Cave returns for Connacht clash

Darren Cave returns to the Ulster line-up after a long lay-off

Darren Cave will make his first Ulster start in six months in the Magners League derby after recovering from a hamstring injury.

Cave and Simon Danielli replace Irish duo Paddy Wallace and Andrew Trimble, who will miss the rest of the season with fractured thumbs.

Prop Jerry Cronin will make his full Ulster debut while Johann Muller and Willie Faloon are also drfated in.

Brett Wilkinson, John Muldoon and Michael Swift return for Connacht.

Prop Wilkinson, lock Swift and number eight Muldoon help make up an experienced pack which boasts 842 Connacht caps.

Swift returns following a hand injury while Muldoon makes his first full start at no 8 since returning from a broken arm.

Cronin comes in at tight-head prop for Ulster in place of BJ Botha, who is ruled out of the Ravenhill game with a medial ligament injury.

Cave will wear the No 13 jersey with Nevin Spence switching to inside centre to accommodate him.

Danielli also comes back from injury to occupy the left wing spot, so Craig Gilroy moves to the right wing position vacated by Trimble.

Johann Muller returns to the second row after missing last weekend’s defeat to Leinster in Dublin with a dead leg, meaning Tim Barker has to settle for a place among the replacements.

Willie Faloon will start at openside flanker, with Chris Henry moving to blindside and Robbie Diack dropping to the bench.

Adam Macklin is also named on the bench, and may taste his first action since breaking an ankle playing for the Ravens last September.

Fly-half Ian Humphreys misses out after picking up an injury against Leinster and he is joined by Tom Court, who suffered a mild concussion during the Heineken Cup loss to Northampton.

Wallace and Trimble will undergo surgery and are likely to be out of action for up to six weeks, ruling them out of Ulster’s upcoming Magners League fixtures.

Saturday’s defeat by Leinster brought Ulster’s six-match unbeaten run in the Magners League to an end.

Brian McLaughlin’s side lie third in the table but need a win over Connacht to enhance their chances of a place in the league play-offs.

Munster have secured a home semi-final but only three points separate Leinster, Ulster and Ospreys, while Cardiff are a further two behind but have a game in hand.

“We have to win the last two games, there’s no doubt about that. At the minute we are not even thinking about the second one,” said Ulster coach McLaughlin.

“The most important thing for us is to make sure that on Friday night at Ravenhill we get the result we need.”

Ulster are still seeking their first win over an Irish province this season, having lost to Leinster and Munster twice and drawn 15-15 with Connacht at the Sportsground in September.

Ulster: A D’Arcy; C Gilroy, D Cave, N Spence, S Danielli; I Humphreys, R Pienaar; P McAllister, R Best (capt), J Cronin, J Muller, D Tuohy, C Henry, W Faloon, P Wannenburg.

Replacements: A Kyriacou, B Young, A Macklin, T Barker, R Diack, P Marshall, I Whitten, C Gaston.

Connacht: G Duffy; E Griffin, N Ta’auso, T Nathan, F Carr;, I Keatley; F Murphy; B Wilkinson, S Cronin, J Hagan, M Swift, B Upton, M McCarthy, J O’Connor, J Muldoon

Replacements: A Flavin, R Loughney, R Ah You, A Browne, M McComish, C Willis, M Nikora, T O’Halloran.