Ulster Rugby have named a 34 man squad ahead of Saturday’s winner-takes-all Heineken Cup clash against ASM Clermont Auvergne at the Stade Marcel Michelin.

Ulster have named a 34 man squad ahead of Saturday’s winner-takes-all Heineken Cup clash against ASM Clermont Auvergne at the Stade Marcel Michelin.

Centre Darren Cave will miss the trip after he picked up a foot injury in Friday’s win over Leicester Tigers at Ravenhill. He is likely to be out for six weeks with ligament damage.

There are no other fresh injuries from the weekend and Paddy McAllister is back in contention for selection after missing the previous three games through injury. Nevin Spence has been back at training for over a week and will compete with Ian Whitten to partner Paddy Wallace in Cave’s absence.

Clermont haven’t lost at Stade Marcel Michelin since November 2009, highlighting the difficulty of the task facing Ulster. Coach Brian McLaughlin will be quietly confident in the approach to the game following a comprehensive 41-7 win over Leicester at the weekend.

Ulster are currently top of Pool 4 on 19 points, with Clermont three behind on 16. Ulster know that a win or draw in France would be enough to secure their progression to the last eight as group winners. Even a loss by less than 5 points, providing they score the same amount of tries as Clermont on Saturday, would be enough. If Clermont win by more than that margin, Ulster will then be in contention for one of the best runner-up spots, but their fate is out of their hands. If Toulouse and Harlequins win on Friday night, and Cardiff and Edinburgh win on Sunday, Ulster will have to settle for a place in the quarter finals of the Amlin Challenge Cup.

Provisional Ulster Squad to play ASM Clermont Auvergne, Sat 21st January, Stade Marcel Michelin (kick off 3.40pm GMT):

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

Backs:
Paul Marshall, Ruan Pienaar, Ian Porter, Ian Humphreys, Paddy Jackson, Paddy Wallace, Ian Whitten, Nevin Spence, Stefan Terblanche, Craig Gilroy, Simon Danielli, Conor Gaston, Andrew Trimble, Adam D’Arcy

Unavailable due to injury:
Declan Fitzpatrick, Jared Payne, Peter Nelson, Darren Cave