Solomons looks to consolidate lead

Ulster coach Alan Solomons has made just one change to the team which enjoyed a superb, 41-3 victory away to Edinburgh for Friday night's game against Cardiff at Ravenhill.

Matt Sexton replaces Paul Shields at hooker as part of a squad rotation policy. The New Zealander came on for Shields during the Edinburgh game, and the latter now drops to the bench.

Ulster's victory took them to the top of the Celtic League table and they will be hoping to consolidate their position with a victory over the Welsh side. The Edinburgh win was achieved on the strength of a superb team performance, inspired by several excellent individual cameos.

Ryan Constable demonstrated his pace and footwork to claim a hat-trick of tries, Adam Larkin kicked intelligently, and Kieron Campbell again delivered on the potential he showed as an underage international. Up front, it was the collective excellence of the pack, at scrum, lineout and in the loose, that underpinned the victory.

Ulster's defence, as may be expected in a 41-3 win, was iron-clad and forced the home side to kick away possession time and again or lose it through aggressive tackling and led to several tries.

Connacht have made seven changes and two positional switches for their trip to St Helen's and a clash with the Neath-Swansea Ospreys. Injuries and coach Michael Bradley's rotation policy guarantee a much-changed side to that which lost 25-20 to Llanelli at Dubarry Park last weekend.

Mark McHugh, Conor McPhillips, Fabian Boiroux, Andrew Farley and John O'Sullivan drop to the bench, while Darren Yapp (hip) and Ray Hogan (shoulder) sustained injuries the last day. Dave Hewitt is named at full back, Ted Robinson is introduced on the right wing and Matt Mostyn switches to the centre. Wayne Munn comes in on the left wing.

There are two changes to the front row. Dan McFarland is at loosehead with Adrian Clarke on the other side of the front row. Mike McCarthy will partner Damien Browne in the second row, while Paul Neville is the only player to survive in the back row, though he does switch to openside for Friday night's game.

Michael Carroll is at number eight with John Muldoon given a rare outing in the number six jersey. Former Clongowes schoolboy Henry Bourke is promoted to the bench.

Bradley was hampered by further injuries to John Fogarty (dead leg), Warren O'Kelly (finger), Michael Swift (hamstring), Marnus Uijs (knee), Shane Moore (back) and Matt Lacey (shin).

Leinster travel to Hughenden where they face Glasgow with an unchanged team from that which beat The Borders narrowly last Friday. Brendan Burke, who missed the last match through injury, is not being rushed back, but there was better news for coach Gary Ella in the recovery of scrumhalf Brian O'Riordan from a back complaint. He is named among the replacements.

There is one further change on the bench, with St Mary's College flanker Ciaran Potts replacing James O'Donovan. Versatile back row forward Rob Connolly has been added to the bench.

Munster will announce their team later today for the game against the Celtic Warriors at Thomond Park on Friday night.

Second row Dave Pusey and centre Jason Holland must yet convince the team doctor they are fit to play, while David Wallace is of course unavailable, having joined the Ireland squad in Australia. Coach Alan Gaffney is likely to promote either Stephen Keogh or Colm McMahon.

ULSTER: B Cunningham; J Topping, R Constable, S Stewart, T Howe; A Larkin, K Campbell; B Young, M Sexton, R Moore; M Mustchin, M McCullough; A Ward (capt), T McWhirter, N Best. Replacements: P Shields, R McCormack, R Frost, R Wilson, R Spee, S Mallon, S Young.

LEINSTER: G D'Arcy; J McWeeney, J Downey, D Quinlan, G Brown; M Leek, B O'Meara; E Byrne, G Hickie, P Coyle; A Kearney, B Gissing; N Breslin, D Dillon, S Jennings (capt). Replacements: N Treston, D Blaney, C Potts, N Ronan, B O'Riordan, P McKenna, D O'Shea.

CONNACHT: D Hewitt; T Robinson, M Mostyn, T Allnutt (capt), W Munn; E Elwood, M Walls; D McFarland, B Jackman, A Clarke; D Browne, M McCarthy; J Muldoon, M Carroll, P Neville. Replacements: H Bourke, F Boiroux, A Farley, J O'Sullivan, C O'Loughlin, C McPhillips, M McHugh.