ULSTER HAVE LEFT themselves with a mountain to climb in the European Champions Cup but the return of Ruan Pienaar will provide a timely boost for Neil Doak’s side.
The South African scrum-half has been sidelined since September after sustaining medial knee ligament damage during the Rugby Championship but he will make his first appearance of the season in Saturday’s do-or-die encounter with Scarlets in Belfast (7.45pm).
In all, Doak has made four changes to the side that lost narrowly in Limerick last week with Dan Tuohy also making his return from injury after suffering a broken arm against Cardiff Blues in September.
Pienaar will line-out alongside Ian Humphreys as the half-back pairing – the first time they have done so – while there is a reshuffle in the back-line.
Stuart Olding moves from full-back to inside centre while Craig Gilroy, Tommy Bowe and Louis Ludik make up the back three.
Having lost their opening two games in Pool 3, Ulster’s campaign is hanging by a thread and they know nothing less than back-to-back victories over the Welsh side will be enough to keep their hopes of progression alive.
Rory Best once again skippers from the front row with Roger Wilson, who yesterday signed a new two year contract with the province, set to make his 40th European appearance in an Ulster shirt.
The Scarlets have won one and lost one thus far in Europe and can increase their chances of advancing with a win at Ravenhill. They lost to Connacht last week in the Pro12 but like Ulster are boosted by the return of several luminaries.
New Zealand centre Regan King has recovered from injury while Rhys Priestland returns from international duty.
Ulster boosted by the return of Ruan Pienaar for make-or-break game against Scarlets
ULSTER HAVE LEFT themselves with a mountain to climb in the European Champions Cup but the return of Ruan Pienaar will provide a timely boost for Neil Doak’s side.
The South African scrum-half has been sidelined since September after sustaining medial knee ligament damage during the Rugby Championship but he will make his first appearance of the season in Saturday’s do-or-die encounter with Scarlets in Belfast (7.45pm).
In all, Doak has made four changes to the side that lost narrowly in Limerick last week with Dan Tuohy also making his return from injury after suffering a broken arm against Cardiff Blues in September.
Pienaar will line-out alongside Ian Humphreys as the half-back pairing – the first time they have done so – while there is a reshuffle in the back-line.
Stuart Olding moves from full-back to inside centre while Craig Gilroy, Tommy Bowe and Louis Ludik make up the back three.
Having lost their opening two games in Pool 3, Ulster’s campaign is hanging by a thread and they know nothing less than back-to-back victories over the Welsh side will be enough to keep their hopes of progression alive.
Rory Best once again skippers from the front row with Roger Wilson, who yesterday signed a new two year contract with the province, set to make his 40th European appearance in an Ulster shirt.
The Scarlets have won one and lost one thus far in Europe and can increase their chances of advancing with a win at Ravenhill. They lost to Connacht last week in the Pro12 but like Ulster are boosted by the return of several luminaries.
New Zealand centre Regan King has recovered from injury while Rhys Priestland returns from international duty.
The game is live on BT Sport 1 on Saturday.
Ulster:
15. L Ludik
14. T Bowe
13. D Cave
12. S Olding
11. C Gilroy
10. I Humphreys
9. R Pienaar
1. C Black
2. R Best (Capt)
3. W Herbst
4. D Tuohy
5. F vd Merwe
6. R Diack
7. R Wilson
8. N Williams
Replacements:
16. R Herring
17. A Warwick
18. D Fitzpatrick
19. A O’Connor
20. C Ross
21. P Marshall
22. S McCloskey
23. M Allen
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European Rugby Champions Cup Team news Scarlets Team:Ulster