FERRIS TO START AGAINST EDINBURGH TEAM NAMED

FERRIS TO START AGAINST EDINBURGH

Stephen Ferris will start for Ulster against Edinburgh at Murrayfield tomorrow night (kick off 19:45) as one of six changes and one positional switch to the team that beat Scarlets at Ravenhill last weekend.

Ferris played 20 minutes against the Welsh region and is selected at blindside as he continues his phased return to play from the ankle injury he suffered in November 2012.

Jared Payne is selected at fullback, with Tommy Bowe, who has scored three tries in two matches, picked on the right wing.

Craig Gilroy is named on the left wing, in place of Rory Scholes, with Darren Cave named at outside-centre and Luke Marshall returning to the starting XV at inside-centre having recovered from a head injury.

Paddy Jackson starts at outhalf with Michael Heaney named at scrum-half in place of the injured Ruan Pienaar.

Tom Court is selected at loosehead alongside Rob Herring and John Afoa in the front row.

Johann Muller captains Ulster from the second row where he is joined by Iain Henderson, who was a second half substitute for Ireland in the RBS 6 Nations win over France.

Ferris is joined in the back row by Roger Wilson who moves from blindside to Number 8, with Sean Doyle continuing at openside.

Ireland lock, Dan Tuohy, is named as a substitute having recovered from the broken arm that he sustained playing for the international side against Wales.

Hughes Insurance Ulster Academy loosehead prop, Andrew Warwick, is also named as a replacement. The 23 year-old will make his first appearance for Ulster if called upon.

Joining Tuohy and Warwick on the bench are forwards Niall Annett, Ricky Lutton, Nick Williams and Robbie Diack and backs Paul Marshall and Stuart McCloskey.

The game isn’t being shown on TV, but live radio coverage is available via BBC Radio Ulster and the BBC Sport NI website.

Ulster XV and replacements to face Edinburgh, RaboDirect PRO12, Murrayfield, Friday (kick off 19:45) (15-9): J Payne, T Bowe, D Cave, L Marshall, C Gilroy, P Jackson, M Heaney; (1-8): T Court, R Herring, J Afoa, J Muller (Captain), I Henderson, S Ferris, S Doyle, R Wilson; Replacements (16-23): N Annett, A Warwick, R Lutton, D Tuohy, N Williams, R Diack, P Marshall, S McCloskey.