Rugby – team news:BJ Botha returns to the Ulster fold for the first time this season as the province seek to maintain their 100 per cent record to the new Magners League campaign. The South African is named in Brian McLaughlin's squad for Friday's match with Edinburgh.
Botha only joined up with his Ulster teammates last week after his involvement with the Springboks Tri-Nations campaign and will bolster McLaughlin’s front-row options alongside Rory Best.
His fellow South Africans Johann Muller and Pedrie Wannenburg are also included but the home support will have to wait at least another week to get their first glimpse of new signing Ruan Pienaar.
Andrew Trimble, back after having an operation on his hand during the summer, is named in the 27-man panel for the match at Ravenhill (8.05pm).
Munster coach Tony McGahan has named an unchanged squad for Saturday’s meeting with title holders the Ospreys.
The likes of John Hayes, Marcus Horan, Donncha O’Callaghan, Tomas O’Leary and Ronan O’Gara – all sprung from the bench with Munster to save the game in Edinburgh last Friday – are expected to be deployed from the start on this occasion.
Jonathan Sexton should be fit for Leinster’s trip to Italy as he recovers from the injury picked up during the warm-up against Cardiff last Saturday. Shane Horgan and Shane Jennings are also expected to be available for selection.
Sexton injured a quad muscle just before kick-off at the RDS at the weekend and, with Shaun Berne already out with a long-term injury, Ian Madigan was drafted in as a last-minute replacement.
The youngster acquitted himself superbly in trying circumstances, capping a fine performance with a late try, but is expected to make way for Sexton against Benetton Treviso.
Cian Healy, whose trademark burst laid on a try for Fergus McFadden and helped Leinster turn things around against the Blues, is in line to make his first start of the season against the Magners League newcomers and is expecting a tough day at the office in northern Italy.
“I was blowing hard even though I was on for 20 minutes (against Cardiff) and it was just good to be back playing,” the Ireland prop said.
“Going to Italy will be a tough task but we’d be confident in ourselves and what we can do. Italian sides at home always pose a big threat, but it will be our own challenge as to how we approach the game.
“I just want to get back play for Leinster at this stage. It feels like an age since I last played and I just want to get back in a rhythm of week in, week out at the RDS hopefully.”
Ulster squad(v Edinburgh): Tom Court, Paddy McAllister, Bryan Young, BJ Botha, Rory Best, Nigel Brady, Andi Kyriacou, Johann Muller, Tim Barker, Ryan Caldwell, Stephen Ferris, Chris Henry, Willie Faloon, Robbie Diack, Pedrie Wannenburg; Adam D'Arcy, Jamie Smith, David McIlwaine, Paul Emerick, Andrew Trimble, Jonny Shiels, Darren Cave, Ian Whitten, Ian Humphreys, Niall O'Connor, Ian Porter, Paul Marshall.
Munster squad(v Ospreys): D Hurley, F Jones, S Deasy, I Dowling, D Howlett, D Barnes, J Murphy, S Tuitupou, R O'Gara, P Warwick, D Williams, P Stringer, T O'Leary. W du Preez, M Horan, D Varley, D Fogarty, J Hayes, T Buckley, D O'Callaghan, B Holland, D Ryan, M O'Driscoll, I Nagle, A Quinlan, N Ronan, D Leamy, T O'Donnell, P O'Mahony.
Leinster squad(v Benetton Treviso): to be confirmed.