Ireland international hooker Rory Best has returned to the Ulster starting line up to take on Gloucester this Sunday.
The Ulster captain has been sidelined due to injury since the Leinster game on December 26 and will make a welcome return for his province before the Irish Six Nations training camp gets underway next week.
Caretaker coach Steve Williams has named a dramatically different backline with four personnel changes and one positional which see Bryn Cunningham drop out of the 22 and ex-Australian international Mark Bartholomeusz starting at full back. Tommy Bowe and new Ulster recruit Mark McCrea are on the wings while Ravenhill crowd favourite Paul Steinmetz is back at inside centre.
Ballymena centre Seamus Mallon is named on the bench, his first involvement since October while Paddy Wallace and Isaac Boss are the half back partnership with Kieran Campbell and Niall O'Connor providing cover on the bench.
Bryan Young returns to the starting line-up at prop and will be alongside Rory Best and Declan Fitzpatrick in the front row with Tom Court and Nigel Brady named on the bench.
Justin Harrison returns to the starting line up alongside Ryan Caldwell in the second row with Italian International Carlo Del Fava dropping to the bench. There is no change in the back-row from the Bourgoin game with Neil McMillan providing cover on the bench for Matt McCulloug, Neil Best and Grant Webb.
Ulster caretaker Coach Steve Williams is delighted to have his captain back.
He said: 'It is great to have Rory back and a good chance for him to stake his claim for his place in the Six Nations'.
Ulster XV to play Gloucester, Sunday 1pm: (15-9) M Bartholomeusz; T Bowe, A Trimble, P Steinmetz, M McCrea; P Wallace, I Boss; (1-8) B Young, R Best(capt), D Fitzpatrick, J Harrison, R Caldwell, M McCullough, N Best, G Webb
Replacements: (16-22) N Brady, T Court, C Del Fava, N McMillan, K Campbell, N O'Connor, S Mallon
