EXORCISING their Murrayfield ghosts may be Leinster’s primary goal for the visit of Magners League basement boys, Ulster, to the RDS on St Stephen’s Day, but under pressure Blues coach Michael Cheika may also have a point to prove to his detractors.

Ulster caretaker coach Steve Williams has made three changes to his side for the Magner's League tie with Leinster at The RDS on St Stephen's Day.

Ulster caretaker Coach Steve Williams has named David Humphreys and newcomer Grant Webb in an extended squad to preare for Leinster in the Magner's League at The RDS on St Stephen's Day.

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ULSTER have been hit with a double whammy ahead of tonight’s opening Heineken Cup clash with Gloucester at Ravenhill. Flanker Stephen Ferris has been told he will be sidelined for up to six weeks while veteran fly-half David Humphreys is a major concern due to an ankle injury.

David Humphreys will have to come through a fitness test on a damaged ankle beofre Mark McCall can insert him at out-half for Friday's Heineken Cup opener against Gloucester at Ravenhill.

VETERAN fly-half David Humphreys makes his first Ulster start of the season with Ireland’s under-used World Cup stand-in Paddy Wallace reverting to the bench for the Magners League trip to Glasgow tonight (Firhill Arena, 7.30pm).

KIERAN CAMPBELL and Stuart Philpott return to the Ulster squad for tomorrow’s Magners League clash with in-form Glasgow Warriors at Firhill.

Ulster 16 Leinster 16

Coach Mark McCall has decided to go with Ryan Caldwell and Stephen Ferris ahead of Justin Harrison and Roger Wilson, respectively, in Ulster's Magners League joust with Leinster at Ravenhill this evening.

LEINSTER and Ulster will endeavour to put the Ireland’s World Cup nightmare in the rear-view mirror on Friday night in Ravenhill — but the presence of Felipe Contepomi in the visitor’s dug-out will make that difficult.

THE Leinster squad to face Edinburgh in the opening game of the Magners League season in the RDS on Saturday (5.30pm) has been named.

MUNSTER Rugby has agreed a three year sponsorship deal with adidas, believed to be worth approximately €650,000-a-year.

ULSTER captain Justin Harrison wants his side to make history in Stradey Park this evening.

ULSTER managed to hang on to a 14-7 interval lead and keep their Magners League hopes very much alive with a curate’s egg performance against the Newport Gwent Dragons at Ravenhill last night.

ULSTER cannot be overtaken as Magners League leaders, even if arch-rivals Leinster pull off a victory in the last match at the old Lansdowne Road stadium on Sunday.

BALLYMENA flanker Chris Henry and Belfast Harlequins wing Paul McKenzie have been included in a 24-man Ulster squad ahead of the Magners League derby against Connacht at Ravenhill on St Stephen’s Day.

IT’S OLD for the new as Ulster coach Mark McCall recalls experienced former international prop Justin Fitzpatrick for the recently-capped Ireland loose-head Bryan Young in the only change for the Heineken Cup clash with London Irish tonight at Ravenhill.

ULSTER’S Roger Wilson admits the criticisms endured after Saturday’s Heineken Cup disaster at the Madejski Stadium were justified.

ULSTER’S former London Irish flanker Kieron Dawson has warned his teammates to “beware of the wounded animal” ahead of today’s decisive Pool Five clash at the Madejski Stadium in Reading (3.30pm).

LEINSTER can count themselves unlucky not to have doubled their pickings at a gale-lashed Ravenhill on Saturday after holding Magners League leaders Ulster to a draw following a game of real old-fashioned rugby.

PAUL McKENZIE will start the biggest game of his short career when he lines-out against Leinster in the eagerly-awaited Magners League clash at Ravenhill this evening (7.30pm).

ULSTER’S stand-in captain and resident hard man Justin Harrison wants the same performance from his players against Llanelli at Stradey Park tonight that they produced in humiliating Toulouse last week.

ULSTER coach Mark McCall makes one enforced change to his side for Friday’s tricky Heineken Cup trip to Stradey Park, where the high-flying Llanelli Scarlets lie in wait.

Tommy Bowe and Paul Steinmetz have proved their fitness for Ulster's Heineken Cup tie with Toulouse at Ravenhill on Sunday.

ULSTER have received a massive boost with the return of skipper Simon Best ahead of their Heineken Cup opener against French giants Toulouse at Ravenhill on Saturday.

MUNSTER will be without Irish hooker Frankie Sheahan yet again when they take on Ulster in the Magners League at Musgrave Park tonight (7.30pm).

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FORMER Munster second row Trevor Hogan looks set to make his Leinster debut in the Magners League against Edinburgh Gunners at Murrayfield tomorrow night and has been praised by coach Michael Cheika.

MUNSTER may be Heineken Cup champions but they won’t get anything soft in the Celtic League opener against Cardiff Blues at the Arms Park tomorrow night.

NEW Munster rugby signing Tim McGann of Australian provincial side Eastern Suburbs turned down a Super 14 contract with the NSW Waratahs in favour of the Heineken Cup champions.

OF all the overseas signings that Ulster have made in recent seasons, Wallaby Justin Harrison jumps out as the one to have made the biggest impact.

MUNSTER heroes captain Anthony Foley, half backs Ronan O’Gara and Peter Stringer and second-row partners Paul O’Connell and Donncha O’Callaghan will be at Thomond Park on Saturday, but not on the pitch, as the Heineken Cup champions take on Cardiff Blues (5.30pm).

The Barbarians will field a team selected from seven countries, including Ireland's David Humphreys and Bob Casey, when they tackle an England XV in Sunday’s Gartmore Challenge match at Twickenham.

BRYN CUNNINGHAM will join the list of Ulster centurions when he faces Llanelli Scarlets at Stradey Park this evening.

CONNACHT’S strong record against Welsh sides at the Sportsground this season will be under pressure this evening when they entertain the Neath/Swansea Ospreys (6.30pm).

SPRINT king Andy Maxwell believes the fractured Celtic League season will not get in the way of Ulster's goal of winning the title.

ANDREW TRIMBLE returns to the Ulster line-up for their trip to Glasgow Warriors on Saturday, the only change to the side that defeated the Dragons three weeks ago.

TOMÁS O’LEARY could line out for Munster as outside centre in the Celtic League game with Llanelli at Stradey Park on Saturday.

Ireland boss Eddie O’Sullivan has delayed naming his second row for Saturday’s RBS Six Nations clash with Scotland in order to give Paul O’Connell time to recover from injury.

PAUL BURKE looks certain to start for Munster tomorrow night in a crucial Celtic League game against chasing Ulster at Ravenhill.

ULSTER coach Mark McCall has named a squad of 23 for Friday’s Celtic League top-of-the-table clash with Munster at Ravenhill (7.35 kick-off).

Ireland lock Donncha O’Callaghan has replaced the injured Paul O’Connell for this weekend’s RBS Six Nations Championship clash with Wales at Lansdowne Road.

COACH Mark McCall is looking for Ulster to continue their good away form in the Celtic League when they tackle Edinburgh at Murrayfield tonight (ko 7.30).