Ulster make six changes for Connacht URC contest

Ulster go into Friday's game in seventh place in the United Rugby Championship table - one spot above Connacht

Ulster have made six changes from the Champions Cup win over Racing 92 for Friday's United Rugby Championship home game against Connacht.

Kieran Treadwell replaces Alan O'Connor at lock with Sean Reffell drafted into the back row in place of Dave Ewers.

The sole backs change has Jake Flannery in at fly-half for Billy Burns.

South Africa's double World Cup winner Steven Kitshoff and fellow prop Tom O'Toole drop to the bench after starting in the stirring European win.

The inclusion of fit-again Reffell in the back row sees Nick Timoney switching from flanker to the number-eight role.

Prop Moore will be making his first Ulster start since sustaining a serious knee injury against Munster on New Year's Day with flanker Reffell set for his opening action of this season following an ankle ailment.

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Ireland star Mack Hansen's inclusion is among seven Connacht changes from their European defeat by Saracens as the westerners aim to end a run of four straight defeats.

Hansen's selection at full-back is the only change in the backs as he takes over from John Porch.

Like Ulster, Connacht coach Pete Wilkins has named an entirely changed front row from last weekend as Denis Buckley, Tadhg McElroy and Ireland international Finlay Bealham take over from Jordan Duggan, Dave Heffernan and Jack Aungier.

The other pack changes see Joe Joyce replacing Gavin Thornbury at lock and Shamus Hurley-Langton and Sean O'Brien drafted into the back row in place of Conor Oliver and Paul Boyle.

Ulster halted a three-match losing run when they saw off the Top 14 leaders in their Champions Cup game in Belfast.

McFarland's Ulster side went down to Glasgow and Edinburgh in their most recent URC outings, with their other defeat of the campaign so far having come away to Connacht at the Sportsground in early November, when they lost a 20-3 lead.

There is little to separate the sides in the table, with Ulster seventh on 20 points and their opponents at the Kingspan Stadium on Friday one point worse off in eighth after their poor recent run of results.

Ulster: Lowry; Baloucoune, Hume, McCloskey, Stockdale; Flannery, Cooney; Warwick, Stewart, Moore; Treadwell, Henderson (capt); Matty Rea, Sean Reffell, Timoney

Replacements: Andrew, Kitshoff, O'Toole, O'Connor, Ewers, Doak, Postlethwaite, Addison

Connacht: Hansen; Bolton, Farrell, Aki, Ralston; Carty, Blade; Buckley, McElroy, Bealham; D Murray, Joyce; Prendergast, Hurley-Langton, O'Brien.

Replacements: Heffernan, Dooley, Aungier, Thornbury, Oliver, McDonald, Hanrahan, Jennings.