Play-off chasing Ulster will want to banish memories of their poor recent display away to the Dragons, as they return to Kingspan Stadium to host the ninth-placed Cardiff Blues.
GUINNESS PRO12: Friday, March 27
ULSTER (2nd) v CARDIFF BLUES (9th), Kingspan Stadium, 7.35pm (live BBC 2 Northern Ireland/BBC 2 Wales/highlights TG4)
Team News: Paddy Jackson and Stuart Olding suffered elbow injuries against Toulon in January and have recovered in time to be available for Ulster’s GUINNESS PRO12 run-in.
The pair are the only changes to the starting side that lost to the Newport Gwent Dragons at Rodney Parade three weeks ago. Jackson is named at out-half with Olding picked alongside him at inside centre.
Iain Henderson, who was part of Ireland’s RBS 6 Nations triumph last weekend, starts at blindside flanker against the Welsh region.
Callum Black, Rob Herring and Wiehahn Herbst are all named in an unchanged front row. Franco van der Merwe and Dan Tuohy continue in the second row, with Clive Ross and Nick Williams joining Henderson in the back row.
Ruan Pienaar, who passed the 500-point mark in the PRO12 against the Dragons, starts at scrum half, with Darren Cave, who continues as the province’s captain, selected at outside centre alongside Olding.
Michael Allen is picked on the left wing, with the PRO12’s leading try scorer Craig Gilroy lining out once more on the right and Louis Ludik featuring at full-back.
Back rower Roger Wilson was unavailable for selection due to personal reasons, but the returning Chris Henry has been added to the Ulster bench after getting the all-clear from his surgeon.
There are fewer than 1,000 tickets remaining for the round 18 fixture. Tickets for the game are still available and can be purchased here.
Fans will also be able to buy on the gate on Friday evening, although for the best available tickets, supporters are encouraged to purchase in advance. The match will be shown live on BBC 2 Northern Ireland.
Meanwhile, experienced hooker Matthew Rees returns to captain Cardiff Blues as the Welsh region travel to Belfast to tackle high-flying Ulster.
Rees is back in the front row alongside prop Adam Jones as the Blues coaches make just three changes to the team that defeated Connacht in dramatic fashion in the last league game.
The final change sees Lucas Amorosino selected on the left wing with Argentinian international team-mate Joaquin Tuculet ruled out of the game with a hand injury.
Manoa Vosawai returns among the replacements alongside prop Scott Andrews, who made a second half appearance for Wales in their RBS 6 Nations victory over Italy.
ULSTER: Louis Ludik; Craig Gilroy, Darren Cave (capt), Stuart Olding, Michael Allen; Paddy Jackson, Ruan Pienaar; Callum Black, Rob Herring, Wiehahn Herbst, Dan Tuohy, Franco van der Merwe, Iain Henderson, Clive Ross, Nick Williams.
Replacements: John Andrew, Andrew Warwick, Bronson Ross, Robbie Diack, Chris Henry, Paul Marshall, Ian Humphreys, Rory Scholes.
CARDIFF BLUES: Rhys Patchell; Alex Cuthbert, Cory Allen, Gavin Evans, Lucas Amorosino; Gareth Anscombe, Lloyd Williams; Sam Hobbs, Matthew Rees (capt), Adam Jones, Jarrad Hoeata, Lou Reed, Josh Turnbull, Ellis Jenkins, Josh Navidi.
Replacements: Kristian Dacey, Taufa’ao Filise, Scott Andrews, Macauley Cook, Manoa Vosawai, Tavis Knoyle, Gareth Davies, Tom Isaacs.
Referee: Marius Mitrea (Italy)
Assistant Referees: Gary Conway, Olly Hodges (both Ireland)
Television Match Official: Alan Rogan (Ireland)
Pre-Match Quotes: Craig Gilroy (Ulster) – “I’m really happy with the way this season is going from a personal point of view. I had a really good pre-season and that went well and I just took it game by game and I got a few opportunities and took my chance.
“I’m really enjoying rugby at the minute and looking forward to the games, especially the home ones. Playing here (Kingspan Stadium) on Friday nights with the way the crowd, the stadium and the buzz is when you get your hands on the ball and hear the noise, it’s good and you want your wingers to find the try-line and it is always good to dot down.
“In terms of the collective, we got all our plays and detail right (against the Dragons) but we just lacked something and I think it was our attitude, the onus was on us.
“We had a great week training and got everything right, but we needed a couple extra gears and we need to have a bit more passion and respect for the jersey. I’ve had my feet up for the last while (since the Dragons game), so I’m just itching to get back out there and play.”
Paul John (Cardiff Blues) – “This game is important to us and we are looking forward to the challenge of going to the Kingspan. We need to apply ourselves to an important game and get the maximum points we can from the rest of this season.
“There are only a few weeks left and we want to finish on a high. It’s important we have momentum and are positive for the rest of this season. Ulster is a difficult place to go but we are looking forward to the test.”
Top Scorers – 2014/15 GUINNESS PRO12: Ulster – Points: Ian Humphreys 81; Tries: Craig Gilroy 8; Cardiff Blues – Points: Rhys Patchell 117; Tries: Lloyd Williams 5
RECENT LEAGUE MEETINGS:
Friday, February 17, 2012 – Cardiff Blues 21 Ulster 14, Arms Park
Friday, September 28, 2012 – Cardiff Blues 19 Ulster 48, Arms Park
Friday, May 3, 2013 – Ulster 37 Cardiff Blues 13, Ravenhill
Friday, October 25, 2013 – Ulster 39 Cardiff Blues 21, Ravenhill
Saturday, March 29, 2014 – Cardiff Blues 28 Ulster 23, Arms Park
Friday, September 19, 2014 – Cardiff Blues 9 Ulster 26, BT Sport Cardiff Arms Park
MATCH FACTS:
– Ulster’s four-match winning run in all competitions ended in Newport in the last round of the GUINNESS PRO12
– The Ulstermen have won all eight home games they have played in the PRO12 this season – their most recent reversal in Belfast in the competition being against Leinster on May 2 last year
– Cardiff Blues have won their last two games, at home to Edinburgh and Connacht, but have not won three in a row in the league since last May
– The Blues’ only victory away from home in the PRO12 since round 1 came on a trip to the Newport Gwent Dragons on New Year’s Day
– Ulster have won four of their last five contests with the Blues, while Cardiff have not been victorious in Belfast since April 2010
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