Ferris likely to miss out on Easter showdown

Stephen Ferris has been rated as highly unlikely to make Ulster’s Heineken Cup quarter-final against Munster on Easter Sunday.

The Ulster flanker underwent an MRI scan on the left ankle he rolled during Friday’s defeat of Aironi and, though there was no bone damage, there was evidence of ligament trouble.

“Stephen underwent a scan yesterday morning which confirmed there was no bone damage to his left ankle,” Ulster Rugby reconfirmed.

“However there is significant muscle and ligament damage. He is doubtful and unlikely to be involved for the weekend.”

Ferris’ absence, were it to be confirmed later this week, would be a huge blow to Brian McLaughlin and his side’s hopes of springing an upset and making a first European semi-final since they claimed the title in 1999.

If forced out, Chris Henry will likely wear the number six jersey with Willie Faloon taking on the openside flanker’s role. Ulster have reported no further injury problems to their front-line players.

Meanwhile, Munster have confirmed Keith Earls has recovered from the knock that forced him to retire from last Saturday’s defeat to Leinster while there was further reason for cheer from the trio of front-liners who missed that game in its entirety.

Paul O’Connell, Conor Murray and Donnacha Ryan will all be present when Tony McGahan’s side re-assembles for two training sessions in Limerick tomorrow.

Ryan took part in light training last Thursday while his two Irish international counterparts visited a specialist in Dublin where they were given the okay to return to the training paddock prior to Easter Sunday’s meeting with Ulster.

This is the second time in successive seasons that the Belfast-based side have emerged from the group stages to contest the business end of the tournament.

However, captain Johann Muller insists their mentality has changed since last year’s quarter-final defeat to Northampton.

“The prospect is really exciting because 12 months ago we were perhaps just happy to get out of our pool because that was something that Ulster had not managed for 12 years,” said the former Springbok.

“Now we are totally focused on going as far as possible in this season’s tournament and we believe we have the quality to upset any side.”

Ulster may believe they have it in them to upset their Irish cousins but they will hardly surprise them. Or vice versa. Twice-yearly meetings in the Pro 12 will see to that even if those ties are more often than not diluted by the absence of key players.

“Playing another Irish team in the quarters is a bit of a Catch 22 situation,” Muller accepted. “It has both its good and its bad points. Munster are the top side in this season’s Heineken Cup, they finished the pool stages as the number one ranked team, so obviously they are the leading team in Europe right now.

“This will be the first time the clubs have met in the Heineken Cup but we play them regularly in the domestic league so we know what to expect from them and there should not be any great surprises for either team.

“However, the quarter-final is going to be incredibly tough, no doubt about that, but if we want to go at least one better that than last year then we have to go to Thomond Park and get the win that would take us into the last four.”