RUGBY NEWS:KEITH EARLS will be sidelined for several weeks even though the results of a scan have shown the Irish and Lions back suffered no more than a sprained ankle in training with Munster last week.

Sidelined for much of the second half of last season by a troublesome groin injury, there remained a lingering fear the damage could have been worse although it is still an ill-timed setback for the unfortunate Earls.

Ulster coach Brian McLaughlin has, meanwhile, named his squad to play the Ospreys at Ravenhill in this Friday’s Magners League opener night (kick-off 7.05pm), which features the return of Tom Court and Paddy Wallace. Andrew Trimble, Simon Danielli, Jamie Smith, Dan Tuohy, Chris Henry, David Pollock and Bryn Cunningham are all sidelined with injuries, while Ruan Piennar and BJ Botha are on Tri-Nations duty with the Springboks.

“We’ve had three good warm-up games in August that have allowed the management to trial a wide range of players but it only starts counting from now and we are looking forward to testing ourselves in the tournament opener against last season’s winners,” said McLaughlin.

Welsh loosehead Duncan Jones has handed the Ospreys a boost ahead of the start of the new league, returning to full training after suffering a frustrating time since he fractured a tarsal bone in his right foot in the win over Munster at the Liberty Stadium last December. He had surgery in February after six weeks in plaster had failed to solve the problem. He is expected to be involved against Ulster.

ULSTER (Squad):Forwards: Tom Court, Paddy McAllister, Bryan Young, Declan Fitzpatrick, Adam Macklin, Rory Best, Nigel Brady, Andy Kyriacou, Tim Barker, Johann Muller, Ryan Caldwell, Willie Faloon, TJ Anderson, Robbie Diack, Stephen Ferris, Pedrie Wannenburg. Backs: Adam Darcy, David McIlwaine, Nevin Spence, Mark McCrea, Tommy Seymour, Jonny Shiels, Darren Cave, Ian Whitten, Paddy Wallace, Ian Humphreys, Niall O'Connor, Ian Porter, Paul Marshall.