Rugby

Ulster unchanged for visit of Scarlets to Belfast

Rory Best to become Ulster’s most capped player in the European Champions Cup

Ulster captain Rory Best will make his 72nd Champions Cup appearance on Friday night. Photograph: Matt Mackey/Inpho

Thu Dec 13 2018 - 12:20

Ulster head coach Dan McFarland has named an unchanged match day 23 for Friday's Heineken Champions Cup match against Scarlets (Kingspan Stadium, 7.45pm).

The Ulster men registered a superb 24-25 bonus point win against last season’s semi-finalists at Parc y Scarlets on Friday past.

The game will see Rory Best become Ulster's most capped player in the European competition (72 caps), moving one ahead of Andrew Trimble.

Best will again captain the side and will pack down in the frontrow beside Marty Moore and Eric O'Sullivan - the academy prop who made 22 tackles last week in an impressive 80-minute display.

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Iain Henderson and Kieran Treadwell are paired together in the secondrow, while Sean Reidy, Jordi Murphy and Marcell Coetzee will combine in the backrow.

Billy Burns will again partner John Cooney at halfback, with Stuart McCloskey and Will Addison retained in midfield. Jacob Stockdale, who was named as BBC NI Sports Personality of the Year earlier this week, is selected in the back three alongside the experienced Louis Ludik and Henry Speight.

Kyle McCall, who was recalled to the squad last week after a six-month spell on the sidelines through injury, could make his 50th Ulster appearance if called upon from the bench.

Rob Herring, Tom O'Toole, Matty Rea and Nick Timoney are the other forward replacements, with Dave Shanahan, Johnny McPhillips and Darren Cave providing cover for the backline.

Ulster: L Ludik; H Speight, W Addison, S McCloskey, J Stockdale; B Burns, J Cooney; E O'Sullivan, R Best (Capt), M Moore; I Henderson, K Treadwell; S Reidy, J Murphy, M Coetzee;

Replacements: R Herring, K McCall, T O’Toole, M Rea, N Timoney, D Shanahan, J McPhillips, D Cave.

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