Springbok Ruan Pienaar is back and primed to help guide Ulster through their difficult Heineken Cup quarter-final shoot-out with Saracens at Ravenhill tomorrow (6.30pm).

Matt Williams‘ new-look side will now face World-Cup runners-up Australia twice in a schedule that features attractive internationals against Tri-Nations champions South Africa and increasingly competitive Japan.

Kenny Cunningham is out of the Republic of Ireland squad for the World-Cup qualifying game against Portugal.