Previously uncapped players Michael Allen, Michael Heaney, Rob Herring, Lewis Stevenson and Robbie Diack will all start for the Irish side at the Avchala Stadium with Niall Annett and Ricky Lutton named on the bench.
This tournament is new to the summer fixture list and was designed by the IRB as part of an on-going strategy to increase the competition schedule for Tier two nations.
The Emerging Ireland side will be battling it out against some of the strongest developing nations in world rugby, Georgia, South Africa Presidents XV and Uruguay. Matches will be played in the Georgian capital with the teams competing in a round robin format.
Ulster’sElite Performance Development Manager, Allen Clarke who coaches the team, is looking forward to the game and the challenge of playing an experienced Georgian side:
“The squad has gelled, prepared well, it’s a young side and there is huge potential there. The Georgian side are very physical and we have to match that. We are looking forward to the game tomorrow evening”.
In squad news, Ulster Academy full-back, Peter Nelson has come in to the squad replacing Andrew Conway who picked up a calf injury while training.
Emerging Ireland team to play Georgia (Tbilisi Cup - Avchala Stadium, Tbilisi), Friday 7th June, kick-off 22.00
15- David Kearney (Lansdowne/Leinster)*
14- Niall Morris (Leicester/Exiles)*
13- Eoin Griffin (Galwegians/Connacht)*
12- Michael Allen (Belfast Harlequins/Ulster)*
11- Tiernan O'Halloran (Galwegians/Connacht)*
10- Ian Keatley (Young Munster/Munster)
9- Michael Heaney (Belfast Harlequins/Ulster)*
1- Jack McGrath (St. Mary’s/Leinster)*
2- Robert Herring (Ballynahinch/Ulster)*
3- Michael Bent (Leinster)
4- Lewis Stevenson (Malone/Ulster)*
5- David Foley (UL Bohemian/Munster)*
6- Rhys Ruddock (St. Mary’s/Leinster) (Capt)
7- Dominic Ryan (Lansdowne/Leinster)*
8- Robbie Diack (Malone/Ulster)*
Replacements:
16- Niall Annett (Belfast Harlequins/Ulster)*
17- Richard Lutton (Belfast Harlequins/Ulster)*
18- Ian Nagle (Cork Constitution/Munster)*
19- Jordi Murphy (Lansdowne/Leinster)*
20- John Cooney (Lansdowne/Leinster)*
21- Noel Reid (Clontarf/Leinster)*
22- Brendan Macken (Blackrock/Leinster)*
N.B. *denotes uncapped player