Team announced.
The Ulster squad has been named for Saturday’s sold-out Heineken Champions Cup quarter-final clash against Leinster (Aviva Stadium, 5.45pm).
Luke Marshall has been included in the match day panel for the first time this season, after overcoming an ACL injury sustained against Ospreys in May last year.
Marshall is joined among the replacements by Sean Reidy, who is set to make his 100th Ulster appearance.
Rory Best will captain the Province in what will be his 75th European game and he will pack down alongside Eric O’Sullivan and Marty Moore in the front row.
Iain Henderson has recovered from injury and will partner Kieran Treadwell in the second row.
Jordi Murphy will play against his former club for the first time since his move to Ulster last summer; he’s selected in a back row that also includes Marcell Coetzee and Nick Timoney.
John Cooney and Billy Burns will continue their half-back partnership that has been so pivotal in Europe this season, with the latter having made five try assists.
Stuart McCloskey and Darren Cave are again paired in midfield, while Jacob Stockdale, the competition’s joint top try scorer (six), is joined in the back three by Abbey Insurance Ulster Academy players Michael Lowry and Robert Baloucoune.
Rob Herring, Andy Warwick, Wiehahn Herbst, Alan O’Connor, Dave Shanahan and Angus Kernohan will join Marshall and Reidy on the bench.
The game is sold out and 13,000-15,000 Ulster fans are expected to be in attendance.
Ulster team and replacements to play Leinster, Heineken Champions Cup quarter-final, Aviva Stadium, Saturday 30th March (5.45pm):
(15-9): M Lowry; R Baloucoune, D Cave, S McCloskey, J Stockdale; B Burns, J Cooney;
(1-8): E O’Sullivan, R Best (captain), M Moore, I Henderson, K Treadwell, N Timoney, J Murphy, M Coetzee;
Replacements (16-23): R Herring, A Warwick, W Herbst, A O’Connor, S Reidy, D Shanahan, L Marshall, A Kernohan.
Leinster team can be found here.
