Leinster

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Ulster back row Juarno Augustus says the team are focused on finishing as high up the United Rugby Championship table as they can to try and secure home advantage in the knockout stages as the battle for silverware hots up in the latter stages of the season.

Richie Murphy's side sit third in the table with four rounds of regular season fixtures remaining but face a testing run-in with Friday's visit of Leinster to Belfast followed by matches against Munster, the Stormers and table toppers Glasgow Warriors.

The South African says confidence is high after European Challenge Cup wins over Ospreys and La Rochelle set up a semi-final at home to Exeter Chiefs on 2 May.

"We are playing four of the best so all we need to do is take it week by week, recover well and then just go again when it's game day," the 28-year-old told BBC Sport NI.

"We're focusing firstly on the URC now because we want to get a home quarter-final, a home semi-final. That's what teams are playing for now.

"If we win a few games we can get second or first in the table and that's what we're aiming for."

The back-to-back European wins were both played in challenging conditions at the Affidea Stadium, but the number eight is philosophical about adapting gameplans to suit different weather conditions.

"We want to play expansive rugby, that's what we want to do, but unfortunately it's out of our control, so we have to adapt to the weather conditions and the teams we play over the next few weeks.

"If the weather is better we can show better what we have."

Augustus added that he was pleased to have overcome the frustration of a lengthy spell on the sidelines because of the ankle injury he suffered in December.

"For me I felt like I could go but then I had felt a little niggle, but hopefully it's all behind me now. Hopefully I can finish the season well and the team can finish it well also."

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Ulster head coach Richie Murphy makes just one change for Friday's United Rugby Championship inter-provincial derby against Leinster at Affidea Stadium (19:45 BST).

Sean Reffell comes in to replace Nick Timoney in the only change from the side that beat La Rochelle in last weekend's Challenge Cup quarter-final.

Once again, there is a front three of Angus Bell, hooker Tom Stewart and Tom O'Toole, while team captain Iain Henderson is joined in the second row by Cormac Izuchukwu.

While Reffell comes in at open-side flanker, David McCann retains his place at blind-side with Juarno Augustus at number eight.

Nathan Doak claimed the player of the match award after last week's win over the French side and he partners Jack Murphy in the half-backs.

The midfield pairing of Stuart McCloskey and James Hume remains, while Zac Ward and Werner Kok occupy the wings as Jacob Stockdale continues at full-back.

There are no changes on the bench with Murphy retaining the same eight as last week in a five-three split.

In contrast, Leinster head coach Leo Cullen has made 12 changes from the side that began last week's Investec Champions Cup quarter-final win over Sale Sharks, with Ireland fly-half Sam Prendergast among those returning to the line-up.

Props Jerry Cahir and Thomas Clarkson and hooker Ronan Kelleher form a changed front row, with James Ryan captaining the side at lock.

Alex Soroka, Scott Penny and number eight James Culhane come into the back row.

Hugo Keenan starts at full-back with Robbie Henshaw coming in alongside Garry Ringrose at centre this week, while there are changes on the wings where Joshua Kenny and Jimmy O'Brien start.

In a six-two bench split, there is a place for prop Ed Byrne who returned to the province this week on a short-term loan.

Ulster are third in the URC table, a point and a place above Leinster.

Leinster won 24-20 when the sides met at Aviva Stadium in December.

Ulster: Stockdale; Kok, Z Ward, Hume, McCloskey; Murphy Doak; Bell, Stewart, O'Toole, Henderson (capt), Izuchukwu, McCann, Reffell, Augustus.

Replacements: McCormick, Crean, Wilson, Sheridan, B Ward, McKee, Flannery, Postlethwaite.

Leinster: Keenan; Kenny, Ringrose, Henshaw, J O'Brien; Prendergast, McGrath; Cahir, Kelleher, Clarkson, Deeny, Ryan (capt), Soroka, Penny, Culhane.

Replacements: G McCarthy, E Byrne, Slimani, O'Tighearnaigh, Deegan, Connors, Gunne, Frawley.

Richard Petrie
BBC Sport NI Journalist

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Ulster back Zac Ward says the rivalry with Irish interprovincial rivals Leinster makes Friday's interprovincial game between the two teams at the Affidea Stadium "a spicy one".

Ulster sit third in the table, one point ahead of Leo Cullen's charges, before the encounter in Belfast, and aim to avenge a narrow 24-20 loss to Leinster in their previous United Rugby Championship meeting in Dublin in December.

"Any home interpro at home is a spicy one, but with Leinster I just think it goes to the next level," Ward told BBC Sport NI's Gavin Andrews.

"We know them so well and guys are competing against their opposite numbers to try and get into a green jersey as well.

"We're really looking forward to it. We don't really know what sort of team they are going to send up, but it doesn't really matter, they have a lot of talent and a lot of depth, but we're looking forward to it, to the challenge, and I really hope it stays dry."

Ulster will face Exeter Chiefs for a place in the European Challenge Cup final in early May but are also well in the hunt for URC silverware with four sets of games remaining before the knockout play-off stages of that competition.

"To be in this position now is class. If you'd said at the start of the season we'd be in the position we are now we'd have been delighted," enthused the 27-year-old.

"The hard work that we've done over the season is now really standing to us.

"We have some big games coming up, but the majority of those at home which is really good, so hopefully a packed Affidea can get us over the line in those games."

Ward is also pleased with his own form this campaign, although he knows there is still room for improvement.

He scored two tries in the weekend win over La Rochelle and set up another for brother Bryn.

"From where I was last year to now I think I have come on a lot and have really grown in confidence," explained the ex-Ireland Sevens player.

"There are still things I need to work on, still a lot to learn, but hopefully I can kick on at the business end of the season.

"Playing in front of our fans is amazing, they really get behind us, they really back us, and we just want to keep performing, getting a few more people into the stands to cheer us on and put a few more smiles on faces."

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Hooker Dan Sheehan will captain Leinster for their Investec Champions Cup quarter-final against Sale Sharks at Aviva Stadium on Saturday with Caelan Doris ruled out of the game.

Leinster head coach Leo Cullen makes three changes in total from the team which started last week's 49-31 last-16 victory over Edinburgh.

With Andrew Porter also out, 20-year-old academy prop Alex Usanov will make his first start in the Champions Cup after coming on for Porter at half-time on Sunday.

James Ryan returns from a calf injury to play in the second row alongside Joe McCarthy while Garry Ringrose is also back and partners Jamie Osborne at centre.

As a result, Rieko Ioane, who started at centre against Edinburgh, shifts to left wing, while Ryan Baird moves to lock and Jack Conan switches from blindside flanker to number eight in the absence of Doris.

On the bench, Ronan Kelleher, Jerry Cahir and Scott Penny are recalled to the matchday squad.

Leinster: Keenan: T O'Brien, Ringrose, Osborne, Ioane; Byrne, Gibson-Park; Usanov, Sheehan (capt), Furlong; McCarthy, Ryan; Baird, van der Flier, Conan.

Replacements: Kelleher, Cahir, Clarkson, Deegan, Penny, McGrath, Frawley, Henshaw.

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Leinster have named Harry Byrne at fly-half for Sunday's Investec Champions Cup last-16 game against Edinburgh at the Aviva Stadium (17:30 BST) as Ireland number 10 Sam Prendergast is not named in the matchday 23.

Leinster head coach Leo Cullen makes four changes in total from the team which started last week's 36-19 United Rugby Championship win over Scarlets.

Ryan Baird is selected in the second row as he makes his first appearance since October after recovering from a broken leg, while Jack Conan comes in at blind-side flanker.

Rieko Ioane is selected at centre as he replaces the injured Garry Ringrose and Hugo Keenan's return to full-back sees Jimmy O'Brien move to the left wing, with Joshua Kenny dropping out.

James Ryan continues to be unavailable because of a calf issue.

Alex Usanov is in line to make his Champions Cup debut off the bench, while scrum-half Luke McGrath will make his 250th appearance for the Irish province if he is called into action from the replacements.

Ciaran Frawley and Robbie Henshaw are among the other options available to Cullen among the substitutes.

Leinster: Keenan; T O'Brien, Ioane, Osborne, J O'Brien; Byrne, Gibson-Park; Porter, Sheehan, Furlong; J McCarthy, Baird; Conan, Van der Flier, Doris (capt).

Replacements: G McCarthy, Usanov, Clarkson, Deeny, Deegan, McGrath, Frawley, Henshaw.

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Fit-again prop Andrew Porter is set to make his return for Leinster in Friday's United Rugby Championship (URC) game against Scarlets (19:45 GMT).

Ireland loose-head Porter has been sidelined with a calf problem since January, which forced him to miss the Six Nations.

Porter, 30, has only played seven times this season - three for Leinster and all four of Ireland's November fixtures - since featuring in the British and Irish Lions' Test series against Australia last summer.

In a squad update on Monday, Leinster also said Ryan Baird is due to return to full training this week after four months out.

Back-five forward Baird suffered a fractured tibia in Ireland's defeat by South Africa in November.

Second row James Ryan is a doubt because of the calf problem that ruled him out of Ireland's Six Nations win over Scotland earlier this month.

South Africa international RG Snyman (unspecified) will also be assessed before head coach Leo Cullen names his team to face Scarlets at Aviva Stadium.

There are no further updates on Jack Boyle, Hugh Cooney, Jordan Larmour, James Lowe, Diarmuid Mangan and Paddy McCarthy.

Leinster sit fourth in the URC table after last weekend's 38-17 defeat by leaders Glasgow at Scotstoun Stadium.

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Bundee Aki has returned to the Ireland squad for Friday's Six Nations game against Wales in Dublin (20:10 GMT), while Leinster pair Jimmy O'Brien and Robbie Henshaw are also back in contention.

Aki was handed a four-match ban in January for "verbal abuse and disrespect" towards match officials in Connacht's United Rugby Championship (URC) loss to Leinster in January.

That kept the 35-year-old out of his province's URC game against Leinster and Ireland's first three games in the Six Nations, but is now back with the squad.

O'Brien has also linked up with the squad and Henshaw is expected to return early this week after they both played the full 80 minutes in Leinster's 8-7 URC defeat by Cardiff on Friday.

Both were left out of Andy Farrell's initial 37-man squad for the Six Nations because of injury, but their return will bolster Ireland's options with James Lowe ruled out for the remainder of the tournament with a groin injury.

Fly-half Harry Byrne suffered a concussion in Leinster's defeat on Friday and is out, while Cormac Izuchukwu continues his graduated return to play protocols and will join the squad alongside the other nine players who have also returned to camp.

Farrell will name his team on Wednesday afternoon.