ULSTER might be the least expected to carry an Irish flag through the Heineken Cup knockout stages but five points last week puts them in the frame for a possible celebratory mood at Monza on Saturday. The province remain in contention as coach Brian McLaughlin announced a 34-man squad yesterday with just one fresh injury concern.

Centre Nevin Spence left the field during last week’s game against Aironi with a rib injury but will be assessed throughout the week and has not been ruled out of contention for the trip. Others such as Jared Payne and Paddy Wallace remain longer-term concerns.

Tries for Adam D’Arcy, Stephen Ferris, Andrew Trimble, Ian Humphreys and Paddy Jackson in the province’s win in Belfast leaves the top three teams in Pool Four separated by just two points with Ulster sitting in second position. That comes courtesy of Clermont defeating Leicester 30-12 at the Stade Marcel Michelin on Sunday with no bonus points secured and it makes Pool Four the tightest in the tournament at the half-way mark of the pool stage.

The province ended an 11-year drought when they made the last eight last season but McLaughlin is wary of Stadio Brianteo and the transformation that takes place in Italian teams when they are playing at home.

“We know it is going to be exceptionally tough over there,” said McLaughlin. “They are more than capable of one big game. We know they beat Biarritz Olympique in the Heineken Cup last year and we are under no illusions.

“Aironi are more than capable of turning us over at home if we aren’t on the money. This week is a whole new ball game and we are only at half-time. We just have to make sure when we get the ball we are clinical and play in the right areas of the pitch. If we don’t do that they will cause us problems.”

Connacht, who lost to Gloucester at the weekend, have announced the re-signing of two of the squad’s most experienced players, who have committed their immediate futures to the province. John Muldoon has agreed to stay on for two more years and Johnny O’Connor another one season.

Elsewhere, a picture of Brad Thorn extending a hand of consolidation to Santiago Fernández after the World Cup quarter-final between New Zealand and Argentina has won the IRB/Emirates Airline rugby photograph of the year competition. The winning image, taken by Andrew Cornaga (Photosport) and entitled “Helping Hand”, was selected from more than 300 entries.

One of the five runners-up was an image of Irish schools’ rugby called “Rallying Cry” in which King’s Hospital’s Jonathan Molloy rallies his troops before a Fr Godfrey Cup first-round game against the High School. The picture was taken by Inpho’s James Crombie.

ULSTER SQUAD – forwards: P McAllister, C Black, T Court, A Macklin, J Afoa, J Cronin, A Kyriacou, N Brady, R Best, L Stevenson, J Muller (capt), D Tuohy, T Barker, N McComb, S Ferris, M McComish, P Wannenburg, W Faloon, C Henry, R Diack. Backs: P Marshall, I Porter, R Pienaar, I Humphreys, P Jackson, N Spence, L Marshall, I Whitten, D Cave, C Gilroy, S Danielli, A Trimble, A D’Arcy, S Terblanche