Ruan Pienaar’s trip into unknown against Oyonnax

Springbok scrum-half Ruan Pienaar returns to the Ulster starting line-up for this afternoon’s opening Champions Cup Pool 1 clash in Oyonnax.

Pienaar is one of seven changes that new director of rugby Les Kiss has made from last week’s first away win of the season, at Newport. Pienaar joins Paddy Jackson at half-back with Andrew Trimble and Craig Gilroy returning to their respective wing slots, with a fit-again Luke Marshall back in midfield alongside Darren Cave.

In a game Ulster must win, with Toulouse and Saracens waiting in the wings, skipper Rory Best starts his first game of the season. Kyle McCall’s excellent showing last week sees him retain the loose-head berth, as Ricky Lutton gets a first start of the season on the right-hand side of the scrum. Nick Williams returns at No.8 after suffering a hamstring problem that saw him miss last week’s Dragons game.