Wilson to lead Ulster Ravens

Roger Wilson will make his return from injury today as Ulster Ravens kick off their British & Irish Cup campaign against Bridgend Ravens in Deramore Park. Wilson will line out in his familiar number 8 position while former Ireland U20 captain Niall Annett starts at hooker.

Allen Clarke’s side will be looking to improve on last year’s performance, when they were eliminated at the semi-final stage by a strong Munster A side.

Another man returning from injury is Munster’s Felix Jones who will start at fullback for the A side as Ian Costello’s men begin their title defence against Plymouth Albion in Brickfields today. Jones forms part of a strong back line that contains Duncan Williams, Scott Deasy and JJ Hanrahan.

Jack McGrath will skipper a young looking Leinster A side when they face Leeds Carnegie in Donnybrook this evening. Fourteen Academy graduates have been included in the starting line-up.

Former Munster Academy player of the year Eoghan Grace has been handed the responsibility of leading the Connacht Eagles into their first ever British & Irish Cup game against Newport RFC at Rodney Parade this afternoon. The starting XV also features Conor Finn who was part of the Irish U20 squad that finished fifth in the Junior World Championship in South Africa.

LEINSTER A (v Leeds Carnegie): D Hudson; A Boyle, B Macken, C O’Shea, S Coghlan-Murray, N Reid, J Cooney, J O’Connell, T Sexton, J McGrath (c), T Denton, B Marshall, J Coghlan, J van der Flier, J Conan. Replacements: J Tracy, T Furlong, T Beirne, D Leavy, D Shanahan, C Marsh, T Daly.

ULSTER RAVENS (v Bridgend Ravens):P Nelson; A D’Arcy, R Andrew, S Olding, C Cochrane; N O’Connor, B McIlroy; R Lutton, N Annett, C Carey, A O’Connor, N McComb (c), C Joyce, A Birch, R Wilson.

Replacements: J Burns, K McCall, J Simpson, S O’Connell, M Heaney, S McCloskey, R Scholes.

MUNSTER A (v Plymouth Albion): F Jones; R O’Mahony, C Bohane, JJ Hanrahan, C Hircock; S Deasy, D Williams; J Ryan, S Henry (c), A Cotter; I Nagle, B Hayes; S Buckley, B O’Mahony, T O’Donnell.

Replacements: D Casey, C Condon, P Donnellan, S Rennison, C Sheridan, AN Other, J Holland.

CONNACHT EAGLES (v Newport RFC): S Layden; J Loxton, C Finn, T Leader, M Healy; J Carty, M Walsh; B Wilkinson, J Harris-Wright, JP Cooney; M Kearney, D Qualter; D Heffernan, E Grace (c), J Gardiner. Replacements: K O’Byrne, P Reilly, U Dillane, A Conneely, M Dolan, D Leader, S Macauley.