Gilroy ruled out of Clermont clash

Ulster winger Craig Gilroy will not be fit to face Champions Cup group leaders Clermont Auvergne at the Kingspan Stadium on Saturday.

Gilroy's injury deals a blow to Les Kiss's side, already without backs Andrew Trimble, Jared Payne and Stuart Olding for Saturday's Pool Five game.

Trimble picked up an ankle injury playing for Ireland against Australia, while Payne sustained a kidney problem during the same match.

Ulster trail their opponents by six points and will likely have to win the game to have a realistic chance of qualifying from their group, for the first time since the 2013-14 season.

Ireland captain Rory Best and fly-half Paddy Jackson return to bolster the squad after their international exertions. Best will skipper the side from hooker, joined in the front row by last week's try-scorer Kyle McCall and Wiehahn Herbst, who has just signed a new contract with the province.

Robbie Diack is fit again and starts, joined in the second row by Pete Browne.

Clermont currently lead the French Top 14 and will provide a stern test, with two bonus points wins so far in the competition.

Ulster meanwhile lost their first game away to Bordeaux before beating Exeter at home.

However, they boast a formidable record against the French sides, with seven wins in their last eight home ties and last year scored five tries in a 38-0 demolition of Toulouse.

Ulster: C Piutau, T Bowe, L Marshall, S McCloskey, L Ludik, P Jackson, R Pienaar; K McCall, R Best (capt), W Herbst, P Browne, R Diack, I Henderson, C Henry, S Reidy

Replacements: R Herring, A Warwick, R Ah You, K Treadwell, C Ross, P Marshall, D Cave, J Stockdale.