ULSTER HAVE MADE 13 changes to their starting team for tomorrow’s visit of Connacht [KO 7.35pm], with the Westerners electing to make five changes of their own.
Alan O’Connor and Matthew Rea are the only Ulster players to retain their places from last Friday’s high-scoring defeat to Leinster, with Jack McGrath returning from injury to join Marty Moore and captain Rob Herring in the front-row.
Will Addison returns from suspension and is picked at full-back, with Stuart McCloskey, Billy Burns, and John Cooney all returning.
Connacht, meanwhile, will be captained by scrum-half Coalin Blade, who forms a half-back partnership with Conor Fitzgerald. Peter Robb returns from injury to partner Tom Daly in midfield while Tiernan O’Halloran starts at full-back in a back three that includes John Porch and Matt Healy on the wings.
Up front, Paddy McAllister returns although Quinn Roux misses out with injury. He is replaced by Joe Maksymiw.
ULSTER (vs Connacht)
Will Addison; Robert Baloucoune; Luke Marshall, Stuart McCloskey; Louis Ludik; Billy Burns, John Cooney; Jack McGrath, Rob Herring (Capt), Marty Moore; Alan O’Connor, Kieran Treadwell; Matthew Rea, Sean Reidy, Marcell Coetzee.
Replacements: Adam McBurney, Kyle McCall, Tom O’Toole, David O’Connor, Nick Timoney, David Shanahan, Bill Johnston, Craig Gilroy.
CONNACHT (vs Ulster)
Tiernan O’Halloran; John Porch; Tom Daly, Peter Robb; Matt Healy; Conor Fitzgerald, Caolin Blade (Capt); Paddy McAllister, Dave Heffernan, Finlay Bealham; Ultan Dillane, Joe Maksymiw; Eoin McKeon, Paul Boyle, Robin Copeland.
Replacements: Shane Delahunt, Denis Buckley, Dominic Robertson McCoy, Niall Murray, Eoghan Masterson, Stephen Kerins, Kyle Godwin, Stephen Fitzgerald.
