Injury-hit Ulster will hand debuts to three academy players in Saturday’s crucial United Rugby Championship trip to inter-provincial rivals Munster.
Flankers James McKillop and Tom Brigg and winger Aitzol Arenzana-King will make their senior bow for the derby at Limerick’s Thomond Park (17:30 BST).
Faced with a raft of injuries and with one eye on next week’s Challenge Cup semi-final against Exeter, head coach Richie Murphy has made 15 changes from last week’s defeat by Leinster in Belfast.
Without props Angus Bell (foot), Scott Wilson (ankle) and Tom O’Toole (hand), Eric O’Sullivan and Bryan O’Connor have been recalled at loose-head and tight-head as James McCormick returns at hooker.
Harry Sheridan and Charlie Irvine start in the second row, while Lorcan McLoughlin joins debutants McKillop and Brigg in the back row.
Joining fit-again full-back Michael Lowry – who will captain the side – in the back three are former Leinster wing Arenzana-King and Ben Moxham, who makes his first start since November 2023.
With James Hume (neck) and Jude Postlethwaite (hand) ruled out, Ethan McIlroy and Ben Carson start in midfield, while Conor McKee and Jake Flannery are paired at half-back.
Prop Tom McAllister and centre Jonny Scott, both of whom made their debut last month, are named on the bench alongside John Andrew, Callum Reid, Joe Hopes, Marcus Rea, Dave Shanahan and Jake Humphreys.
Murphy is without Nick Timoney (hip), James McNabney (knee), Rob Herring (calf), Robert Baloucoune (elbow), Rory McGuire (shoulder) and Stewart Moore (knee), while Ireland internationals Jacob Stockdale, Stuart McCloskey and Iain Henderson are among those not included in the squad.
Ulster are fifth in the URC table, a point above sixth-placed Munster, in the race for the play-offs.
Ulster: Lowry (capt); Arenzana-King, McIlroy, Carson, Moxham; Flannery, McKee; O’Sullivan, McCormick, O’Connor, Sheridan, Irvine, McKillop, Brigg, McLoughlin.
Replacements: Andrew, Reid, McAllister, Hopes, Rea, Shanahan, Humphreys, Scott.
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