RUAN PIENAAR RETURNS to the Ulster starting XV for the visit of second place Scarlets to Ravenhill tomorrow.
Ulster coach, Mark Anscombe, has made eight changes to the team that lost to Munster at Thomond Park last Saturday for the top-of-the-table clash [kick off 19:05].
In the back-line, Pienaar, Andrew Trimble, Darren Cave and Paddy Jackson all return to the starting line-up after missing the trip to Limerick.
Rob Herring and Adam Macklin are retained in the front row, while Tom Court starts at loose head.
Dan Tuohy makes his first start after recovering from a torn calf muscle and joins Lewis Stevenson in the second-row.
Chris Henry will captain Ulster and starts at openside, with Robbie Diack at blindside and Nick Williams at Number 8. Iain Henderson has not been rushed back after picking up a knock that kept him out of the Munster match.
Callum Black drops to the bench, as does Neil McComb and Roger Wilson. Paddy Wallace and John Afoa are also named as replacements alongside Niall Annett, Michael Heaney and Ricky Andrew.
The sell-out game will see Pro12 leaders Ulster take on the team immediately below them in the table.
Ulster captain Chris Henry feels Friday’s clash represents the perfect opportunity to cement the province’s position as league leaders following the end of their winning run in Thomond Park.
He told TheScore.ie, “It should be an exciting battle and, I feel, whichever pack comes out on top will be the winning of the game.”
Ulster won the previous encounter between the two sides 19-12 at Parc y Scarlets last month. Jackson kicked 14 points while Trimble scored a crucial, breakaway try.
Ulster: A D’Arcy, A Trimble, D Cave, L Marshall, C Gilroy; P Jackson, R Pienaar; T Court, R Herring, A Macklin; L Stevenson, D Tuohy; R Diack, C Henry (c), N Williams.Replacements: N Annett, C Black, J Afoa, N McComb, R Wilson, M Heaney, P Wallace, R Andrew.
*TheScore.ie will be liveblogging all the action from Ravenhill tomorrow evening.
