Williams back in charge for Neath clash

MUNSTER captain Jim Williams is to return for the crunch Celtic League game against Neath in Wales on Saturday.

Williams appears to have recovered from a knee injury and is ready to take his place against the Welsh All Blacks, although coach Alan Gaffney will have a difficult task in choosing his back row.

Williams, Anthony Foley and Alan Quinlan are all in contention, while Denis Leamy, Eddie Halvey and Colm McMahon will also be considered.

It’s make-or-break for the title holders Leinster against Newport at Donnybrook as Matt Williams’ side are in danger of failing to reach the knockout stages unless they can win their remaining games.

Girvan Dempsey, Denis Hickie, Brian O’Driscoll, Reggie Corrigan, Shane Horgan, Paul Wallace, Leo Cullen, Mal O’Kelly and Keith Gleeson and Eric Miller are all available to Williams.

Ulster coach Alan Solomons has recalled Ireland duo David Humphreys and Gary Longwell for Saturday’s Celtic League encounter with Caerphilly at Virginia Park. Solomons has also stuck with Jeremy Davidson as skipper of the revitalised side, and has replaced the injured James Topping with Scott Young on the right wing.

Humphreys and Longwell have only had one outing for the province this season and replace Adam Larkin and Mark Blair respectively as Ulster seek to consolidate their play-off chances in fourth spot in Pool A.

Connacht, the only side in the Celtic League with a 100% record after five games, have made seven changes from the side that defeated Bridgend for Saturday’s top of the table clash with Pontypridd at the Galway Sportsground (kick-off, 3pm).

Team captain Tim Allnutt will be out of action for some time after suffering cruciate ligament damage in the opening half against Bridgend. He will remain as Connacht captain for the season, with two vice-captains, Shane Moore and Warwick Waugh, alternating the skipper’s role. Moore comes into the side at No 13 in Allnutts place, while Dermot O’Sullivan is named at No 12 in place of the injured Darren Yapp. The third change in the backline is at scrum-half with Eoin Reddan returning for the injured Chris Keane.

There are four changes up front. Warwick Waugh returns from injury in place of Damian Browne in the second row, while Michael Swift is named at blindside flanker with John O’Sullivan moving to No 8, in place of Eric Peters, and Colm Rigney moves to openside. There are two changes in the front row with Marnus Uijs selected as hooker in place of Jerry Flannery and Ronan McCormack named at tighthead in place of Peter Bracken.

Connacht are still without full-back Gavin Duffy and flanker Johnny O’Connor, both of whom are recovering from injury.

CONNACHT: M McHugh; T Robinson, D O’Sullivan, S Moore, W Munn; E Elwood, E Reddan; D McFarland, M Uijs, R McCormack; W Waugh, R Frost; M Swift, J O’Sullivan, C Rigney. Replacements: P Bracken, J Flannery, D Browne, E Peters, M Walls, M McPhail, J Norton.

ULSTER: B Cunningham; S Young; R Constable, J Bell, T Howe; D Humphreys, N Doak; J Fitzpatrick, M Sexton, R Kempson, G Longwell, J Davidson, capt, W Brosnihan, N McMillan, T McWhirter. Replacements: S Best, P Shields, M Blair, N Best, K Campbell, A Larkin, S Stewart.

LEINSTER: (probable team): G Dempsey, D Hickie, B O’Driscoll, S Horgan, G D’Arcy, C Warner, B O’Meara, R Corrigan, S Byrne, P Wallace, L Cullen, M O’Kelly, E Miller, V Costello, K Gleeson.