Denis Buckley set to make 270th appearance for Connacht 

Ulster have made six changes for the derby clash.

270 AND COUNTING: Connacht Head Coach Stuart Lancaster has named his side to take on Ulster in Saturday's interpro with Denis Buckley set to make his 270th appearance for the province. Picture: ©INPHO/Tom O’Hanlon

Connacht Head Coach Stuart Lancaster has named his side to take on Ulster in Saturday's interpro with Denis Buckley set to make his 270th appearance for the province.

This milestone will put Buckley second on Connacht's all-time appearance list with just John Muldoon ahead of him.

It will also be a milestone occasion for Year One Academy winger Daniel Ryan as he has been handed his debut on the right wing. The 19-year-old joined the Academy last summer having impressed at school level in teh Leinster Schools Senior Cup for St Michael's.

He is one of two Academy players in the matchday 23 with Mayo prop Fiachna Barrett on the bench.

There is a new half-back pairing with Ben Murphy and Jack Carty. Finn Treacy comes into the left wing with Bundee Aki and Cathal Forde continuing their midfield partnership. Sam Gilbert continues at full-back.

Dave Heffernan and Finlay Bealham join Buckley in the front row with Joe Joyce and David O'Connor coming into the engine room. Captain Cian Prendergast moves to openside flanker with Josh Murphy coming in at blindside and Sean Jansen in the number eight jersey.

Lancaster has gone for a 5-3 split on the bench with Dylan Tierney-Martin, Jordan Duggan, Barrett, Darragh Murray, Seán O'Brien as cover for the forwards while Matthew Devine, Josh Ioane and Hugh Gavin providing cover for the backs.

Meanwhile, Ulster Head Coach Richie Murphy has made six changes to his side for the clash. Cormac Izuchukwu returns to the starting XV for the first time since October after missing out last week due to injury and illness.

Izuchukwu committed his future to the province earlier in the week signing a two year contract extension.

He will start in the engine room alongside Harry Sheridan who will make his 50th appearance.

Sam Crean and Scott Wilson come into the front row and join Tom Stewart.

The back row remains unchanged with David McCann, captain Nick Timoney and Juarno Augustus.

Conor McKee makes his first interprovincial start at scrum-half and partners Jack Murphy.

Zac Ward comes into the wing while James Hume returns to midfield after missing last week due to illness.

Hume will partner with Stuart McCloskey in midfield with the in-form Werner Kok continuing on the right wing and Jacob Stockdale at full-back.

Forward cover on the bench are John Andrew, Angus Bell, Tom O’Toole, Joe Hopes and Bryn Ward while Nathan Doak, Jake Flannery and Jude Postlethwaite provide the backline replacement options.

CONNACHT: S Gilbert, D Ryan, C Forde, B Aki, F Treacy, J Carty, B Murphy; D Buckley, D Heffernan, F Bealham, J Joyce, D O'Connor, J Murphy, C Prendergast (C), S Jansen.

Replacements: D Tierney-Martin,  J Duggan, F Barrett, S O'Brien, M Devine, J Ioane, H Gavin.

ULSTER: J Stockdale, W Kok, J Hume, S McCloskey, Z Ward, J Murphy, C McKee; S Crean, T Stewart, S Wilson, H Sheridan, C Izuchukwu, D McCann, N Timoney (C), J Augustus.

Replacements: J Andrew, A Bell, T O'Toole, J Hopes, B Ward, N Doak, J Flannery, J Postlethwaite.