Leicester Tigers full-back Geordan Murphy says he is ahead of schedule in his recovery from a broken leg. He hopes to return to first team games for Leicester by the end of February.

Leicester will be without centres Ollie Smith and Daryl Gibson for Saturday’s return Heineken Cup clash with Ulster at Welford Road. Both picked up injuries against Ulster last weekend and still have not recovered.

The IRFU have announced that the Italian Federation, returned a number of tickets for the game against Ireland on March 20th. This means that these tickets will go on sale to the general public on www.irishrugby.ie on Monday 26th January, 2004 at 8.00 a.m.

Gordon D’Arcy has won the inaugual Bank Of Scotland (Ireland) Leinster Player of the month for December. This new award promoted by Leinster sponsers BOSI offers Leinster supporters the opportunity to choose a Leinster player who in their opinion is a cut above the rest for that month.

Ulster yesterday issued a statement countering the speculation on Alan Solomons future at the club. Solomon’s future had been speculated among Ulster supporter’s and the media but the Ulster statement says that “Alan Solomons remains 100 per cent committed to Ulster”

Former Ireland coach Warren Gatland has given a vote of confidence to Ireland’s Heineken Cup contenders. Gatland believes that Munster and Leinster will be able to avenge last week’s defeats to Gloucester and Sale and he fully expects Ulster to beat Leicester again.

Leinster will today learn if Ben Gissing will be eligible to play on Saturday. Gissing appears in front of an independent disipline committee in Dublin along with Andy Titterell of Sale who is also accused of stamping in the teams’ encounter last Saturday.

Michael Bradley has announced his team to play Pau in the Parker Pen Challenge Cup on Saturday. His team contains 5 changes from the team that beat Pau in the first leg last weekend. This marks the continutation of Bradley’s policy of squad rotation which has served his team well throughout the tournament.

Ulster have made no changes to the team that destroyed Leicester last weekend, for the return match this weekend.

The Irish Independent has reported that Brian O’Driscoll has expressed confidence that he will be fit to play against France in Ireland’s Six Nations opener in Paris. O’Driscoll injured his hamstring last Friday against Sale, but he believes he will be fit on February 14th.