Celtic League: Connacht and Leinster to Close Gaps

Leinster lock Ben Gissing is set to win his 50th cap at Netherdale on Saturday, while Connacht have the ideal chance to leapfrog seventh-placed Ulster in the table, against lowly Cardiff.

The westerners have made three changes from the side which defeated Grenoble 19-3 last weekend, for a place in April’s European Challenge Cup semi-finals.

Conor McPhillips – scorer of 11 tries in 20 league games last season – comes into the backline for dead leg victim Eric Elwood. Darren Yapp reverts back to outside centre, with Paul Warwick in at number 10 for the Sportsground clash (ko 2.00pm, live Setanta).

Coach Michael Bradley has also recalled tighthead prop Stephen Knoop and number 8 John O’Sullivan to his starting line-up, with long term injury worries Dan McFarland and Mark McHugh (pictured) making the bench.

The travelling Cardiff Blues have had the edge over Connacht in their last three meetings, but Bradley’s charges have won four out of their last five outings in Galway.

Third-placed Leinster can close the gap on an idle Munster side – who lie nine points clear (47) in second – when they meet bottom side the Borders, at Netherdale on Saturday night.

Declan Kidney’s side will hope to uphold their excellent run of seven wins in their last eight games. The province have won their last three ties with the Scots – including a 50-13 mauling of the Galashiels men at Donnybrook in September.

Kidney has named an initial 25-man squad for the trip north, with lock Ben Gissing set to earn his 50th provincial cap, having made his debut against Glasgow in September 2002.

There are also inclusions for recent Lansdowne second row recruit Kristian Kos and former Ireland Under-21 captain David Gannon of Blackrock College. Kidney will name his starting line-up in the hours before kick-off.

Celtic League:
Saturday, January 22nd:
Connacht v Cardiff Blues, The Sportsground, 2.00pm

CONNACHT:

(15) Matt Mostyn
(14) Conor McPhillips
(13) Darren Yapp
(12) James Downey
(11) Ted Robinson
(10) Paul Warwick
(9) Chris Keane
(1) Ray Hogan
(2) Bernard Jackman
(3) Stephen Knoop
(4) Christian Short
(5) Andrew Farley (Capt)
(6) John Muldoon
(7) Matt Lacey
(8) John O’Sullivan

Replacements:

(16) Dan McFarland
(17) John Fogarty
(18) Pieter Myburgh
(19) Michael Swift
(20) Tom Tierney
(21) David Slemen
(22) Mark McHugh

Referee: Malcolm Changleng (Scotland)

The Borders v Leinster, Netherdale, 7.30pm

LEINSTER Squad:

Forwards: Emmett Byrne, Peter Coyle, John Lyne, Ricky Nebbett, Gavin Hickie, David Blaney, Ben Gissing, Ciaran Potts, David Gannon, Kristian Kos, Aidan McCullen, Niall Ronan, Victor Costello.

Backs: Brian O’Meara, Brian O’Riordan, David Holwell, Felipe Contepomi, David McAllister, David Quinlan, Kieran Lewis, Christian Warner, David Hewitt, John McWeeney, James Norton, Gary Brown.

Referee: Neil Ballard (Wales)