Ulster will be without Irish internationals Jonathan Bell and Justin Fitzpatrick for tomorrow night's Guinness Interprovincial Championship contest against Leinster at Ravenhill. Both absences are enforced through injury and they join Irish captain Dion O'Cuinneagain on the sidelines. The latter remains the major concern for coach Harry Williams ahead of Sunday week's opening European Cup clash against Bourgoin in France.
O'Cuinneagain is still dogged by the shoulder problems that hampered him during the World Cup. Eric Miller continues to deputise on the blindside flank. Gary Longwell and Mark Blair have been named in the second row with Paddy Johns dropping to the bench, continuing Williams's squad-rotation policy.
Only Simon Best retains his place in the front row with a veteran of last year's European Cup success, the 36-year-old Rab Irwin, included at loosehead in place of Fitzpatrick. Ritchie Weir is named at hooker with Allen Clarke dropping to the bench where he is joined by brother, Alastair.
Young scrum-half Mark Edwards is given an opportunity to start, Dungannon's Stephen Bell joins the replacements. Denied first-choice centres Bell and Riaz Fredericks, Williams has paired Jan Cunningham and the versatile Niall Malone in midfield. Sheldon Coulter is provided with a start on the right wing as James Topping is rested.
There are six changes to the Leinster team hammered by Munster at Donnybrook for tomorrow's game, highlighting the dissatisfaction of coach Mike Ruddock with the performance of his charges last time out. "We were not satisfied with individual performances and we also felt that it was an opportunity to freshen up the team.
"I don't want people to think that this is purely an experimental line-up, players were dropped."
Ruddock is able to welcome back Girvan Dempsey, who will be playing his first competitive match since breaking a collarbone while on duty with the province against an Argentina second choice XV.
The Terenure full back subsequently missed the World Cup but is restored to full health. His return means that Gordon D'Arcy switches to the right wing: John McWeeney is excluded. There is a new combination at half back with Mark McHugh and Stu Forster preferred to Barry Everitt and Derek Hegarty.
The front row during the Munster debacle drop to the bench with Emmet Byrne, James Blaney -Peter Smyth is injured - and Gary Halpin taking over.
Connacht make a couple of changes for their trip to Munster. Scrum-half Steve McIvor is out of commission with a knee injury and is replaced by David Mescal. Barry Gavin is preferred to Colm Rigney on the blindside flank.
Ulster: S Mason; S Coulter, J Cunningham, N Malone, S Bromley; D Humphreys (capt), M Edwards; R Irwin, R Weir, S Best; M Blair, G Longwell; E Miller, T McWhirter, A Ward. Replacements: J Topping, Alastair Clarke, S Bell, S McKinty, P Johns, G Leslie, Allen Clarke.
Leinster: G Dempsey; G D'Arcy, P McKenna, S Horgan, D Hickie; M McHugh, S Forster; E Byrne, J Blaney, G Halpin; R Casey, M O'Kelly; D O'Brien, V Costello, L Toland (capt). Replacements: E Farrell, D Whiston, D Hegarty, R Corrigan, L Cullen, S Byrne, A McKeen.
Connacht: S Allnutt; P Duignan, M Mostyn, M Deane, N Carolan; E Elwood (capt), D Mescal; J Maher, S McDonald, M Cahill; G Webster, M McConnell; B Gavin, M Steffert, E Brennan. Replacements: C Kilroy, O Cobbe, M Murphy, J Screene, J McVeigh, C Rigney, B Jackman.
