Charles Piutau will make his Champions Cup debut for Ulster on Saturday evening after being named in the team to face Exeter Chiefs at Kingspan Stadium (7.45pm).
CLICK HERE to buy tickets for the game (limited availability).
Piutau is the only change to the backline which played against Bordeaux-Bègles on Sunday, as he replaces Craig Gilroy on the left wing.
Ruan Pienaar has recovered from a knee injury and is joined in the starting XV by Ireland backs Paddy Jackson, Stuart Olding, Luke Marshall, Andrew Trimble and Jared Payne.
There are three new faces in the starting pack, with Kyle McCall, Pete Browne and Roger Wilson all selected by Director of Rugby, Les Kiss.
McCall will join Rory Best and Rodney Ah You in the front row, while Browne is paired with Franco van der Merwe in the engine room.
Wilson’s inclusion at the base of the scrum means that Sean Reidy will shift to openside flanker, with Iain Henderson continuing in the number 6 jersey.
The replacements bench features front row players Rob Herring, Andy Warwick and Ross Kane, along with fellow forwards Alan O’Connor and Clive Ross. Gilroy, Paul Marshall and Tommy Bowe, who have amassed 453 Ulster caps between them, provide experienced backline cover.
Ulster team and replacements to play Exeter Chiefs, Saturday 22nd October, Kingspan Stadium (kick-off 7.45pm):
(15-9): J Payne, A Trimble (captain), L Marshall, S Olding, C Piutau, P Jackson, R Pienaar;
(1-8): K McCall, R Best, R Ah You, P Browne, F van der Merwe, I Henderson, S Reidy, R Wilson;
Replacements (16-23): R Herring, A Warwick, R Kane, A O’Connor, C Ross, P Marshall, C Gilroy, T Bowe.
Match Stats
This will be the first meeting between the clubs in Europe, and Ulster will be the third Irish province Exeter have faced in European competitions. They lost twice to Leinster in the Champions Cup in 2012/13 but beat Connacht twice in the Challenge Cup in 2014/15.
Ulster lost their last home game against Premiership opposition (versus Saracens last season), however, they’ve not lost consecutive home games against clubs from England since losing their first four games between 1996 and 2001.
Exeter have won just twice away from home in the competition (lost 8), and both of those wins came in Wales.
Despite suffering their biggest home defeat in the Champions Cup since their first home game in 2012, Exeter had more time in possession than any other side in Round 1 (23 minutes, 46 seconds).
Ulster won their final two home pool games of the 2015/16 campaign by a combined scoreline of 94-3, beating Toulouse and Oyonnax.
CLICK HERE to buy tickets for the game (limited availability).
Piutau is the only change to the backline which played against Bordeaux-Bègles on Sunday, as he replaces Craig Gilroy on the left wing.
Ruan Pienaar has recovered from a knee injury and is joined in the starting XV by Ireland backs Paddy Jackson, Stuart Olding, Luke Marshall, Andrew Trimble and Jared Payne.
There are three new faces in the starting pack, with Kyle McCall, Pete Browne and Roger Wilson all selected by Director of Rugby, Les Kiss.
McCall will join Rory Best and Rodney Ah You in the front row, while Browne is paired with Franco van der Merwe in the engine room.
Wilson’s inclusion at the base of the scrum means that Sean Reidy will shift to openside flanker, with Iain Henderson continuing in the number 6 jersey.
The replacements bench features front row players Rob Herring, Andy Warwick and Ross Kane, along with fellow forwards Alan O’Connor and Clive Ross. Gilroy, Paul Marshall and Tommy Bowe, who have amassed 453 Ulster caps between them, provide experienced backline cover.
Ulster team and replacements to play Exeter Chiefs, Saturday 22nd October, Kingspan Stadium (kick-off 7.45pm):
(15-9): J Payne, A Trimble (captain), L Marshall, S Olding, C Piutau, P Jackson, R Pienaar;
(1-8): K McCall, R Best, R Ah You, P Browne, F van der Merwe, I Henderson, S Reidy, R Wilson;
Replacements (16-23): R Herring, A Warwick, R Kane, A O’Connor, C Ross, P Marshall, C Gilroy, T Bowe.
Match Stats
This will be the first meeting between the clubs in Europe, and Ulster will be the third Irish province Exeter have faced in European competitions. They lost twice to Leinster in the Champions Cup in 2012/13 but beat Connacht twice in the Challenge Cup in 2014/15.
Ulster lost their last home game against Premiership opposition (versus Saracens last season), however, they’ve not lost consecutive home games against clubs from England since losing their first four games between 1996 and 2001.
Exeter have won just twice away from home in the competition (lost 8), and both of those wins came in Wales.
Despite suffering their biggest home defeat in the Champions Cup since their first home game in 2012, Exeter had more time in possession than any other side in Round 1 (23 minutes, 46 seconds).
Ulster won their final two home pool games of the 2015/16 campaign by a combined scoreline of 94-3, beating Toulouse and Oyonnax.