Promising wingers Robert Lyttle and Jacob Stockdale will be on the hunt for more tries as Ulster’s first ‘Italian job’ of the new campaign sees them take on Benetton Treviso.
GUINNESS PRO12: Saturday, September 10
BENETTON TREVISO (8th) v ULSTER (3rd), Stadio di Monigo, 6.05pm local time/5.05pm Irish time (live BBC 2 Northern Ireland)
Team News: Les Kiss’ selected Ulster team features six changes to the side that took to the pitch in the opening round victory over the Newport Gwent Dragons last Friday.
Robert Lyttle has been rewarded for his eye-catching appearance as a replacement against the Dragons – the 19-year-old grabbed a brace of tries – with a starting berth on the right wing. Summer signing Kieran Treadwell will make his first competitive start for Ulster when he partners Franco van der Merwe in the second row.
Rob Herring will again captain the province from hooker, combining in the front row with the recalled Kyle McCall and Rodney Ah You, the latter having completed the return-to-play guidelines following a delayed onset concussion in the final pre-season outing against Northampton Saints.
The back row trio of Clive Ross, Sean Reidy and Roger Wilson, which performed so effectively last week, have all been retained, while Ruan Pienaar, the man-of-the-match against the Welsh outfit, will once again line out alongside Brett Herron at half back.
Stuart Olding, making his 50th appearance for Ulster, will shift from outside to inside centre and will be joined in midfield by fellow Ireland international Luke Marshall, while Lyttle is included in the back-three with fellow try scorer from last week, Jacob Stockdale (pictured below), and the returning Louis Ludik.
On the bench, John Andrew, Andrew Warwick, Ross Kane, Peter Browne and Robbie Diack will cover the forward positions, while Stuart McCloskey, Darren Cave and Angus Lloyd, who is also in line for a competitive debut, are included as the back-line options.
Meanwhile, 81-times capped Italian international Luke McLean will captain Benetton Treviso from inside centre for their first home match of the 2016/17 campaign.
He leads the team in the absence of Alessandro Zanni who injured his knee in the opening minutes of last week’s 20-8 loss to Leinster in Dublin. Zanni’s place in the back row is taken by Marco Barbini in the only change made by Kiwi head coach Kieran Crowley.
BENETTON TREVISO: Jayden Hayward; Angelo Esposito, Tommaso Benvenuti, Luke McLean (capt), Andrea Buondonno; Tommaso Allan, Giorgio Bronzini; Nicola Quaglio, Ornel Gega, Simone Ferrari, Marco Fuser, Filo Paulo, Francesco Minto, Marco Lazzaroni, Marco Barbini.
Replacements: Roberto Santamaria, Alberto de Marchi, Titian Pasquali, Filippo Gerosa, Dean Budd, Edoardo Gori, Ian McKinley, David Odiete.
ULSTER: Louis Ludik; Robert Lyttle, Luke Marshall, Stuart Olding, Jacob Stockdale; Brett Herron, Ruan Pienaar; Kyle McCall, Rob Herring (capt), Rodney Ah You, Kieran Treadwell, Franco van der Merwe, Clive Ross, Sean Reidy, Roger Wilson.
Replacements: John Andrew, Andrew Warwick, Ross Kane, Peter Browne, Robbie Diack, Angus Lloyd, Stuart McCloskey, Darren Cave.
Referee: Dudley Phillips (Ireland)
Assistant Referees: Sam Grove-White (Scotland), Simone Boaretto (Italy)
Television Match Official: Charles Samson (Scotland)
Match Odds (Paddy Power): Benetton Treviso to win: 7/2; Draw: 25/1; Ulster to win: 1/5
Pre-Match Quotes: Clive Ross (Ulster) – “I see myself as an all-rounder. I’ve played a lot at seven and I got a few turnovers (against the Dragons) last weekend. I feel I can effect change at the breakdown.
“I also like getting on the ball and doing a lot of carrying as well as linking up with the backs and being a bit of a play-maker. Starting a number six could get me more game-time, so I have to take these limited opportunities.
“It’s early days yet, but these games really count. You look at Connacht last year when they got off to tremendous start (in the PRO12) and just kept that momentum going right through the season.
“So any little slip-up will be damaging. Realistically, our target this year is the top two. Nobody has won an away semi-final at the end of the season. On Saturday, yes it’s Treviso and sometimes it’s different to get up for that type of game than it is say an interprovincial. Certainly, as a squad, that is something we have to improve on. We just cannot let those little dips cost us when we come to the end of the season.”
Top Scorers – 2016/17 GUINNESS PRO12: Benetton Treviso – Points: Marco Fuser 5; Tries: Marco Fuser 1; Ulster – Points: Robert Lyttle 10; Tries: Robert Lyttle 2
RECENT LEAGUE MEETINGS:
Friday, September 27, 2013 – Ulster 32 Benetton Treviso 13, Ravenhill
Sunday, February 23, 2014 – Benetton Treviso 12 Ulster 14, Stadio di Monigo
Sunday, January 11, 2015 – Benetton Treviso 20 Ulster 20, Stadio di Monigo
Friday, February 13, 2015 – Ulster 43 Benetton Treviso 3, Kingspan Stadium
Friday, October 2, 2015 – Ulster 48 Benetton Treviso 7, Kingspan Stadium
Saturday, January 30, 2016 – Benetton Treviso 13 Ulster 21, Stadio di Monigo
MATCH FACTS:
– Benetton Treviso have been victorious just once in the GUINNESS PRO12 since February: 22-21 at home to Connacht on April 29
– Ulster remain as the only Irish province that Treviso have not beaten at home in the history of the PRO12
– Ulster have lost just one of their last six PRO12 encounters: 30-18 to Leinster in last season’s semi-final
– Ulster beat the Dragons 29-8 in round 1 and have not won both of their opening two fixtures in the league since 2012/13
– Ulster’s only loss to Treviso in any tournament was 23-12 in Belfast in the PRO12 in October 2011. The two sides also played out a 29-all draw at the same venue in March 2013
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