All three of the Irish provinces in the Heineken Cup have announced their sides ahead of the registration deadline today. Leinster’s squad includes their signing from yesterday - Paul Holwell -while Munster’s squad included Paul Devlin, the 22 year old ex-Rugby League player whose signing was confirmed this morning.
Connacht have made four changes to the team that lost to Cardiff last weekend ahead of their clash with The Borders this weekend. Conor O’Loughlin and Eric Elwood will both make their first competitive starts of the season at scrum half and out half. O’Loughlin comes in for the injured Tom Tierney while Elwood comes in for Matt Mostyn with Paul Warwick moving to outside centre.
Alan Gaffney has named a strong Munster side for this Sunday’s match against Llanelli at Thomond Park. Gaffney had a full compliment of Irish internationals available for selection and has included most of them in his starting line-up.
Leinster have completed the signing of out-half David Holwell just days ahead of the Heineken Cup deadline. We intially reported on the signing earlier in the month, but it now appears the deal is close to completion with Holwell having to complete a medical before joining the squad proper.
Leinster coach Declan Kidney has announced his side to face Newport-Gwent Dragons on Friday night. With the Irish internationals all available for selection, Kidney will be able to give Reggie Corrigan, Shane Byrne, Malcolm O’Kelly, Brian O’Driscoll, Shane Horgan and Girvan Dempsey their first starts of the season.
Ulster fans will be very dissapointed to hear that having left the field towards the end of the first half during Ulster’s match last weekend, Andy Ward will miss 6 weeks with the injury.
Three weeks ago Ravenhill was regarded as one of the scarier places to travel to in European Rugby, but with Leinster ending Ulster’s 21 match unbeaten run at the venue and following the Osprey’s victory today one has to assume team’s won’t be as fearful anymore.
Connacht last night travelled to Cardiff, where they lost by 31 points to 6 to the Welsh side. Cardiff may have had an impressive score-line to go home with, but the late tries flatter them in what has to be considered a poor performance against Connacht.
Leinster last night cruised past The Borders to a 50-13 bonus point win that took them to the top of the Celtic League. Leinster now are one point ahead of Welch side Neath-Swansea Ospreys, but the Ospreys have a game in hand. The Ospreys today face Ulster in Belfast.
Connacht were moments away from recording a rare win over Munster tonight in the Celtic League, but in a dramatic finish to the game Munster clawed their way to a draw (27-27) in the 9th minute of injury time.