Best and Murphy ready for grueller

BOTH Rory Best and Geordan Murphy have predicted an “arm wrestle” at Ravenhill this evening and it is hard to disagree.

Leicester have been hamstrung by injuries to Toby Flood, Manu Tuilagi and Louis Deacon but coach Richard Cockerill has drafted Marco Ayerza and Martin Castrogiovanni back into his front row for a game that will be won and lost in the trenches. The battles, individual and collective, among the two tight fives will be fascinating but Ulster have been given the added fillip of having back row Pedrie Wannenburg passed fit for the fray after concerns over a foot injury.

Out-half Ian Humphreys, whose defensive weaknesses will be well known to the visitors, has also been passed fit to face his former club while Paddy Wallace returns to centre start his first game in almost two months following hand surgery.