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Ireland Quartet Return To Ulster Team

Director of rugby Les Kiss has named the Ulster team to play the Scarlets in round 13 of the GUINNESS PRO12 at Parc y Scarlets on Friday (kick-off 7.35pm).

Ireland internationals Rory Best, Iain Henderson, Paddy Jackson and Luke Marshall return after missing last week’s interprovincial clash with Leinster at the RDS.

That quartet are among nine new faces in the province’s starting line-up, after a number of players were ruled out by injury earlier this week.

Best will start at hooker and will be joined in an all-new front row by props Callum Black and Ross Kane, who will make his second senior start.

Henderson will partner Kieran Treadwell in the second row, while Chris Henry is promoted from the bench to start in the back row alongside Clive Ross and Sean Reidy, who switches to number 8.

Louis Ludik and Jacob Stockdale come into the back-three where they are joined by captain Andrew Trimble. Marshall and Stuart McCloskey will line up together in midfield, with Paul Marshall and Jackson occupying the half-back positions.

Named among the replacements, Jonny Simpson will be hoping to earn his second cap after impressing off the bench against Leinster. John Andrew, Andrew Warwick, Franco van der Merwe and Peter Browne will provide additional forward cover.

Elsewhere, scrum half Dave Shanahan could make his first senior appearance of the season if called upon. Brett Herron and Tommy Bowe complete the matchday squad.

The Scarlets are one of the competition’s in-form teams, having been defeated just once in the last nine rounds of PRO12 action.

The Welshmen have won their last eight matches at home in all competitions and Les Kiss will be aware of the challenge facing his side in Llanelli, given the 22-12 loss suffered at the Parc last season.

ULSTER (v Scarlets): Louis Ludik; Andrew Trimble (capt), Luke Marshall, Stuart McCloskey, Jacob Stockdale; Paddy Jackson, Paul Marshall; Callum Black, Rory Best, Ross Kane, Kieran Treadwell, Iain Henderson, Clive Ross, Chris Henry, Sean Reidy.