Ulster head coach Dan McFarland has handed three new players their debuts for Ulster’s opening game of the PRO14 season against the Ospreys in the Kingspan Stadium on Friday at 19 35.
Summer signings Jack McGrath, Sam Carter and Matt Faddes have all been given the nod in by McFarland and come straight into the starting XV.
McGrath brings a huge amount of competition experience with him, having signed from rivals Leinster and having missed out on a place on the plane to Japan for the Rugby World Cup with Ireland will want to make an impression on his debut.
Joining McGrath in the front-row are captain Rob Herring and Tom O’Toole, while Carter links up with the ever-impressive Kieran Treadwell in the second-row, with club captain Iain Hendeson currently away on international duty, making his 50th cap on Saturday against Japan.
In the back-row it is Matthew Rea at blind-flanker, Jordi Murphy at openside and Sean Reidy completes the pack from No 8.
Another man who missed out on the World Cup with Ireland, John Cooney, starts in the half-backs with Billy Burns, with James Hume and Luke Marshell out the pair in the centre.
There is a welcome return to competitive rugby for winger Craig Gilroy, who makes his first appearance for nearly a year on the left-wing, with Rob Lyttle occupying the right-wing and Faddes at full-back.
With the likes of Eric O’Sullivan, David Shanahan and Louis Ludik on the bench McFarland has experience to call upon if needed.
The home side are currently without Will Addison, Marty Moore, Nick Tomoney, Robert Baloucoune, Marcel Coetzee and Gareth Milasinovich, all of which are missing through injury.
Ulster will be hoping to kick-start their campaign with a win while some of the other teams main players are away at the World Cup and knowing that players will return from injury to help boost the team in the coming weeks.
Starting XV:
Matt Faddes; Craig Gilroy, Luke Marshall, James Hume, Rob Lyttle; Billy Burns, John Cooney; Jack McGrath, Rob Herring (Capt), Tom O’Toole, Kieran Treadwell, Sam Carter, Matthew Rea, Jordi Murphy, Sean Reidy.
Replacements:
John Andrew, Eric O’Sullivan, Ross Kane, Alan O’Connor, Greg Jones, David Shanahan, Michael Lowry, Louis Ludik.
