The Ulster match-day squad to face Cardiff Rugby at Kingspan Stadium on Friday evening has been named (7.35pm kick-off).
Jordi Murphy returns to the starting XV, having returned from injury to make his first appearance this season. He is named at blindside flanker alongside Marcus Rea at openside, with Nick Timoney returning from Ireland camp to take the Number Eight jersey. Iain Henderson has been released from international duties to captain the side and will partner Alan O’Connor in the second row. Andrew Warwick and Marty Moore have been selected at loosehead and tighthead prop, with John Andrew retaining his starting berth at hooker.
Stewart Moore will line out at full-back, with Robert Baloucoune and Ben Moxham taking up the right and left-wing positions. James Hume returns from Six Nations duties to partner Stuart McCloskey in the centre. Nathan Doak and Billy Burns will once again start at scrum-half and out-half respectively.
Tom Stewart and John Cooney have both recovered from injury to be named among the replacements. Jack McGrath, Gareth Milasinovich, Sam Carter and Duane Vermeulen will provide the other forward options; Ian Madigan and Aaron Sexton are the back line reinforcements.
Ulster team to play Cardiff Rugby, United Rugby Championship Round 13, Friday 4 March at Kingspan Stadium, 7.35pm kick-off, live on BBC Northern Ireland, Premier Sports, andRTÉ 2:
(15-9) Stewart Moore Robert Baloucoune, James Hume, Stuart McCloskey, Ben Moxham, Billy Burns, Nathan Doak;
(1-8) Andrew Warwick, John Andrew, Marty Moore, Alan O’Connor, Iain Henderson (Capt.), Jordi Murphy, Marcus Rea, Nick Timoney.
Replacements: Tom Stewart, Jack McGrath, Gareth Milasinovich, Sam Carter, Duane Vermeulen, John Cooney, Ian Madigan, Aaron Sexton.
Josh Navidi returns from injury to start in Cardiff’s United Rugby Championship clash against Ulster at Kingspan Stadium on Friday (KO 7.35pm).
Dai Young’s Blue and Blacks return to competitive action for the first time in five weeks, having claimed a dramatic win over defending champions Leinster last time out.
Academy product Navidi, who was selected for the British and Irish Lions last summer, has been sidelined since October after suffering a shoulder injury in the opening minutes of the league encounter with Vodacom Bulls.
Navidi is part of an all-international homegrown back row, with James Botham handed the number eight jersey. Ellis Jenkins is named on the blindside, having been released from the Wales squad for this weekend’s action.
Matthew Screech also returns from the sidelines to partner Josh Turnbull in the boiler room. Club captain, Turnbull, will draw level with Ian Keatley in second place in the league’s all-time top appearance makers.
Loosehead prop Brad Thyer is set for his first Cardiff appearance of the season, forming the front row alongside Kirby Myhill and Dmitri Arhip.
Lloyd Williams and Jarrod Evans link up at half back with Rey Lee-Lo and Willis Halaholo reunited in midfield.
A back three of Aled Summerhill, Owen Lane and Hallam Amos complete the starting line-up.
Looking ahead to the clash, director of rugby Young said: “When you have players of equal quality, you can rotate a little bit, while not losing the performance you’re looking for.
“We want to make sure that we’re looking after the players so that when we go to South Africa we’ve got enough bodies.
“The league table isn’t pretty reading when you look at it, because we’re in twelfth place.
“But when you start scraping through the ceiling, you see that we’ve played the least amount of games.
“But the message to the players is that it’s in our hands. We’ve got the ability to go out to play and perform and if we pick up points along the way there’s no reason why we can’t climb the table rapidly.”
Young added: “Going to Belfast is a massive challenge, but it’s a great place to play rugby, and that’s the first thing.
“It’s a cauldron of rugby and the supporters there are fantastic. For me, it’s a venue you want to play at.
“People talk about daunting places to play, and yes it’s a tough place to go but it’s a fantastic atmosphere, whether it’s with you or against you. So yes it is somewhere you want to go to play.
“Hopefully a part of our upward trend is going to places and getting results. But Ulster’s form this season has shown how tough it’s going to be for us.”
Keiron Assiratti comes onto the bench to cover as hooker, while Jamie Hill could make his first appearance of the campaign.
James Ratti and Rhys Carré are also named amongst the replacements, joining Jenkins and Halaholo in being released from the Wales squad for the trip to Belfast.
Cardiff currently sit in 12th place in the table, but have up to five matches in-hand, with Friday’s encounter set to kick off an intense run-in for Young’s men.
Cardiff Rugby: Hallam Amos; Owen Lane, Rey Lee-Lo, Willis Halaholo, Aled Summerhill; Jarrod Evans, Lloyd Williams; Brad Thyer, Kirby Myhill, Dmitri Arhip, Josh Turnbull (capt.), Matthew Screech, Ellis Jenkins, Josh Navidi, James Botham
Replacements: Keiron Assiratti, Rhys Carré, Will Davies-King, Teddy Williams, James Ratti, Jamie Hill, Ben Thomas, Matthew Morgan
