Injury and suspension have been cruel bedfellows - legal issues notwithstanding - for Ulster of late and they could do with catching a good break on the pitch.
Ulster coach Les Kiss has had to patch up his backline somewhat given the absentee list. Tommy Bowe is afforded more game time on his return from injury. Sam Windsor, ostensibly an outhalf plays inside centre and, Brett Herron, who arrived from Bath during the summer gets a chance in the number 10 jersey.
The pack has a more weathered exterior, led by Rob Herring and including a fit again Irish international Dan Tuohy, who plays alongside Franco van der Merwe in the secondrow. Pete Browne moves to flanker, alongside two opensides in Sean Reidy (number eight for this match) and Clive Ross.
Kiss admitted: “It has been a really hectic three or four months. We had a good start and I think it will stand to us a little bit and give us that breathing ground, but we don’t want to lean on the start.
“We want to make sure we step up to those points I was talking about earlier; execution at the critical times to give ourselves that extra score or possession or field position, that breaks the opposition’s will a bit more. At the moment we’re letting them stay in the hunt a little bit too much. We’re leading most of these games for most of the time, but we just need to do that extra bit to make sure we get over the line.”
Edinburgh lost at home to Zebre last week. This a game, despite depleted resources, that Ulster must win.
Edinburgh: B Kinghorn; D Hoyland, C Dean, P Burleigh, T Brown; J Tovey, S Kennedy; J Cosgrave, N Cochrane (capt), M McCallum; F McKenzie, B Toolis; V Mata, J Ritchie, M Bradbury. Replacements: S McInally, K Whyte, F Arregui, L Carmichael, C Du Preez, S Hidalgo-Clyne, D Weir, M Allen.
Ulster: C Piutau; T Bowe, L Marshall, S Windsor, R Lyttle; B Herron, R Pienaar; C Black, R Herring (capt), W Herbst; D Tuohy, F van der Merwe; P Browne, C Ross, S Reidy. Replacements: J Andrew, K McCall, A Warwick, R Diack, C Joyce, P Marshall, A Cairns, J Stockdale.
Referee: A Brace (Ireland)
