ULSTER DIRECTOR OF rugby Les Kiss has made one non-enforced change to the team who accounted for La Rochelle for Sunday’s defining Champions Cup clash away to Wasps (KO 15.15, BT Sports).

Darren Cave, who replaced the injured Craig Gilroy midway through the first half of the win over La Rochelle, starts at centre with Louis Ludik again shifted to the wing.

In the pack, academy back row Matt Re must settle for a bench spot this time around as Iain Henderson is selected on the blindside with Kieran Treadwell joining Alan O’Connor in the second row.

Currently pool leaders, Ulster need a point to remain ahead of Wasps in the pool 1 pecking order. But with La Rochelle at home to Harlequins, it’s likely that Ulster will need a bonus point win at the Ricoh Arena to remain top come Sunday evening.

Chief among the reasons they might achieve that feat is the presence of Charles Piutau in action against his former team.

While John Cooney and Stuart McCloskey possibly wanted to prove a point after their omission from Ireland’s Six Nations squad, Christian Lealiifano lines up at out-half for the last time in Ulster colours. After this weekend his short-term stint in Belfast comes to an end and he will return to the Brumbies in Super Rugby.

Wasps’ starting XV for Sunday shows four changes from their shock loss to Harlequins. England U20 flanker Jack Willis replaces James Haskell after his red card, while Brendan Macken joins future Ulster prop Marty Moore on the bench.

Juan de Jongh is back from injury to replace Macken with the electric outside back three threat featuring Willie le Roux and Christian Wade.

Wasps

15. Willie Le Roux
14. Christian Wade
13. Juan De Jongh
12. Kyle Eastmond
11. Marcus Watson
10. Danny Cipriani
9. Dan Robson

1.  Simon McIntyre
2.  Tom Cruse
3.  Jake Cooper-Woolley
4. Joe Launchbury (Capt.)
5.  James Gaskell
6.  Jack Willis
7.  Guy Thompson
8.  Nizaam Carr

Replacements:

16. Ashley Johnson
17. Ben Harris
18. Marty Moore
19. Kearnan Myall
20. Thomas Young
21. Joe Simpson
22. Rob Miller
23. Brendan Macken

Ulster

15. Charles Piutau
14. Louis Ludik
13. Darren Cave
12. Stuart McCloskey
11. Jacob Stockdale
10. Christian Lealiifano
9. John Cooney

1. Callum Black
2. Rory Best (Capt)
3. Rodney Ah You
4. Alan O’Connor
5. Kieran Treadwell
6. Iain Henderson
7. Sean Reidy
8. Nick Timoney

Replacements

16. Rob Herring
17. Kyle McCall
18. Wiehahn Herbst
19. Matty Rea
20. Chris Henry
21. Dave Shanahan
22. Johnny McPhillips
23. Rob Lyttle

Munster select unchanged side for the first time this season

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