is the perfect opportunity for the fans to say their goodbyes to some much loved players. We've had three games in 10 days, which has been hard on the boys, but the support at Ravenhill has really helped get the guys in a positive mind frame and give it all they've got on the pitch."
Squad Selections
ULSTER SQUAD:J Fitzpatrick, R Best, T Court, J Harrison, C del Fava, M McCullough, N Brady, B Young, N Best, K Dawson, S Ferris, R Caldwell, R Wilson, D Pollock, P Marshall, P Wallace, N O'Connor, A Trimble, T Bowe, M Bartholomeusz, I Boss, R Dewey, M McCrea, S Danielli, D Humphreys.
CONNACHT SQUAD:A Browne, M Deane, G Duffy, A Dunne, A Farley, A Flavin, J Fogarty, D Gannon, R Loughney, K Matthews, M McCarthy, B McGovern, C McPhillips, R Morris, M Mostyn, J Muldoon, T Nathan, J O'Connor, R Ofisa, C O'Loughlin, C Rigney, D Riordan, R Shaw, O Treviranus, B Wilkinson, D Yapp.
LEINSTER SQUAD:C Healy, R McCormack, B Blaney, B Jackman, J Gomez, S Knoop, T Hogan, C Jowitt, M O'Kelly, D Toner, S Jennings, S Keogh, R Leyden, K McLaughlin, C Keane, C Whitaker, J Sexton, C Warner, L Fitzgerald, M Berne, B O'Driscoll, G Brown, S Horgan, G Dempsey.
