Leinster aim to secure home quarter-final

SIMON BEST has been retained by coach Alan Solomons as Ulster named an unchanged side to take on Northampton in their crunch Heineken Cup game at Ravenhill on Friday night (7.05).

The Ireland 'A' prop was given his big chance when he started in place of the suspended Justin Fitzpatrick in the victory against Cardiff last week. Solomons told the 24-year-old to go out and prove a point. He just did that, and more. Best turned in a five-star performance that sees him retained at loose-head for Friday's crucial affair.

Ulster not only need to beat the Saints, but outscore them by four tries if they are to qualify for the knock-out stages of the competition for the first time since they became Euro kingpins back in 1999.