CELTIC LEAGUE: New Zealand full back Christian Cullen's arrival to Ireland has been slightly delayed, but he is expected to arrive to play for Munster in three weeks.
Cullen, who is the All Black's leading Test try scorer, will join the reigning Celtic League title holders as soon as his club side, Wellington, finish their provincial championship in New Zealand.
With one match to play this weekend against Northland, who have not won a game all season, Wellington are expected to reach the semi-finals, with Cullen committed to staying on until his team's run is complete.
"It will probably be around the end of the month at this stage. We knew he wouldn't be arriving until around this time when he had finished playing with Wellington," said a Munster official.
Munster will not select a team to face Ulster in the Celtic League at Musgrave Park on Friday night until today, but this week's opponents were able to name a side with just two changes from last week. Following Friday's narrow victory over Leinster on a try count (3-2) in the Celtic Cup quarter-final at Ravenhill Road, it was with some relief that coach Alan Solomons was also able to announce an arrival rather than an injury-forced departure to travel to Musgrave Park.
Rod Moore, who has stepped straight off the plane and into the Ulster starting side, is probably the only professional to have come from Australia to Ireland six days before the World Cup begins. The prop, who was capped 14 times for the Wallabies, committed to travelling home to help club side Eastwood claim the Toohey Cup title last Saturday. His return will strengthen the front row, an area where Ulster have had problems.
As a result, Bryan Young moves to the bench, as does outside centre Ryan Constable. Seamus Mallon comes in to start in place of Constable.
Leinster, who play Cardiff away on Friday, have also delayed naming their side. However, they will definitely be without Gordon D'Arcy and John Lyne and await medical reports on a number of other players. Full back D'Arcy has a cheek injury while prop Lyne has a bruised shoulder.
It is also expected that outside centre Kieran Lewis and outhalf Christian Warner will be sidelined for longer than thought. Lewis has a knee injury, which a scan has indicated may take months to clear up, while Warner's neck strain will keep him out for a matter of weeks.
Connacht have made four changes to the side that defeated Llanelli at the weekend for Saturday's Celtic League clash against The Borders at the Sportsground as coach Michael Bradley continues to rotate his squad.
The return from injury of Eric Elwood and Wayne Munn ought to strengthen the side, which has won four out of five matches and reached the Celtic Cup semi-finals.
The two other changes see former UCD captain Shane Moore come in at centre, while hooker John Fogarty takes over from Bernard Jackman. In the replacements, flanker John Muldoon and scrumhalf Conor O'Loughlin are called up.
This is Connacht's first home match since the opening day of the season when they defeated Edinburgh. Since then they have defeated Borders, Glasgow and Llanelli and lost to Cardiff.
ULSTER (v Munster): B Cunningham; S Young, S Mallon, S Stewart, T Howe; A Larkin, K Campbell; R McCormack, P Shields, R Moore, M Mustchin, M McCullough, A Ward (capt), N Best, T McWhirter. Replacements: N Brady, B Young, R Frost, R Wilson, R Spee, R Constable, J Topping.
CONNACHT (v Borders): M McHugh; M Mostyn, D Yapp, S Moore, W Munn; E Elwood, M Walls; R Hogan, J Fogarty, F Boiroux; D Browne, A Farley; P Neville, T Carter, J O'Sullivan. Replacements: B Jackman, A Clarke, M McCarthy, J Muldoon, C O'Loughlin, D Hewitt, T Robinson.
