Lansdowne have appointed Michael Cosgrave, one-time Wanderers centre and Warren Gatland's assistant at Connacht, as their new coach in succession to Paul Clinch.
The highly regarded Cosgrave took charge of his first squad session at the club last night in preparation for their AIB League first division game at home to Old Crescent on Saturday.
Cosgrave has been appointed until the end of the season before rejoining Connacht next summer for his fourth campaign with the province. "I'm not making any commitments beyond that as I'm still keen to stay involved with Connacht," said the 34-year-old yesterday. "But it's a huge challenge at Lansdowne and one I'm looking forward to."
Despite recently winning the Leinster Championship, Lansdowne have made a relatively disappointing start to the AIL with just three points out of a possible eight, including heavy defeats away to Blackrock and Dungannon.
"It's not the ideal time to be coming in, in the middle of the season," admitted Cosgrave. "I'm not going to change things very quickly. Obviously, the priority would be to avoid relegation but I would be hopeful that Lansdowne could be a good deal better than that, especially when you look at the players they've got."
Grant White will continue as assistant coach, and the club PRO Joe Leddin thanked Donal Spring for giving his assistance in the immediate aftermath of Clinch's departure before Christmas.
Weather permitting, the league continues apace this weekend. The holders, Shannon, expect to field the side which was picked for their postponed Limerick derby against Young Munster for their first away game of the campaign at Cork Constitution.
However, their hosts have learned that captain Kenny Murphy sustained a broken collarbone for the second time this season at Clontarf on Saturday and will again be sidelined for a few months. They will also await fitness reports on Niall Murray, John Kelly, Philip Soden and their Kiwi second row Roger Newell, who all missed the Clontarf game.
Last week's couple of cancellations could enable St Mary's to bring back some of their walking wounded from the early skirmishes, most notably international left winger John McWeeney. He will probably return for the home game against Clontarf after recovering from the pulled hamstring he sustained while scoring against Terenure a month ago.
Other longer-term casualties, Trevor Brennan and Peter Coyle, are still ruled out, as most probably will be the case with scrum-half Conor McGuinness, while Emmet Byrne (rib cartilage), Barry Browne (groin strain) and centre Ray McIlreavy (hamstring) are all rated 50-50. Clontarf leave a vacancy at centre pending a fitness check on the injured Gareth Aherne - otherwise the team is the same as that which lost to Cork Constitution.
Blackrock too have a catalogue of injuries, which delays the selection of their side to face Dolphin. Shane Byrne, by all accounts playing some of the best rugby of his life, was forced to leave the pitch against Garryowen because of a persistent back complaint which makes him doubtful, as is Paul Flavin (knee), John Ryan (virus) and Brian Carey, who is sitting exams.
Against that, Leo Cullen might come back into the equation after recovering from his shoulder injury. Dolphin have a minor concern over their influential centre Cian Mahony.
Minor back and elbow injuries to Stephen McIvor and Andrew Bermingham, though both will probably be okay, have delayed the selection of Garryowen's team for the visit of Terenure, whose selectorial think-tank will go into overdrive more because of poor form than injuries in light of the limp defeat at home to Ballymena.
Ballymena, the new outright leaders, have, not surprisingly, picked the same team for Saturday's Ulster set-to with Dungannon - indeed they have started only 17 players in their four games to date, scoring 19 tries and conceding just two.
Dungannon have selected the side which started in their 28-8 win over Lansdowne, which means Robin Morrow and Ashley Blair will continue at full-back and out-half, with Johnny Hastings remaining on the bench.
In the second division, leaders Buccaneers rate centre Conor Gormley doubtful with a thumb injury but although one prop, Martin Whelehan (thumb injury), is still unlikely to appear at home to second-placed UCC, another prop, Jimmy Screen, will be available again after his honeymoon.
The other Connacht side with a 100 per cent record, Galwegians, have a dilemma any other club in the second division would envy - how to choose between their three interprovincial centres. Irish A centre Pat Duignan is fit to resume after being sidelined with a broken hand since their league opener in November, which means either Mervyn Murphy or Alan Reddan may have to make way or be shoved along the threequarter line. Second-row Jimmy Duffy is still unavailable.
Their opponents, Bective, have confirmed that Ed Martin, assistant coach to the departed Harry Williams, has been appointed as coach for the rest of the season. Neighbours Old Wesley have loose-head Richard Jackson available again for the visit of DLSP.
