IAIN HENDERSON WILL captain Ulster when they begin their Champions Cup campaign at home to Wasps tomorrow night (7.45pm).
The province face Premiership opposition at Kingspan Stadium on Friday and 25-year-old Henderson is set to lead the team out in place of the injured Rory Best, who is recovering from a hamstring problem.
Ulster director of rugby Les Kiss has made three changes from the side that beat Connacht 16-8 in the Pro14 last Friday, with Robbie Diak and Sean Reidy coming into the forwards, while Louis Ludik gets the nod on the wing.
As well as Best, there are a raft of injuries including Marcell Coetzee (knee), Craig Gilroy (back), Chris Henry (larynx), Rob Lyttle (shoulder), Al O’Connor (concussion), Jared Payne (headaches), Dave Shanahan (hamstring), Nick Timoney (ankle) and Schalk van der Merwe (shoulder).
Tommy Bowe, meanwhile, is named on the bench.
Ulster (v Wasps):
15. Charles Piutau
14. Louis Ludik
13. Luke Marshall
12. Stuart McCloskey
11. Jacob Stockdale
10. Christian Lealiifano
9. John Cooney
1. Kyle McCall
2. Rob Herring
3. Wiehahn Herbst
4. Kieran Treadwell
5. Iain Henderson (captain)
6. Robbie Diack
7. Sean Reidy
8. Jean Deysel
Replacements:
16. John Andrew
17. Callum Black
18. Rodney Ah You
19. Matthew Rea
20. Clive Ross
21. Paul Marshall
22. Peter Nelson
23. Tommy Bowe
Wasps (v Ulster):
15. Willie Le Roux
14. Christian Wade
13. Elliot Daly
12. Brendan Macken
11. Josh Bassett
10. Jimmy Gopperth
9. Dan Robson
1. Matt Mullan
2. Tom Cruse
3. Jake Cooper-Woolley
4. Joe Launchbury (captain)
5. Will Rowlands
6. James Haskell
7. Thomas Young
8. Nathan Hughes
Replacements:
16. Ashley Johnson
17. Simon McIntyre
18. Marty Moore
19. James Gaskell
20. Jack Willis
21. Joe Simpson
22. Rob Miller
23. Marcus Watson
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