Flanks James McKillop and Tom Brigg and winger Aitzol Arenzana-King will make their senior debuts for the derby at Limerick’s Thomond Park (17:30 BST).
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Facing a spate of injuries and looking ahead to next week’s Challenge Cup semi-final against Exeter, coach Richie Murphy has made 15 changes from last week’s defeat to Leinster in Belfast.
Without props, Angus Bell (foot), Scott Wilson (ankle) and Tom O’Toole (hand), Eric O’Sullivan and Bryan O’Connor have been called up at loosehead and tighthead while James McCormick returns at hooker.
Harry Sheridan and Charlie Irvine start in the second row, while Lorcan McLoughlin joins debutants McKillop and Brigg in the back row.
Joining fit-again full-back Michael Lowry, who will captain the side, in the back three are former Leinster winger Arenzana-King and Ben Moxham, who makes his first start since November 2023.
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With James Hume (neck) and Jude Postlethwaite (hand) ruled out, Ethan McIlroy and Ben Carson start in midfield, while Conor McKee and Jake Flannery are paired at midfield.
Prop Tom McAllister and center Jonny Scott, who made their debuts last month, are named on the bench alongside John Andrew, Callum Reid, Joe Hopes, Marcus Rea, Dave Shanahan and Jake Humphreys.
Murphy will be without Nick Timoney (hip), James McNabney (knee), Rob Herring (calf), Robert Baloucoune (elbow), Rory McGuire (shoulder) and Stewart Moore (knee), while Irish internationals Jacob Stockdale, Stuart McCloskey and Iain Henderson are among those not included in the squad.
Ulster sit fifth in the URC standings, one point above sixth-placed Munster in the play-off race.
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Ulster: Lowry (captain); Arenzana-King, McIlroy, Carson, Moxham; Flannery, McKee; O’Sullivan, McCormick, O’Connor, Sheridan, Irvine, McKillop, Brigg, McLoughlin.
Replacements: Andrew, Reid, McAllister, Hopes, Rea, Shanahan, Humphreys, Scott.