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Robert Baloucoune returns to the Ulster starting line-up
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United Rugby Championship – Ulster vs Edinburgh |
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Venue: Kingspan Stadium, Belfast Date: Friday 21 April Kick-off: 19:35 BST |
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Coverage: Listen to live commentary on the ` Sport website |
Ulster have made seven changes to their starting team for Friday’s United Rugby Championship meeting with Edinburgh.
Ireland internationals Rob Baloucoune, Rob Herring, Kieran Treadwell and Nick Timoney are among those entering the race.
Tom O’Toole is out with a calf injury while Eric O’Sullivan is following protocols for returning to the game after undergoing a head injury assessment in last week’s 40-19 win over Dragons.
Edinburgh have made five changes to their starting XI.
Tight-head propsman Luan de Bruin gets the nod forward while lock Glen Young comes into the field in place of Marshall Sykes, who is out through injury.
Cammy Hutchison starts at center back in his last appearance for the club.
Henry Pyrgos, who was also in his last game for Edinburgh, replaces Ben Vellacott at the scrimmage half-time, while Scottish, British and Irish Lions winger Duhan van der Merwe comes on for the injured Damien Hoyland.
The game will also be Stuart McInally’s farewell as it was announced on Wednesday that the club centurion will retire from rugby when his contract expires in November.
Baloucoune is drafted on the wing for Ulster, with the addition of Stewart Moore alongside James Hume in midfield being the only other change at defenders.
Andy Warwick returns to the lineup at Loosehead Prop along with Jeff Toomaga-Allen at Tighthead, and Herring completes the front row.
Treadwell joins skipper Alan O’Connor on the second row and Timoney, a try-scorer as a substitute last week, starts on the back row this time.
Tom Stewart, Sam Carter and Craig Gilroy are on the bench
Ulster will be hoping for five straight wins in the competition as they look to secure second place in the table which would ensure home advantage in any prospective home semi-final.
That second place is in their own control after their bonus points win over Dragons last weekend, followed by Munster’s win over Stormers.
Edinburgh arrive at Kingspan Stadium sitting 12th in the table after enduring a difficult season this term.
Ulster: Lowry; Baloucoune, Hume, Moore, Stockdale; Burns, Cooney; Warwick, Herring, Toomaga-Allen; O’Connor (Captain), Treadwell, McCann, Timoney, Vermeulen.
Substitutes: Stewart, Reid, Milasinovich, Carter, Sheridan, Doak, Marshall, Gilroy.
Edinburgh: Boffelli; Graham, Lang, Hutchison, van der Merwe; Koenigshorn, Pyrgos; Schoeman, Cherry, de Bruin; Young, Skinner; Ritchie (Captain), Watson, Mata.
Subs: McInally, Venter, Nel, Phillips, Boyle, Vellacott, Bennett, Sweeney.
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