Ireland star Bundee Aki will make his 100th appearance for Connacht on Sunday in the Guinness Pro14 clash against Ulster at the Aviva Stadium (live on RTÉ Radio 1, 4.30pm), with wingers Alex Wootton and Peter Sullivan set to make their debuts.
Aki joined Connacht in 2014 and has gone on to play a central role in the province's fortunes since then.
Wootton and Sullivan will both make their first appearances for the province after being handed starting berths on the wings.
They form a back three with John Porch, who slots in at full-back.
Tom Farrell will partner Aki in the centre, with Kieran Marmion and Jack Carty forming a formidable half-back partnership.
In the forwards, there’s a return to action for prop Finlay Bealham after he picked up a serious injury against Edinburgh in February. Bealham makes up an experienced front row with Denis Buckley and hooker Dave Heffernan.
Ultan Dillane and Gavin Thornbury have been named in the second row, and the starting XV is completed by flankers Eoghan Masterson and captain Jarrad Butler, with Paul Boyle named at number eight.
Three more players could make their Connacht debuts off the bench, with props Jordan Duggan and Jack Aungier, and back rower Conor Oliver all named as replacements.
Connacht coach Andy Friend is looking forwards to returning to action and said: "It has been almost six months since our last game and two months since we commenced pre-season training, so we are delighted our return has finally arrived.
"I have been really impressed with how the squad as a group have reacted to the uncertainty of the last few months, and it’s now our opportunity to show that hard work against an opposing team."
Connacht: Porch; Sullivan, Aki, T Farrell, Wootton; Carty, Marmion; Buckley, Heffernan, Bealham, Dillane, Thornbury; Masterson, Butler, Boyle.
Replacements: Murphy, Duggan, Aungier, Murray, Oliver, Kerins, Dean, Daly.
📢 TEAM ANNOUNCEMENT 📢
— Connacht Rugby (@connachtrugby) August 21, 2020
And we're back! Say hello to the squad representing Connacht in Sunday’s #GuinnessPRO14 clash with @UlsterRugby 🙌
💯 caps for @bundeeaki12 while 5️⃣ players are in line to make their Connacht debuts 👊#CONvULS #ReturnToRugby pic.twitter.com/GDg1p9drpd
Fly-half Billy Burns will lead out Ulster men, with John Cooney joining him at half-back as they go in search of the two points they nee to reach the play-offs.
In the back three, Jacob Stockdale is selected at full-back, and will be joined on the wings by Louis Ludik and Craig Gilroy.
James Hume will form the midfield partnership with Stuart McCloskey.
Rob Herring will start at hooker, with props Jack McGrath and Marty Moore making up an Ireland international front row.
Alan O’Connor will partner Kieran Treadwell in the second row, while Nick Timoney, Jordi Murphy and Marcell Coetzee have been named as the starting loose forwards.
New signings Alby Mathewson and Ian Madigan could make their Ulster debuts this weekend as they are named among the replacements, as is Australia lock Sam Carter, who could make his first appearance since November following his return from shoulder rehab.
Ulster: Stockdale; Gilroy, Hume, McCloskey, Ludik; Burns (c), Cooney; McGrath, Herring, Moore, A O'Connor, Treadwell; Timoney, Murphy, Coetzee.
Replacements: McBurney, O'Sullivan, O'Toole, Carter, Rea, Mathewson, Madigan, Lowry.
Read next: McFarland on first game back
HERE. WE. GO 🔥
— Ulster Rugby (@UlsterRugby) August 21, 2020
Dan McFarland has named his 1️⃣5️⃣ to take on @connachtrugby on Sunday at Aviva Stadium!
@PRO14Official is 🔙 !
Follow Leinster v Munster (7.35pm, Saturday) and Connacht v Ulster (4.30pm, Sunday) via our live blogs on RTÉ.ie/sport and the News Now app, or listen to live commentary on RTÉ Radio 1
