Ulster Rugby team named for first game in new-look Ravenhill

Ulster Rugby Head Coach, Mark Anscombe, has named a panel of 27 players for tomorrow night’s pre-season friendly against Leinster, the first match to be played in the new look Ravenhill (kick-off 19.30).

James McKinney, who returned to the club from Rotherham this summer, starts at out-half with Michael Heaney named at scrum-half.

Chris Farrell, has recovered the ACL injury that ruled him out last season and starts at inside-centre, with Jared Payne selected at 13 and named captain for the game.

Rory Scholes, fresh from a highly successful summer with the Ireland Under-20s, starts on the right wing with Michael Allen picked on the left and Peter Nelson named at fullback.

In the forwards, Academy prop, Kyle McCall, starts at loosehead, Niall Annett is named at hooker, with Ireland international, Declan Fitzpatrick picked at tighthead.

Lewis Stevenson and Neil McComb make up the second row, with Mike McComish, Sean Doyle and last season’s, RaboDirect PRO12, players’ player of the year, Nick Williams, selected in the back row.

Ireland internationals Luke Marshall, Dan Tuohy, and Roger Wilson are named on the bench along with Robbie Diack, Callum Black, Jonny Murphy, new signing, Bronson Ross, Alan O’Connor, Ian Porter, Chris Cochrane, David McIlwaine and Ricky Andrew.

The pre-season game will see two new stands at the Aquinas and Memorial Ends of the ground open to fans for the first time. The opening of the new facilities marks the end of the first phase of a £14.7 million redevelopment of the ground, funded by DCAL.

Commenting on the game, Mark Anscombe said:

‘I am as excited as everyone else to get along and to see the progress. We have a great place but an upgrade was overdue. The redevelopment is just going to add to the whole sense of occasion at Ravenhill.’

The game won’t be shown on live TV, but highlights from the match will be available on the BBC Sport NI website and BBC Final Score on Saturday.

Ulster XV and replacements to face Leinster, pre-season friendly, Ravenhill, Friday 23rd August 2013 (kick off 19:30):

(15-9): P Nelson, R Scholes, J Payne (Captain), C Farrell, M Allen, J McKinney, M Heaney;
(1-8): K McCall, N Annett, D Fitzpatrick, L Stevenson, N McComb, M McComish, S Doyle, N Williams.
Replacements: C Black, J Murphy, B Ross, A O’Connor D Tuohy, R Diack, R Wilson, I Porter, C Cochrane, L Marshall, D McIlwaine, R Andrew.