Skipper Ward ready to face Connacht

ANDY WARD is back and raring to go. Ulster’s inspirational skipper returns to action for the friendly fixture with Connacht tomorrow night at Dungannon (6pm kick-off) after being out of action for three months.

However, the former international flanker has been named at number eight by Ulster coach Alan Solomons with Warren Brosnihan and exciting openside Neil McMillan on the flanks.

Ward has been sidelined since the middle of September when he had surgery for a bone spur on his right ankle. He is hoping to toss his name into the hat for the Celtic League quarter-final tie away to Glasgow on November 30.

Solomons has been forced to field a side minus internationals Gary Longwell and David Humphreys as well as four players in the starting line-up for this evening’s Irish Development XV match against the Pumas in Dublin.

Adam Larkin lines-out at fly-half for Humphreys with Scott Young moving from the wing to full-back in place of Bryn Cunningham.

Up front Jeremy Davidson returns in place of Longwell following a thigh injury.

He is partnered by Mark Blair and Solomons can play his first-choice front-row in Justin Fitzpatrick, Matt Sexton and Robbie Kempson.

ULSTER: S Young; J Topping, R Constable,

J Bell, J Cunningham; A Larkin, N Doak; J Fitzpatrick, M Sexton, R Kempson, M Blair, J Davidson, W Brosnihan, N McMillan; A Ward (capt).

Replacements: C Boyd, N Brady, M McCullough, R Nelson, N Best, K Campbell, S Mallon, D Spence.