Rugby

Rory Best returns to captain Ulster for trip to Murrayfield

Academy prop Tom O’Toole will make his senior debut in the frontrow in Edinburgh

Rory Best will captain Ulster on Friday night. Photograph: Inpho

Thu Apr 5 2018 - 13:37

Rory Best will return to captain Ulster in Friday's crucial Pro14 trip to Edinburgh (kick-off 7.35pm).

Academy prop Tom O'Toole will make his senior debut alongside Best in the frontrow, with Andy Warwick selected at loose-head.

In the secondrow, his academy teammate Matthew Dalton will make his seventh appearance of the season, as he is paired with Iain Henderson in the engine room.

In the backrow, Matthew Rea and Nick Timoney start at blindside and openside respectively, with Jean Deysel packing down at number eight.

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Behind the pack, John Cooney and Johnny McPhillips continue their halfback partnership.

Darren Cave is named at outside centre, where he will be joined in the Ulster midfield by Stuart McCloskey.

Jacob Stockdale and Louis Ludik will start on the wings, with fullback Charles Piutau rounding off the back three.

There are two more potential debutants from the bench in the form of Rainey Old Boys RFC prop Tommy O’Hagan, and Angus Curtis (another one of Ulster’s Irish Under-20 contingent who can slot in at outhalf or centre).

Rob Herring, Rodney Ah You, Alan O'Connor and Sean Reidy provide the additional forward options, while David Shanahan and Tommy Bowe complete the backline cover.

ULSTER: C Piutau; L Ludik; D Cave, S McCloskey, J Stockdale; J McPhillips, J Cooney; A Warwick, R Best (capt), T O'Toole; M Dalton, I Henderson; M Rea, N Timoney, J Deysel.

Replacements: R Herring, T O’Hagan, R Ah You, A O’Connor, S Reidy, D Shanahan, A Curtis, T Bowe.

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