IAN HUMPHREYS will leave Leicester Tigers at the end of the season and return to Ulster on a two-year deal. The former Ballymena Academy pupil has played in England since the summer of 2005, when he left club side Belfast Harlequins.
He will hope to step in at outhalf where his illustrious brother David left off, although that won't be all plain sailing as incumbent Niall O'Connor has been impressing coach Matt Williams with his performances to date.
Humphreys played an important role with Leicester in 2006/07 as the club won the English Premiership and Anglo-Welsh Cup and reached the final of the Heineken European Cup. However, he struggled to nail down a regular first-team place, making 15 appearances for the senior side last season. He scored 100 points, including two tries.
Humphreys also captained Ireland at the World Cup Sevens in Hong Kong in 2005 and made his Ireland A debut during the 2007 Six Nations before being selected for the Churchill Cup later that summer.
"I am really pleased to be signing for Ulster, everyone who grows up in Ulster wants to play for Ulster and it is something I have always wanted to do, when the chance came along I took it," he said. "It will be great playing alongside a lot of guys I have grown up with and played alongside at various levels. I went to school with Matt (McCullough) and Bryan (Young) and Rory (Best) is one of my best mates."
Humphreys will join the squad for pre-season training in June.
Young centre Darren Cave, who recently signed a professional contract with the province, comes into this week's squad for Ulster's match with Cardiff at the Arms Park on Saturday (5.30pm).
Williams is hoping his team will play with more discipline as players have been yellow-carded in each of Ulster's last three matches, including their win over Connacht last Friday in Belfast.
Cave, who turned 21 at the beginning of this month, signed a development contract in October 2006, having being involved in the Ulster Academy for just one year.
ULSTER SQUAD: Forwards: J Fitzpatrick; R Best, T Court, J Harrison, K Dawson,S Ferris, R Caldwell, C Del Fava, M McCullough, N Brady, B Young, N Best, R Wilson, S Philpott; Backs: Pl Marshall; I Boss, P Wallace, Nl O'Connor, M McCrea, D Cave, A Trimble, T Bowe, B Cunningham, R Dewey, Pl Steinmetz, M Bartholomeusz.
EDINBURGH (v Leinster): H Southwell; S Webster, B Cairns, N De Luca, J Houston; P Godman, G Laidlaw; A Allori, R Ford, G Kerr, M Mustchin, B Gissing, A Hogg capt, A McDonald, D Callam. Replacements: A Kelly, G Cross, C Hamilton, S Newlands, B Meyer, D Blair, C MacRae.
CONNACHT SQUAD (v Dragons): L Bibo, A Browne, L Casserly, M Deane, G Duffy, A Dunne, P Durcan, A Farley, A Flavin, J Fogarty, D Gannon, R Loughney, K Matthews, C McPhillips, J Merrigan, R Morris, M Mostyn, J Muldoon, T Nathan, J O'Connor, C Rigney, D Riordan, RShaw, O Treviranus, B Wilkinson, D Yapp.
