European Rugby Champions Cup: Ulster v Scarlets preview

Ulster will aim to keep their European Rugby Champions Cup hopes alive when they host Scarlets at Ravenhill on Saturday evening.

Defeat to reigning European champions Toulon and Aviva Premiership giants Leicester Tigers means victory over Scarlets is a must if they are to keep their campaign afloat.

A win and a loss in the opening two rounds see Scarlets sit second in Pool 3, level on points with Leicester and four adrift of unbeaten Toulon.

Neil Doak will be hopeful given Ulster’s recent European record against the Welsh region, winning and drawing their previous two meetings; although Scarlets did the other four encounters between the sides.

Apart from the one stalemate between the sides on the continent, all the clashes between the sides have been won by a margin of 10 points or more.

Following the culmination of the autumn series for both Wales and Ireland, both sides boast a wealth of international experience heading into the all-Guinness PRO12 clash.

British and Irish Lions winger Tommy Bowe starts on the right channel for Ulster, with Craig Gilroy on the opposite flank and Louis Ludik at full-back.

Impressive Cave

Darren Cave, who has impressed in the icon No 13 jersey for Ireland since the retirement of Brian O’Driscoll, teams up with Stuart Olding in midfield, with Ian Hamphreys and Ruan Pienaar linking up in the half-backs.

Ireland hooker Rory Best captains Ulster from the front row, where he is joined by Callum Black and Wiehahn Herbst, with Dan Tuohy and Franco van der Merwe completing the front five.

Robbie Diack continues to earn plaudits in an Ulster jersey and continues at blindside with Roger Wilson starting at openside flanker and Nick Williams in the No 8 berth.

Scarlets boast an exciting back line, spearheaded by full-back Liam Williams, with his namesake and captain Scott joining Regan King in the centres.

Highly-rated winger Harry Robinson lines up opposite Michael Tagicakibau, while Rhys Priestland joins Aled Davies in the axis.

Prop Samson Lee and lock Jake Ball return from international duty to start for Scarlets, while flanker James Davies, who has already won five turnovers in the tournament, will be a driving force at the breakdown.

The sides last met in the opening round of the PRO12 campaign, where they played out a 32-32 draw.

Ulster: 15 Louis Ludik; 14 Tommy Bowe, 13 Darren Cave, 12 Stuart Olding, 11 Craig Gilroy; 10 Ian Humphreys, 9 Ruan Pienaar; 1 Callum Black, 2 Rory Best (capt), 3 Wiehahn Herbst; 4 Dan Tuohy, 5 Franco van der Merwe; 6 Robbie Diack, 7 Roger Wilson, 8 Nick Williams
Replacements: 16 Rob Herring, 17 Andy Warwick, 18 Declan Fitzpatrick, 19 Alan O’Connor, 20 Clive Ross, 21 Paul Marshall, 22 Stuart McCloskey, 23 Michael Allen

Scarlets: 15 Liam Williams; 14 Harry Robinson, 13 Regan King, 12 Scott Williams (capt), 11 Michael Tagicakibau; 10 Rhys Priestland, 9 Aled Davies; 1 Rob Evans, 2 Emyr Phillips, 3 Samson Lee; 4 Jake Ball, 5 Johan Snyman; 6 Aaron Shingler, 7 James Davies, 8 Rory Pitman
Replacements: 16 Kirby Myhill, 17 Phil John, 18 Rhodri Jones, 19 George Earle, 20 Lewis Rawlins, 21 Rhodri Williams, 22 Steven Shingler, 23 Gareth Owen