Ulster have received a boost with the news that Tom O’Toole, Nick Timoney and Jude Postlethwaite will be available after injury for Saturday’s Challenge Cup semi-final against Exeter Chiefs at the Affidea Stadium (17:30 BST).
Timoney returns after recovering from a hip injury, while O’Toole and Postlethwaite are at head coach Richie Murphy’s disposal after overcoming hand problems.
A squad update issued by Ulster Rugby on Monday confirmed that the trio have “all reintegrated fully into team training and are available for selection”.
Meanwhile, decisions on whether Angus Bell (foot), James Hume (neck) and Bryn Ward (shoulder) will be fit enough for selection for the encounter with the English Premiership side will be made later in the week.
All three have resumed elements of team training.
Callum Reid and Ben Carson will be unavailable for the last-four game as a result of foot and calf injuries respectively.
Both players sustained their injuries during Saturday’s 41-14 United Rugby Championship (URC) defeat by Munster in Limerick.
Eric O’Sullivan suffered a back injury during the match and will have his fitness monitored during the week.
Ulster are aiming to secure their first silverware for 20 years and the winner of their semi-final will face the winner of Sunday’s second semi-final between Montpellier and the Dragons in the final in Bilbao on 22 May.