Provinces hit Blackrock and Ballymena teams

Blackrock College will be without Shane Byrne, Leo Cullen, Paul Wallace, David Quinlan, Brian O'Driscoll and, possibly, Ben Willis for the visit of Ballymena to Stradbrook on Saturday.

Blackrock College are also waiting on second row John Fitzgerald.

Meanwhile Ballymena will have to do without stars like Scott Young, James Topping, Shane Stewart, Neil McMillan, Mark Blair, who will be on duty for Ulster, and, of course, the injured Gary Longwell.

St Mary's College, struggling in the lower half of the table, will make their only visit to Ulster this season when they take on Dungannon, one place below them in thirteenth spot, at Stevenson Park.

Young guns Gareth Gannon (concussion), Kieran Lewis (neck and back) and Shane Jennings (broken bone in the hand) are definite absentees for St Mary's College at home to Dungannon.

Belfast Harlequins will be short of Ulster's Neil Doak, Simon Best and Neil Best at Deramore Park and their opponents Galwegians are waiting to see if John Casserly to recover from a pelvic injury.