Pro12: Ulster v Zebre (Fri)

Ireland trio Chris Henry, Iain Henderson and Declan Fitzpatrick are back in the Ulster squad for the top versus bottom game against Zebre.

Henry and Fitzpatrick were in the match-day squad for Ireland's defeat by England at the Aviva Stadium on Sunday.

Prop John Afoa is also named in Mark Anscombe's 25-man panel following a short stint in New Zealand.

Half-backs Michael Heaney and Paddy Jackson have also been added to the squad for the Ravenhill encounter.

Scrum-half Ruan Pienaar is expected to be fit after limping out of last week's home defeat to the Ospreys with a shoulder injury.

Paddy Wallace's chances of playing are rated as no better than 50-50 due to a lower leg injury sustained in the Ospreys game.

Although his injury is not expected to be a long-term one, he may not make the game against the Italians.

Ulster remain top of the Pro12 table despite the 16-12 loss to the Welsh team.

It was Ulster's first league defeat at Ravenhill in the current campaign.

The Irish side have a seven-point advantage over closest challengers Glasgow Warriors going into the round 15 matches.

Zebre are stranded at the bottom, 12 points adrift of the 11th-placed Dragons.

Ulster squad:

Forwards: Rob Herring, Niall Annett, Tom Court, Callum Black, John Afoa, Declan Fitzpatrick, Johann Muller, Neil McComb, Lewis Stevenson, Dan Tuohy, Chris Henry, Iain Henderson, Mike McComish, Robbie Diack.

Backs: Ruan Pienaar, Michael Heaney, Stuart Olding, Paddy Jackson, Paddy Wallace, Luke Marshall, Darren Cave, Michael Allen, Andrew Trimble, Chris Cochrane, Ricky Andrew.