Tommy Bowe will make his first start in six months as Ulster travel to Galway on Friday to take on Connacht in the PRO12.
Bowe played the final 20 minutes against Ospreys at Kingspan Stadium last Saturday and this week starts on the right wing. Craig Gilroy will play on the left wing while Jared Payne captains the side from full-back.
Darren Cave retains his place at inside centre where he will be joined in the midfield by Louis Ludik, while Paddy Jackson will once again be joined by Paul Marshall at half-back.
Up front, Callum Black comes into the front row alongside Rory Best and Rodney Ah You.
Robbie Diack and Pete Browne will start together in the second row, while Clive Ross comes in at openside flanker to partner Iain Henderson and Roger Wilson in the back row.
Here is your Ulster team for Friday's @PRO12rugby Round 6 clash against Connacht in Galway... #SUFTUM pic.twitter.com/b1Tpw4U35E
— Ulster Rugby (@UlsterRugby) October 6, 2016
Charles Piutau and Franco van der Merwe are ruled out following injuries picked up against the Ospreys so both will sit out this week while Stuart McCloskey faces six to eight weeks out with a broken foot. Initially it had been hoped the centre could recover within a month but he now looks unlikely to play any part in the November internationals.
ICYMI - here's our latest injury update ahead of our trip to Galway... pic.twitter.com/RmVB7OJyQU
— Ulster Rugby (@UlsterRugby) October 6, 2016
With Ulster playing back-to-back European Champions Cup fixtures over the next two weekends, Director of Rugby Les Kiss has also chosen to rest Ruan Pienaar.
Ulster v Connacht at the Sportsground, Friday October 7 kick-off 7.35pm.
Ulster team: J Payne (C); T Bowe, L Ludik, D Cave, C Gilroy; P Jackson, P Marshall; C Black, R Best, R Ah You, R Diack, P Browne, I Henderson, C Ross, R Wilson.
Replacements: R Herring, A Warwick, R Kane, K Treadwell, S Reidy, D Shanahan, B Herron, R Lyttle.
