RUGBY MAGNERS LEAGUE:THE NEWS on Luke Fitzgerald's troublesome AC shoulder joint is positive with the Grand Slam-winning winger expected to be back in harness for Leinster's trip to Thomond Park next weekend.
Captain Leo Cullen is set to return to the team against Ulster this Sunday, after an enforced lay-off, alongside Malcolm O’Kelly in the secondrow, after featuring off the bench for Blackrock against Ballymena in the All-Ireland League last Saturday.
Cullen came in before half-time after former Ireland under-20 captain Paul Ryan was injured.
The prognosis on Fitzgerald’s international team-mate Stephen Ferris will hardly please Ulster coach Matt Williams who is forced to plan without the intimidating flanker for the match at the RDS and subsequent visit of the Ospreys to Ravenhill.
Ferris, who like Fitzgerald, cemented his name in Irish rugby folklore these past few weeks with a fine Six Nations, has a compound fracture of his finger that required stitches where the bone came through the skin.
Due to swelling, another trip to the specialist is required before a return date can be announced.
Ulster are also without veteran fullback Bryn Cunningham due to a fractured cheekbone, although number eight Robbie Diack and prop BJ Botha return from spells on the treatment table.
Munster coach Tony McGahan has called upon both Irish scrumhalves Tomás O’Leary and Peter Stringer, while Jerry Flannery and Mick O’Driscoll are also named in the squad to face Glasgow at Firhill tomorrow night (7.45pm).
The Ireland hooker was an ever present throughout the international campaign, with Rory Best only starting the Scotland game.
Denis Leamy is a notable exclusion but considering he started in Murrayfield and played 73 minutes in Cardiff last week this is merely an opportunity to rest the Tipperary man. Ronan O’Gara, Paul O’Connell, Donncha O’Callaghan, Marcus Horan, John Hayes and David Wallace are also given a well-deserved week off.
Rua Tipoki (hamstring) and John O’Sullivan remain out with injury but Ian Dowling and Barry Murphy return to the 27-man squad, as do Alan Quinlan and Keith Earls, who both travelled to Cardiff as cover to the match 22.
Declan Kidney also brought Leinster’s Shane Jennings, with all three visible on the winners podium in the Welsh capital.
Connacht have announced a 22- man squad for tomorrow’s match against Edinburgh at Murrayfield (7.30pm).
Adrian Flavin has recovered from a leg injury to be included for the first time since featuring against the Ospreys last February and Kieran Campbell returns to the squad after representing Ireland at the World Cup Sevens in Dubai.
Scotland captain Mike Blair will lead Edinburgh’s squad – containing 22 Scottish qualified players – for the first time since January.
Blair, alongside Chris Paterson, Nick De Luca, Phil Godman, Ross Ford and Jim Hamilton, is one of six players returning directly from Six Nations duty.
“There are six games remaining and we believe that all six are winnable matches” said Blair.
“With it being such a tight league, if we can achieve that goal then we can finish near the top end of the championship.”
MUNSTER:D Hurley, B Murphy, K Lewis, K Earls, I Dowling, A Horgan, L Mafi, D Howlett, P Warwick, J Manning, P Stringer, T O'Leary, F Pucciariello, T Buckley, D Hurley, T Ryan, D Fogarty, J Flannery, M O'Driscoll, D Ryan, B Holland, A Quinlan, T O'Donnell, N Ronan, J Coughlan, N Williams.
CONNACHT:L Bibo, A Browne, K Campbell, F Carr, S Cronin, M Deane, G Duffy, A Dunne, A Farley, A Flavin, D Gannon, I Keatley, R Loughney, K Matthews, R Morris, J Muldoon, T Nathan, J O'Connor, R Ofisa, C O'Loughlin, M Swift, B Wilkinson.
EDINBURGH:C Paterson; A Turnbull, B Cairns, N De Luca, S Webster; P Godman, M Blair (capt); K Traynor, R Ford, G Cross, C Hamilton, J Hamilton, S Newlands, A MacDonald, A Hogg. Replacements: A Kelly, G Kerr, S MacLeod, M Mustchin, G Laidlaw, D Blair, J Houston.
