Injuries are starting to mount for Ulster with some key men forced to watch on from the sidelines but defence coach Jonny Bell believes it is the returning contingent that can boost his side.

Talismanic hooker Rory Best suffered a broken arm while playing against the All Blacks for Ireland, while Iain Henderson and Lewis Stevenson are both ruled out for around six weeks with a hamstring strain and medial ligament damage respectively.

The Ulstermen triumphed without their international stars to beat Edinburgh Rugby 41-17 last Friday evening and find themselves in fifth position in the RaboDirect PRO12 table.

And with the confirmation that both first-choice half-backs Paddy Jackson and Ruan Pienaar are now available for selection, as well as prop Declan Fitzpatrick, Bell is looking to those returning to build some momentum with another win against Zebre.

"Paddy [Jackson] and Declan [Fitzpatrick] will be involved in some capacity. Looking at the matches coming in the next few weeks they need game-time,” said Bell.

"They're excited and ready to get back into it. Ruan [Pienaar] is back in the country having been away with the Springboks and he'll be coming in towards the end of the week. We just wanted to give him a little bit of time out to refresh and get himself ready before playing.

"Zebre will be a real challenge. Gone are the days when you went to Italy pretty confident that you'd get the points.

"They scored four tries against us over there last season and really ought to have won."

In total Mark Anscombe has made six changes to last weekend’s victory with Tom Court in at loosehead, a new second-row pairing of Neil McComb and Dan Tuohy, Michael McComish in at openside flanker and the return of Jackson at no.10.

Their opponents however have also been boosted by the return of a few internationals of their own – recalling eight faces including Tommaso Iannone at fly-half, Mauro Bergamasco and captain Marco Bortolami.

Zebre came unstuck against the Ospreys last Saturday as they were beaten 30-20 despite surrendering the lead twice in the first-half.

And as the Italian outfit go in search of their first home win in the RaboDirect PRO12 and a first win against an Irish province, head coach Andrea Cavinato insists they need to start producing a complete performance if they want to taste victory again.

"After a good defensive effort in the first half [against the Ospreys], once more we came out of the changing rooms and conceded two tries through a lack of lucidity in the defensive line,” he said.

“We can't afford to concede points like that against an opponent like the Ospreys who we allowed to take the lead at the end of the first half with bad choices and penalties conceded.

"I expected a little more of my players who I hoped would be able to express themselves a little more, particularly in the absence of those players called up to the national team.”

At Stadio XXV Aprile, 3pm local time (2pm Ireland & UK)
Referee: Andrew McMenemy (SRU, 25th competition game)
Assistant Referees: Giuseppe Vivarini, Stefano Roscini (both FIR)
Citing Commissioner: Alberto Recaldini (FIR)
TMO: Carlo Damasco (FIR)

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