Irish pair return for Ulster

Magners League team news:Paddy Wallace and Stephen Ferris return to the Ulster squad for next weekend's trip to Thomond Park. Both Irish internationals missed the win over Leinster on Saturday, a result that sent Ulster to the top of the Magners League table.

Wallace was rested at Ravenhill due to the IRFU’s player management programme while Ferris was ruled out with an ankle injury but both are available to face Munster.

In the final match before the international break – the provinces don’t return to domestic duty until the first week in December – Ulster will seek to cement their place at the top of the table.

And despite their opponents stuttering start to the season, Ulster assistant coach Jeremy Davidson is anticipating a backlash.

"Everyone is waiting for Munster to click. We've seen it in the past and really, when they are strong on their day they can beat any team," he told The Irish Timesyesterday. "We realise that and know that a 10 out of 10 performance remains the key.

“We know, especially after last year when everything went right for us down there that we are going to have a really tight game."

Chris Henry, man-of-the-match against Leinster, is determined to go into the mid-season break on a high.

“Munster away is another massive challenge for us,” said the number eight. “We get a break after that so we want to finish this segment on a high and still on top of the table.”

Leinstercoach Michael Chieka will be able to call upon Leo Cullen, Cian Healy, Shane Horgan and Eoin Reddan for Saturday evening's match against acrdiff.

All four missed the match at Ravenhill, again as a result of the IRFU directive, but are expected to start against the Welsh outfit.

Jonathan Sexton and Luke Fizgerald, who were on the bench in Belfast, are also named while CJ van der Linde could make his first start since last January as his return from long-term injury gathers pace.

Leinster have already sold almost 15,000 tickets for the match, dubbed the ‘Halloween Thriller’ at the RDS.

Ulster squad:Nigel Brady, Brendon Botha, Bryan Young, Ed O'Donoghue, Andy Kyriacou, Stephen Ferris, Robbie Diack, Chris Henry, Willie Faloon, Tamaiti Horua, Tom Court, Dan Tuohy, Ryan Caldwell, Neil McComb , Declan Fitzpatrick. Timoci Nagusa, Darren Cave, Simon Danielli, Ian Whitten, Isaac Boss, Ian Humphreys, Andrew Trimble, Paul Marshall, Clinton Schifcofske, Niall O'Connor, Paddy Wallace

Leinster squad:Leo Cullen, John Fogarty, Cian Healy, Jamie Heaslip, Nathan Hines, Bernard Jackman, Stephen Keogh, Ronan McCormack, Kevin McLaughlin, Sean O'Brien, Malcolm O'Kelly, Mike Ross, Dominic Ryan, Devin Toner, CJ van der Linde. Shaun Berne, Gordon D'Arcy, Girvan Dempsey, Luke Fitzgerald, Shane Horgan, Chris Keane, Rob Kearney, Simon Keogh, Fergus McFadden, Isa Nacewa, Brian O'Driscoll, Eoin Reddan, Jonathan Sexton