Table-topping Ulster bid to maintain their unbeaten start to the season and augment last week's win away to Glasgow. Ireland captain Rory Best will make his first start of the season as one of eight changes to the line-up, with Kyle McCall and Rodney Ah You returning to the frontrow. Franco van der Merwe is captain in the absence of Rob Herring and Andrew Trimble in an otherwise unchanged pack.
It is a measure of their backline riches that despite also being without Luke Marshall, Stuart McCloskey and Stuart Olding, and leaving Ruan Pienaar on the bench, they can pick such a potent unit. Charles Piutau has reverted to fullback and will be joined in the back three by Louis Ludik on the left wing and Craig Gilroy on the right.
Perhaps significantly, with November in mind, Jared Payne shifts to 13 alongside Darren Cave, who moves to inside centre. Tommy Bowe is set to make his first appearance in almost five months off the bench.
The Ospreys are sure to be more on the money than they were in the first-half last week against Leinster. Ulster's only loss to Ospreys in their last six meetings was 20-31 at Liberty Stadium in December 2014. ULSTER: C Piutau, C Gilroy, J Payne, D Cave, L Ludik; P Jackson, P Marshall; K McCall, R Best, R Ah You, A O'Connor, F van der Merwe, Iain Henderson, S Reidy, R WIlson. Replacements: J Andrew, C Black, R Kane, K Treadwell, R Diack, R Pienaar, B Herron, T Bowe. OSPREYS: D Evans; J Hassler, B John, J Matavesi, E Walker; D Biggar, R Webb; N Smith, S Parry, D Arhip, B Davies, A Wyn Jones (capt), J King, J Tipuric, D Baker. Replacements: S Baldwin, P James, M Fia, R Thornton, O Cracknell, T Ardron, T Habberfield, S Davies. Referee: Ben Whitehouse (WRU). League head to head: Played 26. Ulster 13 wins. Ospreys 13 wins. Last three seasons: (2013-14): Ospreys 12 Ulster 18. Ulster 10 Ospreys 7. (2014-15) Ulster 25 Ospreys 16. (2015-16) Ulster 28 Ospreys 6. Ospreys 26 Ulster 46. Leading try scorers: Ulster – Rob Herring, Rob Lyttle, Ruan Pienaar 2 each. Ospreys – Ben John, Sam Parry 4 each. Leading points scorers: Ulster – Paddy Jackson 21. Ospreys – Sam davies 42. Forecast: Ulster to win.
