Ulster getting Ferris up to speed for Sarries clash

Stephen Ferris will start his second successive game when Ulster take on the Cardiff Blues on the Arms Park 4G pitch tomorrow.

Irish stars Chris Henry, Andrew Trimble and Dan Tuohy also start, but hooker Rory Best is again rested, to give him more time for bruised ribs to heal properly.

The Ulster management thought long and hard before deciding that Ferris needed that extra game time before the massive European Cup clash with Saracens the following week. With an artificial surface likely to test joints more than grass, Ulster were a little apprehensive in playing Ferris in the Pro12 clash.