Back row Iain Henderson will make his home debut for Ulster in place of the injured Nick Williams for Friday's Heineken Cup Pool 4 opener against Castres Olympique (8.00pm).

Heineken Cup champions Leinster will earn another big pay day when they play French rivals Clermont Auvergne at the Aviva Stadium.

Ulster flanker Stephen Ferris will put his friendship with Leinster counterpart Sean O’Brien on the backburner as they prepare to face off in a mouthwatering back-row confrontation at the Heineken Cup final.

Getting the upper hand here will give one team an edge at Twickenham.

Nuisance. Pest. Pain in the arse.

The Ulster starting XV and replacements to face Leinster in the Heineken Cup Final at Twickenham tomorrow (5pm) has two changes from the side that beat Edinburgh in the semi-final.

New Zealander Brad Thorn could create rugby history in tomorrow’s Heineken Cup final between Leinster and Ulster at Twickenham.

Paddy Wallace defended David Humphries’ extensive global recruitment policy, one that will likely see five non-Irish qualified players start for Ulster in Saturday’s Heineken Cup final.

Ulster Coach Brian McLaughlin has named a squad of 31 players from which he will choose his starting XV and replacements for this Saturday's Heineken Cup Final against Leinster at Twickenham (kick-off 5pm).

Ireland and Lions back row forward Stephen Ferris scooped the top accolade of Heineken Personality of the Year at the annual Heineken Ulster Rugby Awards Ceremony last night.

Stephen Ferris and Rory Best will be rested for Ulster’s RaboDirect PRO12 meeting with Munster in Thomond Park on Saturday (7.30pm) and so are not included in the 32 man preliminary squad.

Having struggled to perform to their best as favourites in Saturday’s Heineken Cup semi-final, Ulster’s Director of Rugby David Humphreys is happy for his side to wear the underdog tag heading into the final against Leinster.

As the last step along the road to a Heineken Cup final, this was not the procession many believed Ulster would enjoy against Edinburgh on Saturday.

Pedrie Wannenburg is aiming for a dream end to his Ulster career after his try-scoring performance helped secure a 22-19 victory over Edinburgh and a place in the Heineken Cup final.

Ulster head coach Brian McLaughlin insisted there is more to come from his side after they battled to a 22-19 victory over Edinburgh to reach the Heineken Cup final.

Ulster 22 Edinburgh 19

Ulster’s progress today to a Heineken Cup final depends on...

Forget the heroics of 1999, in picking Paddy Jackson to start at fly-half in today’s Heineken Cup semi-final with Edinburgh (5.45pm), Brian McLaughlin could not have sent out a clearer message to the Ulster faithful that his team is ready to write a new chapter in their history.

When you have given as much to the Ulster cause as Andrew Trimble, common perceptions about the province begin to grate a little and the desire to change them burns deep.

Paddy Jackson was still in short trousers and more interested in football than rugby when Ulster defeated Colomiers 21-6 to win the 1999 Heineken Cup.

The Ulster team to face Edinburgh in Saturday's Heineken Cup semi-final (5.45pm) has been named with Paddy Jackson starting at outhalf.

Ulster flanker Chris Henry is training on a high tech low-gravity running machine as he battles to overcome an ankle injury ahead of Saturday’s Heineken Cup semi-final clash against Edinburgh.

Ulster remain hopeful that Chris Henry and Paul Marshall will be fit to play Edinburgh in Saturday's Heineken Cup semi-final (5.45pm).

The provincial spotlight is set to remain firmly focused on Leinster and Ulster this week as Munster are at least a week away from announcing who will fill the hot seat on Tony McGahan’s departure at the end of the season.

The Ulster medical and management staff will be keeping a close eye on the progress of a number of injured players ahead of Saturday’s Heineken Cup semi-final against Edinburgh in the Aviva Stadium (5.45pm).

Ulster may not have any further interest in the RaboDirect Pro 12 play-offs after Leinster won a tepid affair game at Ravenhill last night, but more worrying was the injuries to Paddy Wallace, Chris Henry and Pedrie Wannenburg ahead of next week’s Heineken Cup semi-final against Edinburgh at the Aviva.

Ulster 8 Leinster 16

Ulster still have an amount of considerably important business to see to this season but the annual round of farewells that is a part of life at all clubs begins tonight with Leinster’s visit to Ravenhill.

There is no place for rested Ireland internationals Stephen Ferris and Rory Best in Ulster’s starting XV for Friday’s RaboDirect PRO12 match against Leinster at Ravenhill (7.05pm).

Paul Marshall is the only fresh injury concern for Ulster as Brian McLaughlin today named a strong preliminary Ulster squad to face Leinster at Ravenhill in the RaboDirect PRO12 on Friday (5.15pm).

Brian McLaughlin has made 12 changes to the starting XV for the RaboDirect PRO12 clash with Connacht tomorrow (5.15pm).

Ulster emerged unscathed from their historic 22-16 Heineken Cup win over Munster in Thomond Park, allowing head coach Brian McLauhglin to name a strong 37-man squad for Saturday’s RaboDirect PRO12 fixture against Connacht at the Sportsground (5.15pm).

Three Irish provinces have achieved one of their early season goals of reaching the quarter-finals of Europe’s premier club competition.

Brian McLaughlin has named Stephen Ferris in his starting XV for the massive Heineken Cup quarter-final clash with Munster on Easter Sunday (1.45pm).

Brian McLaughlin has included Stephen Ferris in his provisional squad for Sunday’s Heineken Cup quarter final against Munster at Thomond Park (1.45pm).

Ulster will have an anxious wait before knowing whether explosive flanker Stephen Ferris will be available for next Sunday’s European shoot-out with Munster at Thomond Park.

Ulster 45 Aironi 7

Andrew Trimble and his Ireland buddies Rory Best and Stephen Ferris are champing at the bit to get a piece of RaboDirect Pro 12 action tonight when Italian minnows Aironi arrive at a bone-dry Ravenhill.

Ulster coach Brian McLaughlin has once again made several changes to his starting XV for their RaboDirect PRO12 fixture against Aironi at Ravenhill (kick off 7.05pm).

Ulster have named Ireland trio Rory Best, Andrew Trimble and Stephen Ferris in their squad to face Aironi in Friday’s RaboDirect Pro12 clash at Ravenhill (kick-off 7.05pm).

Ulster head coach Brian McLaughlin has made five personnel changes and one positional switch to his starting team for the away fixture against Treviso on Saturday (3.15pm).

Ulster Rugby today confirmed that back-row forward Pedrie Wannenburg will leave the club at the end of this season.

Brian McLaughlin has included Darren Cave and captain Johann Muller in his 32-man squad for Ulster’s visit to the Stadio Monigo on Saturday to take on Treviso in the RaboDirect PRO12 (3.15pm).

Brian McLaughlin has been forced into making some changes to his starting XV for the visit of Edinburgh to Ravenhill on Friday night (kick off 7.05pm).