Felipe Contepomi has been voted Bank of Scotland (Ireland) Leinster Player of the month for December. Since returning from International duty Contepomi has put in some outstanding performances for Leinster in crucial games for the province against Bourgoin and against Cardiff Blues.
With tickets sales now up to 24,000, NEC Harlequins Heineken Cup pool four game against Munster at Twickenham on Saturday 15th January, kick-off 1.00pm, will enter the record books for attracting the biggest attendance to a pool match in the tournaments history.
Connacht will look to bounce back from recent bad form in this Friday’s European Challenge Cup Quarter final 1st leg tie with Grenoble at the Stade Lesdiguieres
Leinster’s team for the trip to Bath this Saturday has been named and it includes Irish International Malcom O’Kelly who has recovered from the groin injury that had ruled him out of last weekend’s game against Munster. He comes into the side in place of Ben Gissing.
Simon Best will return to the Ulster front-row for Friday’s Heineken Cup game against Gloucester at Ravenhill. The return of the Ireland loose-head is the only change from the side which defeated Connacht last Saturday.
Munster coach Alan Gaffney has named a 25 man squad for his side’s penultimate pool game against Neath-Swansea Ospreys on Saturday. Gaffney has been hit with the injury to Ronan O’Gara that has ruled him out of the remainer of the Heineken Cup Pool games, but Gaffney’s decision to sign Paul Burke during the summer seems to have been a good one.
Munster and Ireland out-half Ronan O’Gara has been ruled out of Munster’s final two Heineken Cup group games due to breaking a bone in his hand during last nights Celtic League victory over Leinster.
Munster won a war of attrition at a wet and windy Musgrave Park where they saw off Leinster to stay second in the League, a single point behind The Ospreys.
Ulster moved ahead of Connacht in the Celtic League table courtesy of a 23-14 victory over their major rivals for European qualification at Ravenhill on Saturday afternoon.