Best and Botha out of Aironi trip

Ulster will be without captain Rory Best and former Springbok tight-head BJ Botha for tomorrow's seismic Heineken Cup game against Aironi, kick-off 2.30pm.

Hooker Best has been ruled out having not fully recovered from a rib injury sustained last weekend, and is replaced by Ulster veteran Nigel Brady while BJ Botha, who injured ligaments in his elbow, is also unavailable with Declan Fitzpatrick stepping in.

Otherwise, the Ulster side is the same that defeated Biarritz 9-6 in Ravenhill last weekend.

A win for Ulster in Italy would guarantee a spot in the knockout stages for the first time since 1999.

Ulster: Adam D’Arcy; Andrew Trimble, Nevin Spence, Paddy Wallace, Simon Danielli; Ian Humphreys, Ruan Pienaar; Tom Court, Nigel Brady, Declan Fitzpatrick; Johann Muller (C), Dan Tuohy; Stephen Ferris, Willie Faloon, Pedrie Wannenburg

Replacements: Andi Kyriacou, Bryan Young, Jerry Cronin, Tim Barker, Chris Henry, Paul Marshall, Ian Whitten, David McIlwaine