Ulster v Leinster: Teams
Ulster have made a host of changes as they aim to give their play-off hopes a boost when they take on Leinster on Friday.
Last Updated: 19/04/12 6:16pm
Ulster have made a host of changes as they aim to give their play-off hopes a boost when they take on rivals Leinster at Ravenhill on Friday.
Head coach Brian McLaughlin has made nine changes and a further two positional switches to the team which suffered a 26-21 defeat to Connacht last weekend.
Willie Faloon, Nigel Brady, Lewis Stevenson, Tom Court, Stefan Terblanche and Paddy Jackson are the only survivors from the XV that started in Galway.
There is no place for rested Ireland internationals Stephen Ferris and Rory Best but the likes of Paddy Wallace, Ruan Pienaar and Andrew Trimble are back in the starting line-up.
Johann Muller returns to captain the side from second row where he is partnered by Stevenson, while Pedrie Wannenburg and Chris Henry are recalled to the back row alongside Faloon.
Table-toppers Leinster secured a home play-off clash by thrashing Edinburgh last time out but have still named a strong line-up for the visit to Ravenhill.
Ireland internationals Eoin Reddan, Jonathan Sexton, Luke Fitzgerald, Brian O'Driscoll, and Rob Kearney are all brought back into a fearsome-looking backs division.
Eoin O'Malley was a late withdrawal after suffering a recurrence of his calf strain forced in training, meaning Fergus McFadden keeps his spot in the centres.
The reinforcements are also brought in up front, with Cian Healy, Richardt Strauss and Mike Ross making up the front row of a completely changed pack.
Brad Thorn is at lock alongside skipper Leo Cullen, while Kevin McLaughlin joins fellow flanker Dominic Ryan in the back-row alongside Sean O'Brien at number eight.
Ulster: 15 Stefan Terblanche, 14 Andrew Trimble, 13 Darren Cave, 12 Paddy Wallace, 11 Craig Gilroy, 10 Paddy Jackson, 9 Ruan Pienaar, 8 Pedrie Wannenburg, 7 Willie Faloon, 6 Chris Henry, 5 Lewis Stevenson, 4 Johann Muller (capt), 3 Declan Fitzpatrick, 2 Nigel Brady, 1 Tom Court.
Replacements: 16 Andi Kyriacou, 17 Paddy McAllister, 18 Adam Macklin, 19 Neil McComb, 20 Robbie Diack, 21 Ian Porter, 22 Ian Humphreys, 23 Adam D'Arcy.
Leinster: 15 Rob Kearney, 14 David Kearney, 13 Brian O'Driscoll, 12 Fergus McFadden, 11 Luke Fitzgerald, 10 Jonathan Sexton, 9 Eoin Reddan, 8 Sean O'Brien, 7 Dominic Ryan, 6 Kevin McLaughlin, 5 Brad Thorn, 4 Leo Cullen (capt), 3 Mike Ross, 2 Richardt Strauss, 1 Cian Healy.
Replacements: 16 Sean Cronin, 17 Heinke van der Merwe, 18 Nathan White, 19 Devin Toner, 20 Shane Jennings, 21 Isaac Boss, 22 Ian Madigan, 23 Fionn Carr.