Ulster start without Ward

Ulster will be without international flanker Andy Ward for Saturday's Heineken-sponsored European Cup clash with Bourgoin in France. Ward suffered a hairline fracture of the foot but coach Harry Williams is optimistic that the Kiwi-born flanker could be available for the province's second game against Wasps in seven days' time.

The defending European champions are also without Irish centre Jonathan Bell (damaged thumb) and long-term casualty Riaz Fredericks, whose hand injury is still in plaster. Neither Bell nor Fredericks is expected to be available for the Wasps match. Ireland's captain Dion O'Cuinneagain returns at open-side in place of Ward.

Jan Cunningham and Niall Malone form the midfield combination while the 22 st Fijian international Joeli Veitayaki makes his Ulster debut at tight-head. Captain and out-half David Humphreys and hooker Allen Clarke have both recovered from injury.

Munster coach Declan Kidney will make a late decision on the fitness of full-back Dominic Crotty, who has a foot injury, for Saturday's game against Pontypridd at Thomond Park. If he fails to recover, then Mike Mullins will probably continue in the number 15 berth, where he played so well against Connacht, and Cian Mahony will partner Killian Keane in the centre.

Replacement hooker Frankie Sheahan is also carrying a knock and Shannon captain Mark McDermott has been placed on standby. Jeremy Staunton, who came on and scored two tries for Munster against Connacht in the final interprovincial, is on the bench. John O'Neill (leg injury) and David Corkery, who is likely to be out until well into the new year following an operation on a snapped Achilles tendon, were not considered.

Leinster coach Mike Ruddock's wait is finally at an end as his preferred midfield partnership of Brian O'Driscoll and Shane Horgan are due to make their debut as a combination in tomorrow night's match against Leicester at Donnybrook.

Ruddock said: "There's still effectively two days to go. Seriously though, we have looked forward to them playing together for a year but injuries have denied us the pairing. A great deal is expected of them but we need them to perform as a unit within the discipline of the team structure and anything after that is a bonus."

He was keen to stress that the O'Driscoll-Horgan axis was not a panacea for all ills and that the weight of expectation on O'Driscoll was a little unfair. To accommodate the Blackrock centre's return, Peter McKenna switches to the left wing with Gordon D'Arcy dropping to the replacements.

Mark McHugh retains his place at out-half but Terenure scrum-half Derek Hegarty returns, having missed the victory over Ulster, at the expense of Stu Forster. Props Emmet Byrne and Gary Halpin acquitted themselves very well against Ulster the last day and have been retained on merit.

World Cup panellists Reggie Corrigan and Angus McKeen lose out. Despite the rehabilitation of Trevor Brennan from a long-term shoulder injury he must content himself with a place on the bench.

A lack of match practice and the continued excellence of Declan O'Brien at blind-side flanker means that Brennan's role tomorrow is that of "impact replacement."

Meanwhile, Connacht have made two notable acquisitions to their squad for tomorrow night's European Shield game against Ebbw Vale at Eugene Cross Park. Former England Under-21 scrumhalf John O'Reilly, who has Irish qualifications, is named in the starting XV while Cork Constitution flanker Ultan O'Callaghan is among the replacements. Both players were recruited during the week. Junior Charlie plays his first game for the province this season.

Munster: D Crotty; J Kelly, K Keane, C Mahony, A Horgan; R O'Gara, P Stringer; P Clohessy, K Wood, J Hayes; M Galwey (capt), J Langford; A Quinlan, Foley, D Wallace. Replacements: F Sheahan or M McDermott, M Horan, D O'Callaghan, E Halvey, T Tierney, J Holland, J Staunton.

Ulster: S Mason; J Topping, J Cunningham, N Malone, S Bromley; D Humphreys (capt), S Bell; J Fitzpatrick, A Clarke, J Veitayaki; P Johns, G Longwell; E Miller, T McWhirter, D O'Cuinneagain. Replacements: S Coulter, T Howe, M Edwards, D Topping, M Blair, S Best, R Weir.

Leinster: G Dempsey; D Hickie, B O'Driscoll, S Horgan, P McKenna; M McHugh, D Hegarty; E Byrne, S Byrne, G Halpin; R Casey, M O'Kelly; D O'Brien, V Costello, L Toland (capt). Replacements: R Corrigan, P Smyth, T Brennan, L Cullen, S Forster, G D'Arcy, E Farrell.

Connacht: S Allnutt; P Duignan, M Mostyn, M Deane, N Carolan; E Elwood (capt), J O'Reilly; J Maher, S McDonald, M Cahill; G Webster, M McConnell; J Charlie, B Gavin, I Dillon. Replacements: D Mescal, C Kilroy, M Murphy, B Jackman, J Screene, C Rigney, U O'Callaghan.