Munster's strength in depth

Seasons come and go but some things remain pretty much the same. Despite their slight playing haemorrhage over the summer, it's a reflection of Munster's stability that they begin their defence of the Interprovincial crown away to Ulster on Friday night with only three changes from the side which started last May's European Cup final against Northampton.

In addition, Munster have left a couple of vacancies in their three-quarter line, pending fitness checks on John Kelly, Mike Mullins, Killian Keane and Jeremy Staunton, while John O'Neill (knee injury) is ruled out. But in the likelihood that Kelly and Mullins are selected at 14 and 13, then a dozen of their European Cup final starting lineup will kick off the new season at Ravenhill.

Nor are the three "newcomers" exactly strangers to the cause. Alan Quinlan, returning to the side for his departed former Shannon team-mate Eddie Halvey, played through the second half of last season's interprovincials and all of the European pool stages before Halvey was called into the team, while both Frankie Sheahan and Marcus Horan were regular squad members, each playing in the second-half of the semi-final win over Toulouse.

Sheahan should be straining at the leash after 22 stints understudying the departed Keith Wood at provincial and national level last season, while Horan stands in for John Hayes, whose wear and tear, primarily his niggling groin strain of last season, sidelined him from Munster's three pre-season friendlies.

"There's no point in pushing him with 10 weeks of intensive stuff ahead, although he should be on the bench this Friday," explained Jerry Holland, back on board as manager.

"It's nice to know we're starting off with, by and large, the same group of guys, although you don't necessarily start off the way you finish and this season will be a different challenge," said Holland. "We're reasonably happy with our pre-season work. We had a good, hard physical game against L'Aquila."

By contrast, Connacht have a much-changed team for the start of their campaign away to Leinster, retaining only six of the side which ended last season with a home defeat by Ebbw Vale in the European Shield. Willie Ruane (in the absence of the injured Simon Allnutt and Tom Keating) and Junior Charlie return to the side, while six players make their interprovincial debuts - Terenure centre Michael Smyth, ex-Portadown winger Denver Rumney, Blackrock scrum-half James Ferris, new South African hooker Marnus Uijs, and homegrown Connacht under-21 players lock Damien Browne and flanker Johnny O'Connor. Of these, only Ferris played in last season's Shield while there are more newcomers on the bench in ex-Leeds back-rower Michael Swift and ex-Stade Francais prop Dan McFarland. The new recruitment is in part down to John Kingston's pursuit of exiles and hence nine of the starting side and 12 of the squad will be Galwegians players this season, another of whom, Kiwi lock Mark McConnell, has been made captain.

Mel Deane and Bernard Jackman have followed Glenn Ross to Sale, Matt Mostyn has joined Newport, Shane McDonald, Gavin Webster and Martyn Steffert have all returned home while John Maher is another long-term absentee with a cruciate knee ligament injury.

Leinster and Ulster will unveil their opening hands today, the former being encouraged by Peter McKenna coming through training yesterday after a recent spate of injuries sidelined Brian O'Driscoll, John McWeeney, Emmet Farrell, Andy Dunne, Kieran Lewis and Simon Keogh. Hence, Australian trialist Nathan Turner may start at outhalf.

The club scene picks up in Munster and Leinster especially this weekend, with full provincial league programmes while on Saturday the four qualifying clubs from each province will compete in the inaugural All-Ireland Club Sevens championship at Old Belvedere on Sunday.

The 16 qualifiers are Ballymena, Dungannon, City of Derry, Belfast Harlequins, Blackrock College, DLSP, St Mary's College, Skerries, Buccaneers, Connemara, Our Lady's Boys Club, Westport, Young Munster, Shannon, Waterpark and Old Crescent.

Munster (v Ulster): D Crotty; AN Other, AN Other, J Holland, A Horgan; R O'Gara, P Stringer; M Horan, F Sheahan, P Clohessy, M Galwey (capt), J Langford, A Quinlan, A Foley, D Wallace. Replacements (from) - K Keane, J Staunton, M Mullins, J Kelly, C McMahon, T Tierney, D O'Callaghan, M O'Driscoll, P Bracken, J Hayes, J Fogarty.

Connacht (v Leinster): W Ruane; P Duignan, M Smyth, M Murphy, D Rumney; E Elwood, J Ferris; J Screene, M Uijs, M Cahill, M McConnell (capt), D Browne, I Dillon, J Charlie, J O'Connor. Replacements: R Lee, T Allnutt, S McIvor, M Swift, C Rigney, J McVeigh, D McFarland.

Alan Quinlan: returns for Munster.