Magners League: Ulster Team v Munster

Brian McLaughlin has named his Ulster starting XV and replacements for this Friday’s match against Munster at Ravenhill, kick off 7.05pm.

With Andrew Trimble and Paddy Wallace both in camp with Ireland ahead of the start of the Autumn International Series, the Ulster backline shows two changes of personnel and one positional switch from that which was defeated by Edinburgh at Murrayfield last weekend.

Nevin Spence comes in at inside centre with Ian Whitten moving to the outside centre position and Ian Humphreys comes in at outhalf.

Up front Ulster are without the services of internationals Tom Court, Rory Best and Stephen Ferris and the forward pack shows five changes from last week.

Nigel Brady replaces Best at hooker while Bryan Young is recalled to the tight-head side as BJ Botha has aggravated the wrist injury which had ruled him out of Ulster’s matches earlier this month against Glasgow and Aironi.

Tim Barker is preferred over Dan Tuohy as captain Johann Muller’s partner in the second row. The rotation of back row players continues with Wannenburg named on the blindside flank, Willie Faloon at openside while Robbie Diack retains his position at No.8.

ULSTER (15-9) A D’Arcy; M McCrea, I Whitten, N Spence, D McIlwaine; I Humphreys, R Pienaar (1-8) P McAllister, N Brady, B Young, J Muller (Captain), T Barker, P Wannenburg, W Faloon, R Diack

Replacements (16-23) A Kyriacou, J Cronin, A Whitten, D Tuohy, C Henry, P Marshall, N O’Connor, L Marshall