EUROPEAN RUGBY MIGHT be over for another year but the Pro12 still has a lot to offer us and Ulster have named their team for this weekend’s tantalising clash with Munster.
Neil Doak has made just one change to the side that beat Leinster two weeks ago, with fun-running wing Craig Gilroy missing out with a hamstring injury.
Peter Nelson will wear the 11 jersey while Ulster will have strong backline replacements to call on, with Paul Marshall, Ian Humphreys and the Bangor Bulldozer, Stuart McCloskey, being held in reserve.
Also, Roger Wilson will become Ulster’s most capped Pro12 player, with Saturday’s game set to be his 132nd appearance.
The game has high stakes for both sides, with the winner likely to secure a home semi-final in the Pro12 playoffs.
The match against Munster kicks off tomorrow at 14.40.
Ulster
15. Louis Ludik
14. Tommy Bowe
13. Jared Payne
12. Darren Cave
11. Peter Nelson
10. Paddy Jackson
9. Ruan Pienaar
1. Callum Black
2. Rory Best
3. Wiehahn Herbst
4. Franco van der Merwe
5. Dan Tuohy
6. Iain Henderson
7. Chris Henry
8. Roger Wilson
16. Rob Herring
17. Andrew Warwick
18. Bronson Ross
19. Robbie Diack
20. Clive Ross
21. Paul Marshall
22. Ian Humphreys
23. Stuart McCloskey
Meanwhile, Pat Lam has named his side for Connacht’s away trip to Zebre. A dip in form has seen the westerners fall out of the all-important sixth spot that they have occupied for most of the year, and now they face a battle to even claim seventh, and a place in the Champions Cup playoffs.
Connacht are four points behind Edinburgh in seventh and five behind the Scarlets in sixth so they could really do with a bonus point win in Parma to put pressure on their rivals.
John Cooney comes in at scrum-half in the only change to the starting team while academy out-half Conor McKeon and prop JP Cooney have been promoted to the bench.
The game kicks off tomorrow evening at 6.30pm.
Connacht
15. Tiernan O’Halloran
14. Danie Poolman
13. Robbie Henshaw
12. Bundee Aki
11. Matt Healy
10. Jack Carty
9. John Cooney
1. Denis Buckley
2. Tom McCartney
3. Rodney Ah You
4. Ultan Dillane
5. Aly Muldowney
6. John Muldoon (captain)
7. Eoghan Masterson
8. Eoin McKeon
Replacements:
16. Dave Heffernan
17. JP Cooney
18. Finlay Bealham
19. Andrew Browne
20. George Naoupu
21. Kieran Marmion
22. Conor McKeon
23. Darragh Leader
