Spence still a doubt as Ulster prepare for Aironi

Ulster centre Nevin Spence is still recovering from a rib injury picked up during last Friday’s bonus-point win in Ravenhill.

ULSTER WILL WAIT until later in the week before taking a final decision on Nevin Spence’s fitness.

The young centre was forced off with a rib injury during last Friday’s 31-10 Heineken Cup win over Aironi in Ravenhill and medics will monitor his recovery ahead of Saturday’s return fixture in Monza.

Spence was named today as part of a preliminary 34-man panel for the trip with the remainder of Brian McLaughlin’s squad coming through last weekend’s game with little more than a few bumps and bruises.

McLaughlin will name his squad for Saturday’s match in the Stadio Briante on Friday at noon.

Leinster have also given their panel a clean bill of health as they prepare to welcome Bath to the Aviva Stadium on Saturday evening.

The reigning Heineken Cup champions trained this afternoon in UCD, showing no fresh injury concerns following Sunday’s hard-fought 18-13 win at the Rec.

Over 43,000 tickets have already been sold for Saturday’s clash, closing in on the previous Irish pool record attendance of 44,873 which was set against Clermont Auvergne last December 2010.