Munster open defence at Leinster

News Round-Up: Defending champions Munster will open the new Celtic League campaign against Leinster. The game will take place at Donnybrook on the weekend of Ireland's friendly international against Scotland at Murrayfield, on September 5th/6th.

That both teams will be missing international players is considered immaterial in a competition in which the Irish provinces will largely have to do without their front-line players.

Connacht welcome Edinburgh the same weekend, while Ulster will travel to the new Welsh amalgam side of Neath/Swansea.

The new competitions - there will also be a Celtic Challenge Cup to augment the league - will run from the middle of August to mid-May. The league comprises 12 sides from Ireland, Wales and Scotland playing 22 fixtures on a home and away basis.

The Celtic League will run throughout the World Cup and the Six Nations Championship. The final of the cup competition will be televised live on BBC on December 20th.

"The implementation of home and away fixtures for the 12 competing teams - in the previous two tournaments they have been split into two Pools with the successful sides progressing to knockout phases - will guarantee all teams having a fair crack of the whip," said Celtic League tournament director Keith Grainger.

"Every team will now have those 22 top-quality fixtures spread over nine months and, with the introduction of the Celtic Cup, the finalists could end up having played 26 high-intensity and high-profile Celtic matches with a hugely welcome steady stream of income."

Meanwhile, Australia-born Welsh international Jason Jones Hughes is the latest player to be linked with a move to Munster.

The Irish province is favourite to sign the three-time capped Jones Hughes, a free agent after being released by Gwent coach Mike Ruddock.

The player joined Newport in a blaze of controversy just before the 1999 World Cup following a tug-of-war between the Welsh Rugby Union and their Australian counterparts over one of the most promising prospects in the Super 12 at the time.

The 25-year-old failed to live up to expectations after being plagued by injuries, including knee reconstruction surgery.

Munster coach Alan Gaffney was noncommittal: "Jason would probably fit into the set-up, but there are a lot of things to happen yet."

The Celtic League champions also confirmed the signings of hooker Jerry Flannery, scrumhalf Eoin Reddan, wing Shaun Payne, lock forwards Donal Sheahan and David Pusey, and two players who have accepted development contracts: wing/centre Martin McPhail and back row Stephen Keogh.

In addition, Denis Leamy and Mossie Lawlor, both on development contracts last season, have been given full-time contracts for the coming season.

Players who have left the squad include lock Mick O'Driscoll and hooker John Fogarty, who have opted to continue their careers with Perpignan and Connacht respectively.

Dominic Malone has returned to club football in England, while Warren O'Kelly's contract with the province has not been renewed.

Killian Keane has retired from representative rugby after long and loyal service to Munster, Mick Galwey has opted not to take a full-time contract but will still be involved with the squad in an as yet undefined role, and injury has precluded John O'Neill from being involved.

Flannery, Reddan and Sheahan return to the province of their birth. The South Africa-born Payne joins from Swansea.

A member of the Ireland squad under former coach Warren Gatland, the wing-cum-centre is joined by another Irish qualified player in Australian second row Pusey, a former ACT Brumbie.

MUNSTER SQUAD (2003-2004): M Horan, S Kerr, J Hayes, M Cahill, AN Other, F Sheahan, J Blaney, J Flannery, D O'Callaghan, D Sheehan, P O'Connell, D Pusey (Aus), J Williams, A Quinlan, D Wallace, D Leamy, C McMahon, A Foley, E Halvey, P Stringer, M Prendergast, E Reddan, R O'Gara, J Holland, A Horgan, S Payne, M Lawlor, R Henderson, M Mullins, J Kelly, AN Other, J Staunton, D Crotty, A N Other. Development: C O'Sullivan, M McPhail, F Murphy, T Hogan, P Malone, S Keogh.

Munster Management team - Coach: Alan Gaffney. Assistant Coach: Brian Hickey. Team Manager: Jerry Holland. Scrum coach: Paul McCarthy. Senior Medical Officer: Dr Mick Shinkwin. Physiotherapist: Kirsty Peacock.Fitness Advisors: Fergal O'Callaghan, Mark McManus.