Welsh vow to be stronger

LEINSTER’S defence of their Celtic League crown begins tonight against a Pontypridd side with more to play for than most.

The Welsh Rugby Union have begun a scheme to include results of this competition as criteria for European Cup qualification.

"There is optimism in Wales that more teams will provide a much stronger challenge to the Irish than they did last year," Welsh spokesperson Gareth Thomas said.

"We did derive significant benefit from increased exposure to rugby outside our own environment and learned some lessons before finishing the season very strongly," Thomas said.

"The tournament made a much bigger impact than expected at the turnstiles, but it has the potential to be much bigger," he said.

It's the Celtic champions against the 2002 Parker Pen Shield winners at the Donnybrook this evening.

"It's going to be a lot tougher than last season, when I don't think the Welsh clubs, in particular, were that well organised," Leinster captain Reggie Corrigan said.

A view shared by Thomas: "In Pontypridd, at any rate, we kept all of our key players and brought in some more. It is a pity we have to start the campaign against a full-strength Leinster. We couldn't have asked for a tougher opener but we are looking forward to the tie."

Pontypridd hero Neil Jenkins is back at Sardis Road having spent the last three years in Cardiff, with the signing of Emyr Lewis to add more strength.

Lewis is ruled out of this evening's tie with a hamstring strain, but Jenkins should return from an ankle injury.

Coach Lynn Howells has decided to take a squad of 24 players to Dublin. "We have added a couple of players as cover. Neil had a run before our departure and should make it," Howells said.

Leinster will be anxious to start the campaign with a win because the squad will be depleted soon. Ireland's involvement in three outings against Romania and RWC qualifiers against Russia and Georgia means the champions will have to field without their international contingent.

Munster will be in a similar position while Ulster, with only two on the national squad, and Connacht could make up ground.

The Welsh teams have few international representatives, but some clubs will be hit when Wales embarks on the four-match Autumn International programme.

LEINSTER: G. Dempsey, D. Hickie, B. O'Driscoll, C. Warner, G. D'Arcy, A. Dunne, B. O'Meara, R. Corrigan, S. Byrne, P. Wallace, L. Cullen, M. O'Kelly, E. Miller, K. Gleeson, V. Costello. Replacements: N. Treston, P. Smyth, D. Dillon, A. McCullen, B. Willis, D. Quinlan, P. McKenna.

PONTYPRIDD (from): D. Bell, G. Bafer, J. Bryant, B. Cockbain, B. Davey, M. Davies, P. Edwards, N. Hennessy, G. Jenkins, N. Jenkins, P. John, N. Kelly, G. Lewis, J. Lewis, D. McIntosh, M. Nuttall, W. O'Connor, M. Owen, R. Parks, S. Parker, M. Rees, C. Sweeney.