Ulster debut for Andrew

NEW boy Ricky Andrew returns to ‘home’ soil this evening when he makes his Ulster debut in a pre-season friendly against Bayonne at the intimidating Stade Jean Dauger stadium.

The 20-year-old from Ballymena spent the last 12 months at the Castres Academy in southern France completing a compulsory study course for his French and Spanish Joint Honours degree from Queen’s University, Belfast.

The winger was snapped up by Ulster on a development contract like his fellow debutant tonight — James McKinney.

Scrum-half Paul Marshall is the oldest player at 26 in a very young back-line which sees Conor Gaston on the right-wing and experienced duo Darren Cave and Ian Whitten in midfield. Ireland’s Tom Court has been released to feature for at least 40 minutes at loose-head after his stint against Scotland last Saturday.

ULSTER: A D’Arcy; C Gaston, D Cave, I Whitten, R Andrew; J McKinney, P Marshall; T Court, A Kyriacou, D Fitzpatrick, T Barker, N McComb, P Wannenburg, C Henry, R Diack.

Replacements: C Black, P McAllister, A Macklin, J Cronin, J Burns, L Stevenson, M McComish, W Faloon, I Porter, P Jackson, C Gilroy.