Celtic League: Argentinian outhalf Felipe Contepomi has been included in the Leinster 23-man squad for Friday's Celtic League match against Celtic Warriors at Donnybrook.
Contepomi has played only twice for the province, against Neath-Swansea Ospreys and Ulster, since arriving in Ireland before Christmas. An administrative error initially kept him out of Leinster's Heineken European Cup pool matches before an ankle injury in January forced him onto the surgeon's table to have a loose piece of bone removed.
His only other game on Irish soil has been with his nominated club Carlow against Shannon in Thomond Park, also in January. This week should mark his first run-out for coach Gary Ella since the operation.
Brian O'Meara also makes a return to the extended squad following a hamstring injury.
Ulster coach Alan Solomons has made just three changes to the Ulster bench for his side's game against Glasgow Rugby in Scotland. The starting line-up for the match remains the same as the one that beat Neath-Swansea last Friday as Ulster aim to maintain their position at the top of the Celtic League table. Neil McMillen, Shane Stewart and Seamus Mallon are named on the bench.
Ulster travel with firm expectations to win the match against the bottom-placed team in the competition, who are currently 33 points below them.
Munster and Connacht will not announce their teams until today.
Munster are awaiting Eddie O'Sullivan's Irish pick for for Sunday's game against Wales before deciding on their final line-up to face Llanelli Scarlets at Stradey Park. The province report no injuries following their 24-13 win over Leinster last weekend in Musgrave Park.
Lions and Irish centre Rob Henderson, who scored one of Munster's four tries, has been involved in O'Sullivan's extended squad training this week.
Connacht, who lost to this week's opponents, Cardiff Blues, in the Arms Park back in September, report no injuries following their four-try win over Edinburgh last Friday. The Michael Bradley-coached team are playing Cardiff at Dubarry Park on Saturday at 7 p.m.
London Irish announced yesterday that former Blackrock College and international second row Bob Casey and outhalf Barry Everitt have signed new contracts with the club that will keep them with the Exiles for another two and three seasons respectively.
Casey, who joined London Irish in July 2001, has five caps for Ireland and has made 38 first team appearances for the Exiles. Everitt, who joined London Irish a year after Casey, has played for the now defunct Ireland A side and has made 97 first-team appearances for the club.
Also in Britain, Johnny O'Connor, the rated Wasps flanker, could be out of action for the rest of the season after rupturing an Achilles tendon in their win over Rotherham at the weekend.
Sydney Univeristy opened their two-game tour of Ireland with a 14-12 victory a Leinster Development side at Navan RFC yesterday (details in sports round-up).
ULSTER (v Glasgow Rugby): B Cunningham; J Topping, P Wallace, P Steinmetz, S Young; A Larkin, N Doak; R Kempson, M Sexton, R Moore, G Longwell, M McCullough, A Ward, N Best, R Wilson. Replacements: P Shields, B Young, M Mustchin, N McMillen, K Campbell, S Stewart, S Mall
LEINSTER (v Celtic Warriors) Forwards: D Blaney, E Bohan, N Breslin, S Brophy, P Coyle, S Crawford, D Dillon, B Gissing, G Hickie, S Jennings, A Kearney, K Potts. Backs: G Brown, B Burke, F Contepomi, J Downey, M Leek, B O'Meara, B O'Riordan, J McWeeney, J Norton, D Quinlan, C Warner. (Team to be announced tomorrow at 2.30pm.)
FRIDAY
CELTIC LEAGUE: Neath-Swansea Ospreys v The Dragons, St Helens 7.30; The Borders v Edinburgh Rugby, Netherdale 7.30; Glasgow Rugby v Ulster, Hughenden 7.30; Llanelli Scarlets v Munster, Stradey Park, 7.30; Leinster Lions v Celtic Warriors, Donnybrook, 7.35.
INTERNATIONALS: Ireland under-21 v Wales under-21, Sportsground 2.30; Ireland under-19 v Wales under-19, Musgrave Park 7.30.
SATURDAY
Six Nations Championship: France v Italy, Stade de France, 2.0; Scotland v England, Murrayfield 5.30.
Celtic League: Connacht v Cardiff Blues, Dubarry Park, 7.0.
Invitational: Dublin University v Sydney University (College Park , 2.0).
Senior Friendlies: Bective Rangers v Co Carlow, Clontarf v Terenure College, De La Salle Palmerston v Greystones, Skerries v Suttonians (tba).
SUNDAY
Six Nations Championship: Ireland v Wales, Lansdowne Road, 3.0.
