Ulster star Cave ready for the spotlight

Darren Cave tried to be diplomatic, he even contradicted himself once or twice, but there is no disguising the fact he and his colleagues see Sunday’s Heineken Cup meeting with Munster as an unofficial Irish trial.

Ulster backs coach Neil Doak said as much earlier this week and there is no doubt the all-Irish quarter-final will be an opportunity for Cave, Paul Marshall, Dan Tuohy and Chris Henry to impress ahead of the summer tour.

“There are times when it does slip into your head,” said Cave, “but a lot of the players who have been on the fringes have sort of forgotten about it.’’