Ulster and Connacht have both named their teams for Friday evening's Guinness PRO14 derby at the Kingspan Stadium.
Hooker Rob Herring will lead the northern side and he will be joined in the front row by Marty Moore and the returning Jack McGrath.
Alan O’Connor and Kieran Treadwell are paired together in the engine room, with Matthew Rea, Sean Reidy and Marcell Coetzee selected as the loose forward trio.
Will Addison returns from suspension to start at fullback and he is joined in the back three by Robert Baloucoune and Louis Ludik. The familiar pairings of Stuart McCloskey and Luke Marshall, and John Cooney and Billy Burns are named as the midfield and half-back pairings respectively.
On the bench, Adam McBurney, Kyle McCall, Tom O’Toole, David O’Connor and Nick Timoney provide the forwards reinforcements, with David Shanahan, Bill Johnston and Craig Gilroy covering the backline.
Ulster team in full to play Connacht:
Will Addison, Robert Baloucoune, Luke Marshall, Stuart McCloskey, Louis Ludik, Billy Burns, John Cooney.
Jack McGrath, Rob Herring, Marty Moore, Alan O’Connor, Kieran Treadwell, Matthew Rea, Sean Reidy, Marcell Coetzee.
Replacements: Adam McBurney, Kyle McCall, Tom O’Toole, David O’Connor, Nick Timoney, David Shanahan, Bill Johnston, Craig Gilroy.
Connacht Scrum Half Caolin Blade is set to captain Andy Friend's side
The 25-year-old Monivea man will continue his half back partnership with Conor Fitzgerald for the trip to Belfast.
Elsewhere in the backline, Peter Robb has returned from injury to partner Tom Daly in midfield while Tiernan O’Halloran starts at full-back in a back three that includes John Porch and Matt Healy on the wings.
Upfront, Paddy McAllister is another to return from injury in time for the InterPro clash. The loosehead prop joins a front row with hooker Dave Heffernan and Finlay Bealham at tighthead.
With Quinn Roux picking up a hand injury against Munster that will likely keep him out of action until the end of January, Andy Friend has been forced to make a change to his second row. Ultan Dillane will line up with Joe Maksymiw who came off the bench last weekend with 20-year-old Roscommon man Niall Murray named among the replacements.
In the back row, Robin Copeland comes into the starting team at number 8. He will be flanked by Eoin McKeon and Paul Boyle at blindside and openside respectively.
Connacht team in full to play Ulster:
Tiernan O’Halloran, John Porch, Tom Daly, Peter Robb, Matt Healy, Conor Fitzgerald, Caolin Blade.
Paddy McAllister, Dave Heffernan, Finlay Bealham, Ultan Dillane, Joe Maksymiw, Eoin McKeon, Paul Boyle, Robin Copeland.
Replacements: Shane Delahunt, Denis Buckley, Dominic Robertson McCoy, Niall Murray, Eoghan Masterson, Stephen Kerins, Kyle Godwin, Stephen Fitzgerald.
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