Ireland’s most-capped hooker, Rory Best, has been handed the captaincy of Ulster for a second time.

Rory Best will take over the Ulster captaincy from Johann Muller, it was announced today.

Chris Henry has had to bide his time to get to the front of the Irish back row queue and after a long campaign in an Irish shirt he just doesn’t want the season to end.

On Saturday, Leinster not only bring the curtain down on the domestic rugby season but also on the longest goodbye the game in this country has ever seen when Brian O’Driscoll lines out as a professional rugby player for the last time.

Leinster 13 Ulster 9

The scale of the task facing Munster’s new centre signing Andrew Smith was made clear yesterday when the man he is set to replace was named in the RaboDirect Pro12 Dream Team for the season about to end.

Table-toppers Leinster were made to fight tooth and nail for this result which puts them on the verge of securing a home semi-final while Ulster’s losing bonus point brought them a guaranteed place in the play-offs which could actually see the sides clash again.

Plots, sub-plots and challenges abound ahead of Ulster’s clash with Leinster at the newly refurbished Ravenhill tonight with Leinster looking to cement their place at the top, but more crucially Ulster continuing their bid to claim the final semi-final berth.

It’s the last stand for Ulster and their South African captain Johann Muller as they attempt to reach the Rabo-Direct Pro12 play-offs when Leinster travel up the road to help officially open the new Ravenhill facilities.

Tommy Bowe will start at outside-centre for Ulster against Connacht at Ravenhill tomorrow evening, (kick off 19:05).

Rod Nawn rates the Ulster men in a Payne-less game.

Controversy is still raging over the red card administered to Ulster’s Jared Payne by French referee Jerome Garces four minutes into a rip-roaring Heineken Cup quarter-final tie at Ravenhill on Saturday.

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).

Tom Court has never earned a piece of silverware in eight seasons with Ulster, but the prop’s experiences as part of Ireland’s 2009 Grand Slam-winning squad tells him that may be about to change.

Ulster’s South African inspiration Johann Muller has some unfinished business before he heads back to Mossil Bay on the Eastern Cape in June to work on the family farm.

Ulster coach Mark Anscombe is convinced the full house at the refurbished Ravenhill will have a key role to play in Saturday’s Heineken Cup quarter-final against Saracens.

Cardiff 28 Ulster 23

Ulster loosehead prop, Tom Court, will make his 150th appearance for Ulster in tomorrow’ RaboDirect PRO12 match against Cardiff Blues.

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Ulster 38 Newport Gwent Dragons 8

RABO DIRECT PRO12:

Leicester 19 Ulster 22

HEINEKEN CUP POOL 5:

He might have missed a chunk of the season so far, but Ireland international Iain Henderson is determined to make up for lost time by maintaining Ulster’s 100% record in Europe and grab an all-important home quarter-final tie.

HEINEKEN CUP POOL 5:

Hooker Rory Best has given Ireland and Ulster a boost ahead of the province’s Heineken Cup tie against Montpellier at Ravenhill on Friday night.

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Ulster have been rocked by the loss of influential skipper Johann Muller ahead of tonight’s RaboDirect derby shoot-out with Munster at Ravenhill.

Chris Henry and Iain Henderson have recovered from injury to start for Ulster against Munster at Ravenhill tomorrow night (kick off 19:05).

Ulster are slowly getting their big guns back following a string of injury concerns.

Leinster 19 Ulster 6

Strange how history repeats itself.

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Treviso 3 Ulster 35

Dan Tuohy is planning to add to his seven international appearances for Ireland, but at present intends to put all his efforts into helping Ulster to further step up the European Cup ladder.

HEINEKEN CUP POOL FIVE:

HEINEKEN CUP POOL FIVE:

Ulster skipper Johann Muller will be back in harness for Saturday’s Heineken Cup clash with Treviso at Ravenhill.

Ireland’s Rory Best has been confirmed as the biggest casualty of Sunday’s defeat to New Zealand after being ruled out by Ulster for at least six weeks.

Future Ireland prospect Jared Payne will captain Ulster when they travel to face the Scarlets in Llanelli this evening (6.30pm).

Paddy Jackson may be baby-faced but he isn’t one to throw toys out of the pram.

Zane Kirchner looks set to feature for Leinster for the first time this weekend, against Castres at the RDS, with Rob Kearney welcoming the Springbok’s belated arrival and the competition it will induce in his own backyard.

Ireland winger Craig Gilroy will miss Ulster’s opening Heineken Cup tie against Leicester Tigers at Ravenhill tomorrow night due to an ankle injury.

RABO DIRECT PRO12