Magners League team news:Ulster coach Matt Williams has made a number of changes to the side that lost heavily (32-6) to Leinster last weekend ahead of their Magners League encounter with the Ospreys at Ravenhill on Friday night (7.35pm).
Outhalf Niall O'Connor replaces Ian Humphreys, who is not part of the match day squad. Robbie Diack is back in the starting line-up and takes his place at number eight. As a result Chris Henry moves to blindside flanker with Matt McCullough as cover on the bench.
After a number change last week, Andrew Trimble is back on the left wing in the with Simon Danielle on the other wing. Tom Court will start from the bench, while Bryan Young takes his place at loosehead prop, alongside skipper Roy Best and South African BJ Botha.
Elsewhere Connacht show four changes ahead of the visit of the Newport Gwent Dragons at the Sportsground on Friday (kick off: 6.30pm).
Niva Ta'auso and Frank Murphy have overcome their respective hamstring and calf injuries to start in the backline, while up front Ronan Loughney comes in at tighthead prop and Johnny O'Connor returns to the starting line up at openside.
Gavin Duffy moves from outside centre to fullback, making way for Ta'auso. Andrew Browne moves to his more familiar position in the secondrow, with Ray Ofisa starting for Connacht for the first time at number eight.
Kieran Campbell (hip), Tim Donnelly (knee), John Hearty (hip), Michael McCarthy (foot), Robbie Morris (foot) were not considered due to injury.
Dragons boss Paul Turner is without Sevens World Cup winner Tom Isaacs due to a hip injury, while Aled Brew is set to make his first start since returning to the region.
Ulster (v Ospreys):B Young, R Best (C), B Botha, E O'Donoghue, R Caldwell, C Henry, D Pollock, R Diack, C Schifcofske, S Danielli, D Cave, P Wallace, A Trimble, N O'Connor, I Boss Replacements: N Brady, T Court, C Del Fava, M McCullough, C Willis, IWhitten, T Nagusa
Connacht (v Newport):G Duffy; F Carr, N Ta'auso, K Matthews, L Bibo; I Keatley, F Murphy; B Wilkinson, S Cronin, R Loughney; A Browne, A Farley; J Muldoon (C), J O'Connor, R Ofisa. Replacements: A Flavin, B McGovern, M Swift, C Rigney, C O'Loughlin, A Dunne, T Nathan.
Dragons (v Connacht):K Morgan, R Fussell, R Sidey, A Smith, A Brew, J Tovey, W Evans, H Gustafson, T Willis (C), R Thomas, S Tomes, L Charteris, H Macdonald, R Parks, J Bearman, Replacements: S Jones, N Hall, A Jones, D Lydiate, M Thomas, S Connor, R Lewis
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