Ulster hoping Ruan Pienaar will be fit for must-win Scarlets clash

Former and current Ulster players will be attending the Service of Thanksgiving for Ireland and Lions outhalf, Jack Kyle, which takes place this

afternoon in Fisherwick Presbyterian Church in South Belfast.

A number of Ulster's current side will pay their respects to one of the greatest players and ecumenists in Irish sport. In a recently aired radio interview on RTÉ, Kyle acknowledged that he wrote a letter to this paper in the 1960s condemning what he saw then as growing bigotry in the province.

The Fisherwick church, situated just off the Malone Road, is not far from Ulster's Ravenhill Road grounds, where, Kyle, considered the best players of his generation, performed many times with the province.

President of the IRFU Louis Magee will attend as a representative of the Union.

The Belfast stadium is also where Ulster face Scarlets on Saturday in their must-win Champions Cup third round match. Having lost their opening two games to Leicester and Toulon, Ulster coach Neil Doak will hope South African halfback Ruan Pienaar has made sufficient recovery from his damaged medial kneel ligament injury to enable him play some part in the game and that lock Dan Tuohy will also be available to them after breaking his arm in September.

Huge influence

Pienaar’s huge influence as an experienced international, a kicker and a physical scrumhalf has been particularly missed by Ulster in the past few months.

Capped 80 times for the Springboks, he has been sidelined since he returned from Springbok duty in the Rugby Championship in September with a knee injury.

His absence has forced Doak to push Paul Marshall and Michael Heaney into the front line and they have been alternating as the covering scrumhalves.

With Ireland outhalf Paddy Jackson also sidelined until the New Year with a shoulder injury, Pienaar's and Tuohy's return could be crucial to Ulster retaining any real interest in this year's competition.

Secondrow Tuohy, 29, has also had a tough time with injuries and fractured his right arm for the second time this year against Cardiff at the start of the season.

He was taken to hospital for the first time during this year's Six Nations Championship following Ireland's victory over Wales. He sustained the arm fracture only minutes after coming on to the field as a second -half replacement.

Ulster sit at the bottom of Pool 3 with just one point from two matches. After their back -to-back games with Scarlets, the team face a tough away trip to the south of France to take on European champions Toulon for their first January fixture. Leicester Tigers then visit Belfast the following weekend.

It was confirmed yesterday that Munster lock, Donncha O'Callaghan has been cited and will face a hearing this week for his boot coming into contact with the head of Ulster fullback Stuart Olding during their Pro12 match at the weekend.