Three of Ulster’s Eire internationals have been named to start out Friday’s United Rugby Championship encounter towards Benetton in Belfast (19:45 GMT).
Whereas centre Stuart McCloskey is dominated out with a groin damage, Iain Henderson returns to captain Ulster from the second row, with Nick Timoney and Jacob Stockdale additionally recalled.
Having been deployed on the left wing on his final look for Ulster, Stockdale reverts to full-back, the place he performed within the win over the Bulls final month.
Match-again Juarno Augustus begins at quantity eight after recovering from an arm damage, however Cormac Izuchukwu has not been included regardless of returning to coaching following a foot difficulty.
Tom Stewart, who captained Eire XV to a win over Spain earlier this month, begins at hooker with Sam Crean and Scott Wilson finishing the entrance row.
Jack Murphy and Nathan Doak are once more paired at half-back, with alternative scrum-half Dave Shanahan set to make his one centesimal look for the province off the bench.
An skilled bench additionally contains Rob Herring, Tom O’Toole and Stewart Moore, who was recalled from his mortgage at Newcastle Crimson Bulls earlier this week.
Again row Bryn Ward, who made his debut towards the Lions in Johannesburg final month, can also be among the many replacements, however there isn’t any place within the squad for his older brother Zac, who has began three URC video games this season.
Ulster boss Richie Murphy is at present with out Ben Carson, Michael Lowry, Lorcan McLoughlin (elbow), Sean Reffell (shoulder), Ben Moxham (knee), Ethan McIlroy (knee), Eric O’Sullivan (hamstring) and James McNabney (knee).
Australia prop Angus Bell, who has joined till the tip of the season, was not thought-about for choice this week.
Fifth-placed Ulster have three wins and a defeat from 4 video games this season. Benetton sit tenth with two wins and three defeats. The Italian facet received final season’s assembly 34-19 in Treviso.
Ulster: Stockdale; Baloucoune, Hume, Postlethwaite, Kok; Murphy, Doak; Crean, Stewart, Wilson, Henderson (capt), McCann, Timoney, Augustus.
Replacements: Herring, Reid, O’Toole, Dalton, Ward, Shanahan, Flannery, Moore.
