50th European Cap For Ulster Captain Best
Ulster captain Rory Best will make his 50th European Cup appearance for the province against reigning champions Toulon at Kingspan Stadium on Saturday (kick-off 1pm).
Rory Best, who is 32, made his European Cup debut against Gloucester in January 2005 in a 14-12 home win.
Saturday’s crunch round 2 clash will be the first time that Ulster have played Toulon, the European champions for the past two years.
Ulster head coach Neil Doak has made two changes to the starting team that lost 25-18 to Leicester Tigers at Welford Road in the opening round.
Stuart Olding starts the game at inside centre, with Stuart McCloskey dropping out of the matchday squad. In the pack, Nick Williams moves to the bench with Roger Wilson picked at number 8.
The rest of the team is unchanged with Louis Ludik at full-back, Tommy Bowe on the right wing, Ireland call-up Jared Payne at outside centre, Craig Gilroy on the left wing, Paddy Jackson at outhalf and Paul Marshall at scrum half.
Andrew Warwick is selected at loosehead prop beside Best with South African Wiehahn Herbst continuing at tighthead. Franco van der Merwe and Lewis Stevenson continue their partnership in the second row, while Chris Henry and Robbie Diack start either side of Wilson in the back row.
There is one other change on the bench with Ian Humphreys included in the 23-man panel. Rob Herring, Callum Black, Declan Fitzpatrick, Clive Ross, Nick Williams, Michael Heaney and Darren Cave complete the selected squad.
ULSTER (v Toulon): Louis Ludik; Tommy Bowe, Jared Payne, Stuart Olding, Craig Gilroy; Paddy Jackson, Paul Marshall; Andrew Warwick, Rory Best (capt), Wiehahn Herbst, Lewis Stevenson, Franco van der Merwe, Robbie Diack, Chris Henry, Roger Wilson.
Replacements: Rob Herring, Callum Black, Declan Fitzpatrick, Clive Ross, Nick Williams, Michael Heaney, Ian Humphreys, Darren Cave.