European Cup: Team check

Ulster

Ulster have named an unchanged side from that which beat Benetton Treviso in Italy at the weekend for Friday night's Heineken European Cup match with Wasps at Ravenhill.

Coach Alan Solomons has decided to keep faith with the XV that held on for a 33-28 victory in their first outing. There is only one change to the bench, with Brad Free included as replacement scrumhalf instead of Kieron Campbell.

ULSTER: P Wallace; J Topping, S Stewart, J Bell, T Howe; D Humphreys, N Doak; J Fitzpatrick, P Shields, S Best, G Longwell, J Davidson, T McWhirter, R Nelson, A Ward (capt). Replacements: M Crick, C Boyd, M Blair, N McMillen, B Free, R Constable, B Cunningham.

Connacht

Connacht coach Steph Nel has retained the XV that beat Narbonne in the province's opening Parker Pen-sponsored European Shield match last weekend for Saturday's trip to Italy to face Olimpic Roma. There is only one alteration to the match squad with Nel plumping for a fifth forward, a fit-again Colm Rigney, on the replacements bench. Martin McPhail loses out.

CONNACHT: G Duffy; P Duignan, D Yapp, T Allnutt, W Munn; E Elwood, E Reddan; D McFarland, M Uijs, P Bracken, M McConnell (capt), R Frost, P Neville, D Dillon, J O'Connor. Replacements: R McCormack, T Kearns, D Browne, J Charlie, C Rigney, J Ferris, M McHugh.

Leinster

Leinster have no injury problems ahead of Friday's European Cup clash with Newcastle at Donnybrook (7.0). There are the usual bumps and bruises but none of the 22-man squad selected for the Toulouse game has any serious injury concerns.

Good news for coach Matt Williams is that Emmet Farrell and Paul Wallace both played for Blackrock in their victory over Clontarf at the weekend. Farrell lasted the whole game while Wallace was introduced as a second-half replacement for Niall Treston. Flanker Declan O'Brien is also on the mend. Williams will announce his team at lunchtime today.

Newcastle are still without South African prop Marius Hurter and Australian flanker Andrew Mower. Scrumhalf Gary Armstrong has a slight thigh strain but is expected to be fine.

Munster

Munster's main injury concern is centre Jason Holland, who has a thigh strain which was sustained in the victory over Castres. His progress is being monitored. Coach Declan Kidney will be more pleased with regard to John Hayes and Alan Quinlan, who missed the Thomond Park match.

Hayes had 22 stitches inserted in a head wound suffered while playing for Ireland against Scotland. Quinlan damaged a knee but is expected to be fit in time for Saturday's trip to London to face Harlequins.

Harlequins, for whom Munster old boy Keith Wood is a probable starter, expect to have England and Lions centre Will Greenwood in the match squad following a long injury lay-off. Jason Leonard, who missed last weekend's game against Bridgend, will return in the front row.

The game will be shown live on BBC Grandstand with a 5.0 p.m. kick-off to accommodate coverage of the World Cup soccer qualifier between England and Greece.