Swansea v Leinster ( St Helen's, 2.30)
Aside from the greater scheme of things, the pursuit of points is technically academic for Matt Williams' team, who have already procured a home quarter-final against the fourth-placed side in Pool B (currently Connacht). Hence, with all the Irish squad members rested, only Nathan Spooner and Trevor Brennan are retained from last Tuesday's line-up, with the latter fulfilling a major career ambition by captaining Leinster in reverting to flanker.
Bob Casey and Leo Cullen return from injury, while Emmet Farrell and Paul Wallace are on the bench. Inconsistent Swansea delay selection - Scott Gibbs being one of several to undergo fitness tests today - but know they have to win to give themselves a chance of qualifying. Liable to be a tough encounter for Leinster's fringe men, but they'll be even more motivated than a first-choice team would be.
Swansea: Not selected.
LEINSTER: P McKenna; J McWeeney, A Magro, D Quinlan, S Keogh; N Spooner, B Willis; P Coyle, G Hickie, N Treston, B Casey, L Cullen, T Brennan (capt), A McCullen, L Toland. Replacements: S Barretto, D Blaney, N Breslin, S Jennings, B O'Meara, E Farrell, P Wallace.
Previous meetings: None
Formguide: Swansea: 13-30 v Ulster (a), 16-25 v Bridgend (h), 11-6 v Pontypridd (a), 26-21 v Ebbw Vale (a), 13-21 v Glasgow (h), 27-21 v Llanelli (a). Leinster: 39-11 v Glasgow (h), 19-17 v Llanelli (a), 55-13 v Ebbw Vale (h), 31-9 v Ulster (h), 51-32 Bridgend (a), 52-14 v Pontypridd (h).
Leading try scorers: Swansea: eight players on 1. Leinster: Girvan Dempsey, Denis Hickie 5 each, Gordon D'Arcy 3.
Leading points scorers: Swansea: Gavin Henson 47. Leinster: Nathan Spooner 43.
Forecast: Leinster to win.
Pontypridd v Ulster (Sardis Road, 2.30)
After last night's 15-9 victory by Glasgow over Llanelli, Ulster will want a victory here. In any event, they know that a third successive win will guarantee them a slot in the last eight.
Their only change from the David Humphreys-inspired win sees Tony McWhirter replace young flanker Neil McMillen, though Alan Solomons stresses that "this is no reflection on Neil's performances."
By comparison, Ponty have lost five on the spin and are out of contention. They looked like several of the Welsh club sides right now against Leinster, capable of good continuity but a little lightweight. Ulster are no powerhouses but should still have enough firepower.
Following the recent acquisition of New South Wales hooker Mark Crick, Ulster have made another interesting signing in the twice-capped, 26-year-old tight-head Argentinian prop Leopoldo de Chazal. He became the second front-row signing in a week.
Both players will be eligible for the European Cup opener away to Benetton Treviso on Saturday week.
Pontypridd: Not selected.
ULSTER: P Wallace; J Topping, S Stewart, A Larkin, T Howe; D Humphreys, N Doak; S Best, P Shields, C Boyd, G Longwell, J Davidson, T McWhirter, R Nelson, A Ward (capt). Replacements: S Coulter, B Free, N McMillen, M Blair, J Fitzpatrick, R Weir.
Previous meetings: None.
Formguide: Pontypridd: 27-19 v Bridgend (a), 13-18 v Ebbw Vale (a), 6-11 v Swansea (h), 14-59 v Glasgow (a), 17-19 v Llanelli (h), 14-52 v Leinster (a). Ulster _ 30-13 v Swansea (h), 25-25 v Glasgow (a), 26-27 v Llanelli (h), 9-31 v Leinster (a), 29-27 v Ebbw Vale (a), 46-14 v Bridgend (h).
Leading points scorers: Pontypridd: Gareth Wyatt 2. Ulster: Humphreys, Shields, Ward and McMillen 2 each.
Leading try scorers: Pontypridd: Brett Davey 28. Ulster: David Humphreys 71.
Forecast: Ulster to win.
Also playing: Ebbw Vale v Bridgend, Eugene Cross Park (2.30).
POOL B
Munster v Cardiff (Thomond Park (1.30 - Live on TG4)
Cardiff remain the only team to have beaten Munster on their own soil in the European Cup, dating back to four years ago in Musgrave Park. Indeed, Munster have never beaten them in three attempts, so Declan Kidney's men have a few scores to settle against a main bugbear of the Irish provinces. (Ulster finally put one over them in Ravenhill last season).
With Alan Quinlan ruled out, only quadruple try scorer Mike Mullins, John Kelly and Jim Williams are retained from the midweek line-up, and Quinlan apart Munster are effectively at full-strength pending a check on John Hayes (virus).
Ditto Cardiff however, save for long-term absentee Neil Jenkins and Martyn Williams, with Rob Howley making his seasonal re-appearance as one of 10 internationals.
Mindful that they could be edged out of the quarter-finals, Cardiff are clearly going for it, perhaps also to put down a marker for the season. A good game for TG4's cameras, pretty much up to Euro standard, with a beefy Cardiff liable to ask severe questions of a home side who will need to start better than they did against Newport.
MUNSTER: D Crotty; J Kelly, M Mullins, J Holland, A Horgan; R O'Gara, P Stringer; P Clohessy, F Sheahan, J Hayes/M Cahill, M Galwey (capt), M O'Driscoll, J Williams, A Foley, D Wallace. Replacements (from): M Horan, J Blaney, J Fogarty, P O'Connell, D O'Callaghan, D Hegarty, K Keane, J Staunton, M Prendergast.
CARDIFF: R Williams; C Hudson, M Allen, P Muller, A Sullivan; N Robinson, R Howley; P Rogers, A Lewis, D Young (capt), C Quinnell, J Tait, D McShane, S Sititi, R Appleyard.
Previous meetings: ('96-97) Cardiff 48 Munster 18; ('97-98) Cardiff 43 Munster 23, Munster 32 Cardiff 37.
Formguide: Munster: 25-22 v Edinburgh (a), 40-19 v Connacht (h), 22-30 v Neath (a), 29-21 v Newport (h), 61-18 v Caerphilly (a). Cardiff: 3-6 v Connacht (h), 14-25 v Neath (a), 20-14 v Newport (h), 49-15 v Caerphilly (a), 32-24 v Edinburgh (h).
Leading try scorers: Munster: Mike Mullins 4. Cardiff: Craig Hudson 6, Matt Allen 3.
Leading points scorers: Munster: Jeremy Staunton 68. Cardiff: Nick Robinson 58.
Referee: Rob Dickson (Scotland).
Forecast: Munster to win.
Also playing: Neath v Newport, The Gnoll (5.30).
Tomorrow
Connacht v Caerphilly (The Sportsground (3.00)
Steph Nel's men know that a win will assure them of advancement to the knock-out phase (and most likely avoid Leinster in the process) though were Newport to lose today then Connacht will already be assured of a quarter-final place.
Alternatively, were Newport to beat Neath then Connacht would have to overcome Caerphilly, though in that scenario they would also have a sniff of a semi-final place provided they made up 50 points on Neath over the weekend.
In the heel of the hunt, as with the other Irish provinces, back-to-back wins over Neath and Newport have left Connacht with their destiny in their own hands. With their biggest achievement since the highs of four years ago now in sight, they make only one change, recalling talisman Eric Elwood, while another major boon is Mark McConnell's availability after Simon Raiwalui's midweek punch. This fixture will also be a chance to expunge one of their lowest points in recent times.
CONNACHT: G Duffy; M McPhail, D Yapp, T Allnutt, W Munn; E Elwood, E Reddan; D McFarland, M Uijs, P Bracken, R Frost, M McConnell (capt), P Neville, D Dillon, J O'Connor.
Caerphilly: Not selected.
Previous meetings: ('98-'99) Caerphilly 39 Connacht 8.
Formguide: Connacht: 6-3 v Cardiff (a), 21-30 v Edinburgh (h), 19-40 v Munster (a), 28-10 v Neath (h), 16-14 v Newport (a). Caerphilly: 13-43 v Neath (h), 22-50 v Newport (a), 15-49 v Cardiff (h), 20-27 v Edinburgh (a), 18-61 v Munster (h).
Leading try scorers: Connacht: Wayne Munn 2. Caerphilly: Ken Morris 3.
Leading points scorers: Connacht: Eric Elwood 47. Caerphilly: Stewart Lawrence _ 23.
Forecast: Connacht to win.
The top four teams in each pool will qualify for the quarter-finals
Clubs will be ranked in their pools on the highest number of points - three for a win, one for a draw, none for a defeat.
If teams are level on points then positions will be determined by points difference - points 'for' minus points 'against'
After that ranking will be determined by the highest number of games won
If teams are still locked together then the number of tries scored will determine ranking
If a further ruling is needed, then ranking will be determined on the toss of a coin.
Once the pool stages have been completed, the quarter-final line-up will be: First Pool A v Fourth Pool B, Second Pool A v Third Pool B, Second Pool B v Third Pool A, First Pool B v Fourth Pool A.
Ronan O'Gara was honoured as the Guinness Rugby Writers of Ireland Player of the Year at a banquet in the Berkeley Court Hotel on Thursday night, while the club of the year award went to AIB League champions Dungannon and the evergreen Connemara full back Henry O'Toole received the Tom Rooney memorial award.
Fred Cogley, Chairman of the Rugby Writers of Ireland and Clive Brownlee, Assistant Managing Director, Guinness Ireland Group presented the trophies to O'Gara, the Dungannon coach Willie Anderson and O'Toole.
During the 2000-2001 season O'Gara played a significant role in Munster's third successive inteprovincial title and their run to the semi-final of the European Cup, helping Cork Constitution to the All-Ireland League final and scoring 69 points in Ireland's four internationals before going on to earn selection for the Lions.
Dungannon became the first Ulster club to win the league with a run of seven successive wins in which they set new standards for club rugby with their expansive style. Anderson jokingly attributed Dungannon's success to the foot and mouth outbreak, as it meant his squad were then together for three months. Indeed, after the month-long hiatus caused by the foot-and-mouth outbreak, Dungannon won 10 of their last 11 matches.
In addition to being a Connacht stalwart, after a distinguished career with Corinthians highlighted by three Connacht Senior Cup and five Senior League medals, O'Toole has spent the last decade with Connemara. Last season they won the junior cup and league double, finishing second in the AIB League Round Robin finished second after beating Lisburn and Navan, and finally overcoming Highfield to earn a place in this year's AIL third division.
Connacht will hold the ladies interprovincial championship in the Sportsground today, with the hosts playing Leinster at 1.0 p.m. before reigning champions Ulster take on Munster at 3.0 p.m.
