ROBERT BALOUCOUNE WILL win his 50th cap for Ulster this weekend as the province gear up for a crucial URC trip to play Benetton [KO 1pm, Premier Sports/URC TV] on Saturday.

Following last weekend’s deflating defeat to Munster in Belfast, Dan McFarland’s side head to Italy looking to regain some momentum before back-to-back Champions Cup games against La Rochelle and Sale.

Baloucoune wins cap number 50 for Ulster in a back three which sees Jacob Stockdale on the opposite flank and Mike Lowry at fullback.

Ireland internationals Stuart McCloskey and James Hume start in the centre positions, with John Cooney and Billy Burns named in the halfbacks.

Tighthead prop Jeff Toomaga-Allen is brought into the front row where he starts alongside loosehead Eric O’Sullivan and hooker Rob Herring.

Iain Henderson captains Ulster from the second row, where he is joined by Kieran Treadwell.

Sean Reffell retains his place in the back row together with Greg Jones, while Nick Timoney lines out at number eight.

Benetton 

15. Rhyno Smith

14. Edoardo Padovani

13. Ignacio Brex

12. Tommaso Menoncello

11. Onisi Ratave

10. Tomas Albornoz

9. Alessandro Garbisi

1. Federico Zani

2. Giacomo Nicotera

3. Simone Ferrari

4. Niccolò Cannone

5. Federico Ruzza

6. Sebastian Negri

7. Michele Lamaro (captain)

8. Lorenzo Cannone

Replacements: 

16. Siua Maile

17. Cherif Traore

18. Tiziano Pasquali

19. Riccardo Favretto

20. Giovanni Pettinelli

21. Sam Hidalgo-Clyne

22. Jacob Umaga

23. Marco Zanon

Ulster

15. Mike Lowry

14. Robert Baloucoune

13. James Hume

12. Stuart McCloskey

11. Jacob Stockdale

10. Billy Burns

9. John Cooney

1. Eric O’Sullivan

2. Rob Herring

3. Jeff Toomaga-Allen

4. Kieran Treadwell

5. Iain Henderson (captain)

6. Greg Jones

7. Sean Reffell

8. Nick Timoney

Replacements:

16. Tom Stewart

17. Rory Sutherland

18. Andy Warwick

19. Alan O’Connor

20. Duane Vermeulen

21. Nathan Doak

22. Stewart Moore

23. Ethan McIlroy

Referee: Ben Whitehouse [WRU]

Get instant updates on your province on The42 app. With Laya Healthcare, official health and wellbeing partner to Leinster, Munster and Connacht Rugby.