Best and Ferris rested as Ulster take on Munster

Stephen Ferris and Rory Best will be rested for Ulster’s RaboDirect PRO12 meeting with Munster in Thomond Park on Saturday (7.30pm) and so are not included in the 32-man preliminary squad.

Chris Henry has been responding well to treatment but has failed to recover from an ankle sprain which also ruled him out of the Heineken Cup semi-final win over Edinburgh last weekend.

Andi Kyriacou is carrying a neck injury and is also unavailable.

Young forward duo Iain Henderson and Niall Annett have been named, with the latter in as a cover for Kyriacou.

Henderson played a pivotal role in Ireland U-20’s Six Nations campaign, while Annett has been in fine form for his club side Belfast Harlequins this season.

Munster’s only victory in their last four matches in all competitions was 35-29 at home to Glasgow on April 14.

They have lost their last two games at Thomond Park - an unprecedented sequence in the professional era, with one of those defeats coming in the Heineken Cup quarter-final against Ulster.

The two sides also met in the PRO12 in December, with Ulster winning that by a 33-17 margin, registering a four try bonus point in the process.

Provisional Ulster squad:

Forwards: Callum Black, Tom Court, Declan Fitzpatrick, Adam Macklin, Paddy McAllister, Niall Annett, Nigel Brady, Lewis Stevenson, Johann Muller, Dan Tuohy, Iain Henderson, Willie Faloon, Pedrie Wannenburg, Ali Birch, Mike McComish, Robbie Diack

Backs: Blane McIlroy, Ruan Pienaar, Ian Porter, Paul Marshall, Ian Humphreys, Paddy Jackson, Paddy Wallace, Ian Whitten, Darren Cave, Nevin Spence, Michael Allen, Stefan Terblanche, Craig Gilroy, Conor Gaston, Andrew Trimble, Adam D’Arcy

Unavailable due to injury: Jared Payne (Achilles), Chris Cochrane (foot), Tim Barker (back), Simon Danielli (hamstring), Chris Henry (ankle), Andi Kyriacou (neck).