Ulster ring the changes for visit of Benetton Treviso

RUGBY MAGNERS LEAGUE: Ulster V Bennetton Treviso:SIMON DANIELLI is the only player to retain his starting position in the Ulster backline from the defeat to Munster for tonight's Magners League clash in Belfast. Adam D'Arcy, Andrew Trimble, Nevin Spence, Ian Humphreys and Ruan Pienaar are restored to the side with Paddy Wallace switching from outhalf to inside centre.

There are similarly swingeing alterations to the pack with only captain Rory Best, secondrow Tim Barker and flanker Willie Faloon playing a second successive game. Ireland international Tom Court, who made a significant impact as a replacement in Limerick, starts while BJ Botha returns to anchor the other side of the frontrow.

South Africans Johann Muller and Pedrie Wannenburg and Chris Henry get an opportunity to advance claims for a place in the province’s crucial Heineken Cup match against Biarritz Olympique at Ravenhill tomorrow week.

Robbie Diack acquitted himself very capably against Munster but picked up a shoulder injury and misses out tonight.

Ireland’s totemic blindside flanker Stephen Ferris is included among the replacements having recovered from the leg injury that has kept him sidelined since the European game against Bath at the Recreation Ground.

Benetton Treviso coach Franco Smith, having guided his team to victories over Aironi during the festive period, has elected not to field his strongest side. Italian internationals Tobias Botes, Paul Derbyshire and Gonzalo Garcia start on the bench.

Captain, Antonio Pavanello is absent because of injury so the team will be led by hooker Leonardo Ghiraldini.

Ulster have already beaten Treviso this season and indeed have not lost any of the five occasions on which the clubs have met in various competitions. Coach Brian McLaughlin will be looking for a positive response to successive defeats by Leinster and Munster to try and carry some positive impetus into the seminal European game against Biarritz and their final pool outing when they travel to the Stadio Zaffanella to take on Aironi.

The magnitude of the defeat by Munster last weekend was hugely distorted by the home side’s three late tries. Ulster trailed 14-10 before an unanswered 21-point blitz.

During that period they were guilty of naïveté at times, running ball they should have kicked and putting boot to ball when the opportunity arose to counterattack with ball in hand.

McLaughlin faces some tough, marginal calls in deciding his team for the Biarritz game and he’ll hope to have a clearer idea about his selection after tonight’s game.

ULSTER:A D'Arcy; A Trimble, N Spence, P Wallace, S Danielli; I Humphreys, R Pienaar; T Court, R Best (capt), BJ Botha; J Muller, T Barker; C Henry, W Faloon, P Wannenburg. Replacements: N Brady, B Young, D Fitzpatrick, D Tuohy, S Ferris, P Marshall, I Whitten, D McIlwaine.

BENETTON TREVISO:K Burton; L Nitoglia, T Benvenuti, A Sgarbi, A Vilk; W De Waal; F Semenzato; I Fernandez Rouyet, L Ghiraldini (capt), L Cittadini; G Padro, C van Zyl; M Filipucci, A Zanni, M Vosawai. Replacements: F Sbaraglini, A Allori, P Di Santo, V Bernabò, P Derbyshire, F Minto, T Botes, G Garcia.

Referee:Leighton Hodges (Wales).

Venue:Ravenhill Kick-off: 7.05pm On TV: BBC 2