Team news: Felipe Contepomi is poised to make his first start of the season for Leinster when Michael Cheika's side open their Heineken Cup campaign against Leicester this weekend.
Contepomi returned to training this week following a trip to his native Argentina for a family wedding and was today named in an extended 25-man squad for Saturday's daunting clash with last year's beaten finalists at the RDS.
Should he be included when the side is name on Friday, the outhalf will be pitted against former national coach Marcelo Loffreda who vacated his role with the Pumas having guided them to third place in the World Cup.
Also included in the Leinster squad at this stage are ex-Tigers Shane Jennings and Leo Cullen, and Jennings for one is relishing a battle with his former teammates.
"Ever since the Heineken Cup draw was made over the summer and we knew that we had drawn Leicester, I have been really looking forward to this game," explained Jennings, who excelled in the back row at Welford Road.
"I made some very good friends with a lot of people over there but I'm sure that they will be put to one side for 80 minutes and we'll be kicking lumps out of one another! There will be no mixed emotions. I will always remember the good times I had over there, but Leinster is my home province and the team I want to play for.
"Fingers crossed I'll be involved because Lewis Moody and Martin Corry are two players I really look up to. If you look right across their pack they have huge experience; Julian White, Martin Castrogiovanni and George Chuter to name but three."
Ulster coach Mark McCall has also opted to keep his options open ahead of the province's meeting with Gloucester, again preferring to name a 25-man squad.
Kieron Dawson, stretchered off in Glasgow last weekend, may still be available while Nigel Brady comes into the equation at the expense of Stuart Philpott.
"Kieron's injury is not as serious as we had first thought, he is not definitely ruled out, but we will continue to assess him," explained McCall who is due to announce his starting line up at noon on Thursday.
"Obviously Gloucester are riding high in the Premiership and are having a strong season so far, they have one of the strongest squads in European Rugby and are always formidable opponents," he added.
Leinster Squad
Forwards: Ollie le Roux, Stan Wright, Brian Blaney, Bernard Jackman, Juan Francisco Gomez, Stephen Knoop, Leo Cullen, Cameron Jowitt, Malcolm O'Kelly, Stephen Keogh, Kevin McLaughlin, Keith Gleeson, Shane Jennings, Jamie Heaslip
Backs: Chris Whitaker, Cillian Willis, Felipe Contepomi, Jonathan Sexton, Christian Warner, Luke Fitzgerald, Rob Kearney, Gordon D'Arcy, Brian O'Driscoll, Shane Horgan, Girvan Dempsey
Ulster Squad
Forwards: Neil Best; Rory Best; Nigel Brady; Ryan Caldwell; Kieron Dawson; Carlo del Fava; Stephen Ferris; Declan Fitzpatrick; Justin Fitzpatrick; Justin Harrison; Matt McCullough; Roger Wilson; Bryan Young; David Pollock
Backs: Mark Bartholomeusz; Isaac Boss; Tommy Bowe; Bryn Cunningham; Rob Dewey; David Humphreys; Kieran Campbell; Mark McCrea; Andrew Trimble; Paddy Wallace ; Simon Danielli
