Celtic League News round-up: Back row forwards being in the news these days, both Ulster and Munster have had some movement in those positions this week for their respective Celtic League matches.
Ulster Rugby announced that they and beleaguered coach Mark McCall are close to completing the signing of specialist openside flanker, Gavin Pfister, while, in Munster, Alan Quinlan comes into Alan Gaffney's line-up for tomorrow night's game in Musgrave Park against Borders.
Ulster have suffered a number of injuries, the most serious ruling Neil McMillan out of rugby for the entire season. As a result, McCall has been forced to look for cover and Pfister has been drafted into the squad on contract until the end of June next year.
The 30-year-old South African, who has previously played rugby for Free State and Western Province, moved to England and signed with Worcester at the beginning of the 2001-02 season, and was part of the squad that helped the club win promotion to the Zurich Premiership. His reputation is that of being a prolific try-scorer. Released by Worcester last May, Pfister comes to McCall's aid from the little-known Pertemps Bees in England's National Division One.
He will not, however, be eligible to play in the Heineken European Cup as the deadline for squad registration passed in September. Pfister will, though, be registered for the Celtic League and is expected to be in the mix for this weekend's match against Cardiff, the team for which will be selected today.
Gaffney, meanwhile, welcomes the return of Mike Mullins, Quinlan and Eoin Reddan for tomorrow night's clash, while Paul Devlin makes his first start for the side. Just one change in the pack allows Quinlan make a timely return from injury to take a place in the back row, Ireland squad commitments and injury removing any other options. Anthony Foley and Denis Leamy are involved against the USA, while David Wallace was injured at national training.
Leading try-scorer Christian Cullen, who has started in every one of Munster's 12 games to date, is given a well-earned rest, so the fullback position will be filled by the ever versatile Shaun Payne.
Mullins returns to outside centre for the first time since playing against Glasgow in early October and the former Irish under-21 player, Devlin, who scored a try when coming on as a replacement against Cardiff, is named on the wing in place of Anthony Horgan. Horgan became another casualty of national duty when he picked up a hamstring injury at training.
MUNSTER (v Borders): S Payne; M Lawler, M Mullins, R Henderson, P Devlin; P Burke, E Reddan; F Roche, J Blaney, G McIlwham, T Hogan, T Bowman, S Keogh, J Williams, A Quinlan. Replacements: M Storey, D Fogarty, T Hayes, J O'Connor, M Prendergast, J Holland, M McPhail.
