O’Gara and O’Callaghan return for Munster

MUNSTER will be boosted by the return of Lions Ronan O’Gara and Donncha O’Callaghan for Saturday’s Celtic League clash with Glasgow in Scotland.

Ireland coach Eddie O’Sullivan has released both players a week ahead of the agreed dates for those returning from the tour to New Zealand, and that has led to Declan Kidney making alterations from the squad that defeated Ospreys last weekend.

O’Gara’s return means promising youngster Jeremy Manning is excluded. O’Callaghan comes into the forwards equation along with Tony Buckley, the huge Shannon prop, with John O’Sullivan, Denis Fogarty and Stephen Keogh dropping out, in keeping with Kidney’s rotation policy.

Kidney has selected three scrum-halves - Peter Stringer, Mike Prendergast and Frank Murphy.

Both Denis Leamy and David Wallace who, in successive weeks, have lined out at centre and wing respectively, have been named in a panel of 13 forwards.

Ulster coach Mark McCall has named an unchanged side for Friday’s duel with Celtic League table-toppers Edinburgh at Ravenhill.

Ulster opened their campaign with a 25-22 victory away to Cardiff last week, their first away victory in 10 trips.

The only tinkering is in the replacements, with 20-year-old scrum-half Paul Marshall replaced by the more experienced Reece Spe. Adam Larkin comes in for Jonny Bell who cried off late last week due to a back spasm.

“This will be a real test for us against a team that is playing the best rugby in the league at present, said McCall.

“Going through their team, there are internationals in nearly every position. But we have some fine players too, who are raring to go in front of the home fans.”

MUNSTER SQUAD: Forwards. F. Pucciariella, M. Horan, F. Roche, F. Sheahan, J. Flannery, T. Buckley, M. O’Driscoll, T. Hogan, D. O’Callaghan, D. Leamy, D. Wallace, A. Foley (captain), A. Quinlan.

Backs. P. Stringer, M. Prendergast, F. Murphy, R. O’Gara, P. Burke, A. Horgan, R. Henderson, T. Halstead, B. Murphy, J. Kelly, S. Payne.

ULSTER: P Wallace; T Bowe, K Maggs, P Steinmetz, A Trimble; D Humphreys, K Campbell; J Fitzpatrick, P Shields, S Best, capt, M McCullough, J Harrison, N Best, N McMillan, R Wilson.

Replacements: R Best, B Young, C Feather, R Frost, R Spee, J Topping, A Larkin.