ALREADY deprived of the services of international Mark McCall because of a shoulder injury, Ulster will also be without his international centre partner, Maurice Field, for the Heineken European Cup match - against Harlequins at Ravenhill tomorrow night. The team shows two changes in personnel and a positional alteration from the side which defeated Caledonia in Perth on Sunday.
Field had a recurrence of the foot injury which kept him out of the match against Munster when he" played against Caledonia. Ulster have moved James Topping from wing to centre and bring in Neil McCluskey on the wing. He gains his first cap. Andy Matchett is recalled at scrum half in place of Stephen Bell, who is named in the replacements.
Ulster will face a Harlequins team that includes former Ireland captain Jim Staples at full back and Ireland international Keith Wood at hooker. Harlequins have again selected Will Carling at outside half. They have opted for a Rugby League centre combination of Gary Connolly and Robbie Paul.
All five tight forwards are internationals, with Wood being, propped by Jason Leonard and Laurent Benezech. The Llewelyn brothers, Glyn and Gareth, are in the second row. The team does not include flanker Laurent Cabannes, who is unavailable.
Leinster will name their side this morning to meet Leicester at Lansdowne Road tomorrow night. Leinster had a training session last night and four of the five players who were unavailable for the game against Llanelli trained. There is hope that at least some of the five will be fit for consideration.
The news about centre Martin Ridge is encouraging. He suffered a shoulder injury last Saturday week against Connacht but it is not as serious as initially feared. Denis Hickie and David Coleman are recovering from hamstring injuries, but Coleman is definitely out. Deanh Oswald, who had a hip injury, and, hooker Shane Byrne, who withdrew from the replacements last Thursday for the match against Llanelli, could also be ready.
Ireland A and under 21 international Eric Miller is in the Leicester side but their captain and number eight, Dean Richards, is still out injure Leicester field a powerful combination with an especially formidable tight five. The front row, rated the best in the English league, is international Graham Rowntree, and England A caps Richard Cockerill and Darren Garforth. Martin Johnson is in the second row.
There is a doubt about the fitness of left wing Rory Underwood. If he does not play, Leon Lloyd, who made his debut for the club last week, will deputise. There is also doubt about the fitness of blind side flanker John Wells. If he is ruled out, Miller will switch from the open to the blind side flank and Bill Drake Lee will come in on the open side.
Ireland international Niall Malone has been named in the replacements, with Rob Liley again holding down the outside half berth.
Munster, who play Cardiff in the Arms Park tomorrow night, have confirmed they will select their side this evening. The team will be chosen from the same 22 who were on duty in the win over Milan last Saturday in Cork.
Munster had fitness doubts about full back Dominic Crotty, prop Paul McCarthy and scrum half Stephen McIvor. The prospect is that all three will be fit. Cardiff will announce their side today but it is unlikely to show much change, from the team that defeated Wasps in the last minute on Sunday when Jonathan Davies dropped the winning goal.
The Connacht team to play Dunvant in the European Conference in Dunvant tomorrow shows just one alteration from the side which defeated Padovain Galway last Saturday. Diarmuid Reddan replaces Conor McGuinness at scrum half. Reddan came on as a replacement for McGuinness against Padova. McGuinness reverts to the replacements and Neil Taylor, who had to withdraw, from the bench against Padova, returns to the replacement panel.
Peter Bracken, a member of the Ireland schools side that defeated, all opposition last season and who is now with Garryowen, has been named in the second row on the Munster under 20 side to meet the Exiles in London next Sunday.
