Best out for Ulster’s Italy trip

DEVASTATED Ireland hooker Rory Best will miss Ulster’s must-win final Heineken Cup pool game against Aironi in Viadana this afternoon.

Best hoped to recover from a rib injury sustained in the victory over Biarritz last week, but failed to make a dramatic recovery for the clash in Italy.

With Aironi having a big front five and a fierce scrummaging side, with Italian Player of the Year Toto Perugini in residence, Nigel Brady gets the nod to start with Andi Kyriacou coming onto the bench.

It’s the second blow for coach Brian McLaughlin who lost BJ Botha to an elbow injury. Declan Fitzpatrick, used as a replacement in two games since recovering from injury last September, will wear the number three jersey.

There was also a slight doubt over centre Paddy Wallace (head injury) but he is expected to start.

It’s a massive game for Ulster, who still have hopes of topping a group that sees them level on 17 points with last season’s beaten finalists. They need Bath to do them a big favour in France and defeat Biarritz or deny them a bonus point while picking up a try bonus themselves.

While the Ulster pack has been firing on all cylinders lately — with Johann Muller, who will lead the side, and Stephen Ferris the key men — a lot will depend on the newfound confidence of half-backs Ian Humphreys and Ruan Pienaar.

Pienaar now feels that Humphreys and himself are now “joined at the hip” in relation to their partnership.

“I’m delighted the way Ian and myself are linking,” said Pienaar. “The combination is working very well and we want to build on that. Ian is playing terrifically and his goal-kicking has been brilliant.

“I feel part of the set-up now. It has taken a while to settle. When you join a new club, particularly in another country, you are out of your comfort zone. You have to learn the player’s names, the new calls and plays and how certain players react.”

And he warned against complacency against the pool minnows today: “You do not just turn up for games and win them. Aironi will want to take another victory in Europe in the manner they defeated Biarritz. We just have to clear our minds and focus on our own game and produce the performance that will get us into the last eight.”