ULSTER HAVE NAMED their squad for the clash with Aironi at the Stadio Zaffanella.

And there’s some bad news as  BJ Botha has been ruled out of the northern province’s final Heineken Cup pool match on Saturday.

Botha injured an elbow during the second half of last Saturday’s win over Biarritz.

Rory Best has been included however. He was considered a doubt after sustaining a rib injury in the same game.

The starting XV and replacements will be named on Friday before noon.

A victory for Ulster in Italy will guarantee Brian McLaughlin’s side a place in the knockout stages.

Last weekend’s results left Biarritz and Ulster level on 17 points at the top of the group.

Biarritz will top the group if they clinch a bonus-point win over Bath in France.

But irrespective of other permutations, Ulster will be guaranteed to progress  for the first time since their triumph in the 1999 competition if they win.

Ulster squad (v Aironi, Saturday, 1:30pm): Tom Court, Declan Fitzpatrick, Jerry Cronin, Bryan Young, Andi Kyriacou, Rory Best, Nigel Brady, Ryan Caldwell, Tim Barker, Dan Tuohy, Johann Muller, Neil McComb, Willie Faloon, Pedrie Wannenburg, Stephen Ferris, TJ Anderson, Chris Henry, Robbie Diack

Adam D’Arcy, David McIlwaine, Jamie Smith, Mark McCrea, Andrew Trimble, Simon Danielli, Paddy Wallace, Nevin Spence, Ian Whitten, Ian Humphreys, Niall O’Connor, Ian Porter, Paul Marshall, Ruan Pienaar.