Ferris and Best named in Ulster team to face Scarlets

Ulster have been boosted by the return of a number of key players to the match day 23 for Friday’s vital RaboDirect PRO12 game against Scarlets at Ravenhill (7.05pm).

Brian McLaughlin has made five changes in total to his starting team, including four in the pack.

Stephen Ferris, Rory Best, Craig Gilroy and Chris Henry make the starting XV, having been rested for last weekend’s defeat in Glasgow.

The Ulster coach has also called on prop John Afoa to make an impact from the start, naming the All Black at tighthead following his return from New Zealand. Afoa replaces Declan Fitzpatrick who has been ruled out after suffering a neck injury during a scrum last week against Glasgow.

Best’s inclusion at hooker sees Andi Kyriacou drop out of the match day squad, as Nigel Brady retains his place on the bench. Ferris and Henry join Pedrie Wannenburg in an experienced back row.

Craig Gilroy is named on the left wing in place of Scottish international Simon Danielli, who misses out on a squad place. The backs remain otherwise unchanged but Ruan Pienaar is named on the bench, despite not being named in the preliminary squad.

The scrumhalf has been ruled out since picking up a hamstring injury against the Scarlets at the end of October.

Ulster will have lost only once in their last 12 encounters at Ravenhill but will know that the Scarlets are one of the form teams in Europe at present, and are undefeated in their last eight matches in all competitions.

Scarlets won 24-17 at Parc y Scarlets when the two teams met in the RaboDirect PRO12 on October 29, but the Welshmen have not won in Ireland since a trip to Connacht on January 9, 2009.

Ulster (v Scarlets): A D’Arcy; A Trimble, D Cave, N Spence, C Gilroy; I Humphreys, P Marshall; T Court, R Best, J Afoa, J Muller (capt), D Tuohy, S Ferris, C Henry, P Wannenburg.

Replacements: N Brady, P McAllister, A Macklin, L Stevenson, R Diack, R Pienaar, P Jackson, I Whitten

Unavailable due to injury: Jared Payne (achilles), Declan Fitzpatrick (neck), Paddy Wallace (thumb)