Boost for Ulster as Best back on track

RUGBY:ULSTER CAPTAIN Rory Best could make his comeback against Magners League leaders Munster at Thomond Park on Saturday night.

The Irish hooker has been out of commission since fracturing his cheekbone in the autumn international against New Zealand.

His leadership will be a vital commodity for an Ulster side looking to put right a poor performance at home to Leinster last Monday.

Ulster coach Brian McLaughlin confirmed:

“Rory is back. He has trained all week and if he comes through tonight then we will look to give him a go at the weekend.

“We will give opportunities to some people but the Irish Management Programme comes into operation again so there will be certain players available to us and certain players who aren’t.”

Andrew Trimble and Stephen Ferris fall into the latter category but prop Tom Court and centre Paddy Wallace are named in the squad.

McLaughlin has intimated that he will make changes, whether form or rotation, and that could see players like Paul Marshall – the Irish province haven’t lost any match in which he’s started this season – Declan Fitzpatrick and Tim Barker promoted to the team.

Irish international Dan Tuohy misses out while outhalf Ian Humphreys is still troubled by an ankle injury.

Promising young pivot Paddy Jackson is included in the match-day squad while fullback Jamie Smith, Ryan Caldwell, TJ Anderson and Neil McComb are also named. There is no place in the squad for Ulster’s try scorer against Leinster, the promising young wing, Craig Gilroy.

Elsewhere, Connacht coach Eric Elwood is expected to be able to call upon, Gavin Duffy, Rodney Ah You and Miah Nikora, all of whom missed the defeat to Munster for Saturday’s clash with Leinster.

Duffy has recovered from a knock while giant Kiwi prop Ah You is expected to shrug off his Achilles tendon problem. Nikora was a late withdrawal from the Munster game with flu.

Elwood’s main concern is number eight Ezra Taylor who came off at half-time the last day with an arm injury.

An extended Ireland squad trained in the Aviva stadium yesterday and will have another pitch session this morning as coach Declan Kidney begins his preparations for the upcoming Six Nations Championship.

The players will then be released back to the provinces with some eligible for selection for this weekend’s Magners League matches.

ULSTER (squad): R Diack, D Fitzpatrick, T Court, B Young, C Henry, BJ Botha, T Barker, W Faloon, R Best, J Cronin, N McComb, P Wannenburg, J Muller, A Kyriacou, R Caldwell, TJ Anderson, A D’Arcy, L Marshall, D McIlwane, P Marshall, R Pienaar, I Porter, S Danielli, T Seymour, J Smith, N Spence, I Whitten, P Jackson, P Wallace, N O’Connor.