Ulster Boosted By Returning Internationals

Stephen Ferris, Rory Best, Tom Court and Andrew Trimble all return to the province’s squad, having missed the win over Munster last weekend because of their involvement in an Ireland training camp.

Fellow Ireland international Paddy Wallace has recovered from tendon damage to his thumb and is fit enough to be named in the provisional panel.

Young out-half Paddy Jackson has also returned from injury and is in contention for a place in the matchday 23 for the clash with the Scots.

Prop Paddy McAllister and full-back Peter Nelson picked up injuries during the Munster match and are ruled out. They join Jared Payne, Nevin Spence, Declan Fitzpatrick and Mike McComish on the sidelines.

Edinburgh have won just one of their last four games in the RaboDirect PRO12, claiming a 50-10 victory at home to Aironi last month.

Michael Bradley’s men have shown good form at Murrayfield over the past few months, losing only one of their last seven encounters in all competitions. That was a 36-28 defeat to table-topping Leinster back in October.

Ulster have lost only one of their last five matches in all competitions, that came at the RDS last week as they lost out 42-13 to Leinster.

Edinburgh’s sole victory in their last four clashes with Ulster came in their last meeting – in October 2010 at Murrayfield.

ULSTER Squad (v Edinburgh) – Backs (16): Paul Marshall, Ruan Pienaar, Ian Porter, Ian Humphreys, Paddy Jackson, James McKinney, Paddy Wallace, Ian Whitten, Darren Cave, Stefan Terblanche, Craig Gilroy, Simon Danielli, Chris Cochrane, Conor Gaston, Andrew Trimble, Adam D’Arcy.

Forwards (19): Callum Black, Tom Court, Adam Macklin, John Afoa, Jerry Cronin, Andi Kyriacou, Nigel Brady, Rory Best, Lewis Stevenson, Johann Muller (capt), Dan Tuohy, Tim Barker, Neil McComb, Stephen Ferris, Pedrie Wannenburg, Willie Faloon, Ali Birch, Chris Henry, Robbie Diack.