Iain Henderson and Will Addison back in Ulster team

Academy prop Eric O’Sullivan starts in Friday’s Champions Cup clash with Scarlets

Injuries to the Ulster tight five have caused selection headaches for head coach Dan McFarland. Photograph: Inpho
Injuries to the Ulster tight five have caused selection headaches for head coach Dan McFarland. Photograph: Inpho

Ireland internationals Iain Henderson and Will Addison are back in the Ulster team for Friday's crucial Heineken Champions Cup clash against Scarlets (Live on BT Sports, Parc y Scarlets at 7.45pm).

Fellow internationals Rory Best and Jacob Stockdale - as well as academy prop Eric O'Sullivan - are also included in the starting XV after featuring off the bench in the home Pro14 win versus Cardiff Blues on Saturday.

Best, who will equal Andrew Trimble's club record of 71 European appearances, will captain the side in Llanelli and will be joined in the front row by O'Sullivan and Marty Moore.

Henderson will partner Kieran Treadwell, Ulster's try-scorer against the Blues last week, in the second row, while the loose forward trio of Sean Reidy, Jordi Murphy and Marcell Coetzee is unchanged.

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John Cooney and Billy Burns are retained in the half-back positions, with Stuart McCloskey and Addison paired in midfield. Stockdale's inclusion on the left wing results in Louis Ludik shifting to fullback, as Henry Speight is again named on the right flank.

Kyle McCall could make his 50th Ulster appearance, his first since April, after recovering from injury and being selected among the replacements. Ulster’s shortage of secondrows means that young backrow forward Matty Rea provides cover at lock.

Rob Herring, Tom O'Toole, and Nick Timoney will provide additional forward cover. Dave Shanahan, Johnny McPhillips and Darren Cave are the backline options.

ULSTER: L Ludik; H Speight, W Addison, S McCloskey, J Stockdale; B Burns, J Cooney; E O'Sullivan, R Best (Capt), M Moore; I Henderson, K Treadwell; S Reidy, J Murphy, M Coetzee;

Replacements: R Herring, K McCall, T O’Toole, M Rea, N Timoney, D Shanahan, J McPhillips, D Cave.