Ulster will be looking to redeem themselves after a frustrating 25-10 defeat to Leinster last week as they head to South Africa to face a Southern Kings side still searching for their first point in the GUINNESS PRO14.
GUINNESS PRO14: Saturday, November 4
SOUTHERN KINGS (7th, Con B) v ULSTER (3rd, Con B), Isaac Wolfson Stadium, Port Elizabeth, 3pm local time/1pm Irish time (live BBC 2 Northern Ireland/SuperSport 2)
Team News: Craig Gilroy is set to make his 150th provincial appearance after being named in the Ulster team to play the Southern Kings in round 8 of the GUINNESS PRO14.
Ulster’s first ever competitive fixture on South African soil will be played at Wolfson Stadium in Kwazakele, Port Elizabeth, with live coverage today on BBC 2 Northern Ireland.
Gilroy, who scored two tries on his senior debut against Cardiff Blues back in November 2010, has not featured for Les Kiss’ side this season after picking up a back injury during pre-season.
Chris Henry will captain the Ulstermen for this historic clash, teaming up in the back row with Sean Reidy and Ballymena’s Matthew Rea, who will be making his seventh senior appearance of the season.
Andrew Warwick, John Andrew and Wiehahn Herbst make up the front row, while Kieran Treadwell, a member of Ireland’s 38-man squad for the fast-approaching GUINNESS Series, is paired with Alan O’Connor in the second row.
John Cooney has recovered from injury to partner Christian Lealiifano at half-back, with Darren Caveand Louis Ludik combining in midfield. Gilroy is joined in the back-three by Charles Piutau and Andrew Trimble, who became Ulster’s most-capped player (222 caps) a fortnight ago against La Rochelle.
Young scrum half Jonny Stewart – a debutant during last weekend’s derby defeat to Leinster – is named among the replacements along with fellow Abbey Insurance Academy player Adam McBurney, the Ballymena hooker.
Callum Black, Ross Kane, Robbie Diack and Clive Ross are the forwards kept in reserve, while Peter Nelson and Tommy Bowe are the additional back-line options for Kiss and his coaching staff.
Meanwhile, the Southern Kings head coach Deon Davids has made three changes to the starting XV that lost out 43-13 to in-form Glasgow Warriors last weekend.
Two of those alterations come in the back-line with Yaw Penxe moving to full-back in place of Masixole Banda. Penxe’s redeployment means that Michael Makase takes up a position on the right wing, while Oliver Zono is named at number 10 with Martin du Toit unavailable due to injury.
In the pack hooker Stephan Coetzee comes in for captain Michael Willemse, while the second and back rows remain unchanged. In Willemse’s absence, Schalk Ferreira will captain the Kings from looosehead prop.
SOUTHERN KINGS: Yaw Penxe; Michael Makase, Berton Klaasen, Luzuko Vulindlu, Alshaun Bock; Oliver Zono, Rudi van Rooyen; Schalk Ferreira (capt), Stephan Coetzee, Rossouw de Klerk, Stephan Greeff, Bobby de Wee, Andisa Ntsila, Jurie van Vuuren, Ruaan Lerm.
Replacements: Tango Balekile, Mzamo Majola, Martin Dreyer, Lindokuhle Welemu, Dries van Schalkwyk, Rowan Gouws, Kurt Coleman, Jarryd Sage.
ULSTER: Charles Piutau; Craig Gilroy, Louis Ludik, Darren Cave, Andrew Trimble; Christian Lealiifano, John Cooney; Andrew Warwick, John Andrew, Wiehahn Herbst, Kieran Treadwell, Alan O’Connor, Matthew Rea, Chris Henry (capt), Sean Reidy.
Replacements: Adam McBurney, Callum Black, Ross Kane, Robbie Diack, Clive Ross, Jonny Stewart, Peter Nelson, Tommy Bowe.
Referee: Quinton Immelman (South Africa)
Assistant Referees: Rasta Rasivhenge, Ben Crouse (both South Africa)
Television Match Official: Shaun Veldsman (South Africa)
Match Odds (Paddy Power): Southern Kings to win: 6/1; Draw: 30/1; Ulster to win: 1/10
Pre-Match Quotes: Chris Henry (Ulster) – “Losing at home (to Leinster) is tough, I just felt the way we lost it was the hardest thing about it. A lot of it was our own undoing and that’s really hard to take. It wasn’t to do with our attitude or a lack of effort, but the execution of our game, which I thought over the last few weeks had been steadily improving, took a step back.
“So, now it’s about using this week to get back to what we’re about. I love it, it’s history (being the first Ulster team to play a competitive fixture in South Africa). To be a touring team with Ulster, it doesn’t happen very often at all.
“I was chatting to Tommy (Bowe) and his first year with Ulster he toured but it wasn’t in a proper competition. So it’s a special occasion.
“The problem is when you play a team that have lost seven games they’re going to be desperate, and it’s a scary thing when a team is desperate and at home when they have this new stadium and the crowd behind them.
“If we want to be at the top of the table at the end of the season and be fighting it out in the semi-finals and final then we just have to win these games. We’re a wise enough team to realise that, and this week we’ll get a lot of enjoyment out of it and we know how lucky we are to be here, but ultimately we’re here to do a job and get the win.”
Deon Davids (Southern Kings) – “The Kings have a responsibility to ensure that we work hard to get a result. We also want to create opportunities and grow the depth and experience in the squad.
“The only way to do that is to work with guys in training and to expose them to these situations.
“We all want to win, and you get a bit impatient to see results. But I am very clear about where we are, what we need to do and what our challenges are.”
Top Scorers – 2017/18 GUINNESS PRO14: Southern Kings – Points: Pieter-Steyn de Wet 18; Tries: Jacques Nel, Luvuyo Pupuma 2 each; Ulster – Points: John Cooney 50; Tries: Jacob Stockdale 4
2017/18 TEAM FORM: Southern Kings – Played 7, Won 0, Lost 7, 0 Points; L 57-10 v Scarlets (away), L 32-10 v Connacht (away), L 31-10 v Leinster (home), L 43-17 v Zebre (home), L 29-13 v Dragons (away), L 31-3 v Benetton Rugby (away), L 43-13 v Glasgow Warriors (away); Ulster – Played 7, Won 5, Lost 2, 23 Points; W 42-19 v Toyota Cheetahs (home), W 21-14 v Benetton Rugby (away), W 27-20 v Scarlets (home), W 52-25 v Dragons (home), L 27-23 v Zebre (away), W 16-8 v Connacht (home), L 25-10 v Leinster (home)
PREVIOUS MEETINGS:
N/A
MATCH FACTS:
– Wolfson Stadium becomes the 42nd different venue to host a GUINNESS PRO14 match
– The Southern Kings are still winless after the first seven rounds of the PRO14, with their closest margin of defeat being 16 points against the Dragons in Newport in round 5
– Ulster have slipped to successive defeats in La Rochelle in the Champions Cup and at home to Leinster in the PRO14
– Ulster’s only away victory since March was 21-14 at Benetton Rugby on September 9
– The Ulstermen have already beaten South African opposition this season, triumphing 42-19 against the Toyota Cheetahs in round 1
– The two sides have never met before
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