European Cup Team News: And in an instant all of Ulster's back row problems were resolved. So coach Mark McCall goes into this weekend's second Pool match of his European Cup run with Andy Ward back in harness for the second week following a spell on the sidelines and with Roger Wilson accompanying him.
Wilson, having played just 10 minutes last Friday after time out with an ankle injury, makes a welcome return into first-team duty at number eight, raising hopes that Ulster will again lift their game in the face of a much tougher challenge from Gloucester.
Overall, Ulster travel to Kingsholm with a side that shows four changes in personnel and one positional move to that which defeated Cardiff at Ravenhill Road.
Kieran Campbell, who has started the last two matches, finds himself on the replacements bench as the more experienced Neil Doak makes a return to the starting line-up at scrumhalf.
In the front row, Rod Moore has also made a claim to the tighthead prop position, where Simon Best is displaced to the other side of the scrum at loosehead, with Nigel Brady hooking between them and Ronan McCormack losing out.
Adam Larkin is included among the replacements, in place of Jonny Bell, who has been ruled out of selection with an injury to his ankle.
But overall McCall's team looks strong on paper, with the hope being that the pack provides enough quality ball to start up a back line that has a little zip.
Opponents Gloucester, meanwhile have signed the cousin of New Zealand star Jonah Lomu, the Tongan international Seti Kiole. The giant winger impressed director of rugby Nigel Melville by running in two tries during a recent trial match.
The 6ft 5in, 24-year-old has three international caps and is a first cousin of the All Black.
Connacht, who face an uphill task against Narbonne at the Sportsground on Saturday, have made three changes to the side that started the first leg of the Challenge Cup last week in France. They now trail by 14 points. Management has also devised a novel way of attracting support for the match, allowing all supporters wearing a Connacht jersey into the game for free.
Paul Warwick, a late withdrawal last week with a stomach bug, returns to the side at outhalf in place of Eric Elwood, while Chris Keane comes in at scrumhalf for Conor O'Loughlin.
On the wing, Conor McPhillips has recovered from a hamstring injury to start the match with Ted Robinson moving to the bench.
The pack remains intact.
CONNACHT: M McHugh; M Mostyn, D Yapp, J Downey, C McPhillips; P Warwick, C Keane; R Hogan, B Jackman, S Knoop, A Farley, C Short, M Swift, M Lacey, J Muldoon. Replacements: John Fogarty, D McFarland, M Carroll, P Neville, C O'Loughlin, E Elwood, T Robinson.
ULSTER: B Cunningham; T Bowe, K Maggs, P Steinmetz, Tyrone Howe; D Humphreys, N Doak; S Best, N Brady, R Moore, G Longwell, M McCullough, A Ward, N Best, R Wilson. Replacements: P Shields, R McCormack, R Frost, C Feather, C Campbell, P Wallace, A Larkin.
