Ulster include Ireland trio Jackson, Gilroy and Marshall for Munster contest

Ulster are top of the Pro12 table, three points ahead of fifth-placed Munster

Ulster include Ireland squad members Paddy Jackson, Craig Gilroy and Luke Marshall for Friday's Pro12 game against Munster at Kingspan Stadium.

The Ulster side has eight changes from the narrow European win over Exeter.

Ireland trio Rory Best, Jared Payne and Andrew Trimble are among those to miss out but Charles Piutau, Tommy Bowe and Ruan Pienaar are named in the backs.

Munster include Ireland squad members Peter O'Mahony, John Ryan, Billy Holland and Donnacha Ryan.

Like Jackson, Gilroy and Marshall, the four Munster forwards have been named in Ireland's 34-man squad for the Test against the All Blacks in Chicago on 5 November.

With Stuart Olding set to miss Ulster's next two matches because of a hip injury, Darren Cave will partner Marshall at centre.

Forwards Wiehahn Herbst and Dan Tuohy will both make their first appearances of the season after long-term injuries.

Tuohy replaces Iain Henderson at lock, with the Ireland star likely to be out for a number of weeks because of a shoulder injury.

Herbst will partner Rob Herring and Callum Black in a totally changed front row with Robbie Diack picked alongside Sean Reidy and Roger Wilson in the back row.

Olding suffered a hip flexor injury in the European win over Exeter, in which locks Peter Browne and Alan O'Connor, and props Rodney Ah You and Ross Kane were also injured.

All four forwards miss Ulster's second interprovincial clash of the season, with former Connacht front-rower Ah You likely to be out of action for four to five weeks.

For what is certain to be an emotional occasion in the first Irish inter-pro game since Anthony Foley's death, Munster's director of rugby Rassie Erasmus makes five changed from the stirring European win over Glasgow.

Duncan Williams and Ian Keatley replace Conor Murray and Tyler Bleyendaal in the half-backs with Andrew Conway and Ronan O'Mahony taking over from Simon Zebo and suspended Keith Earls.

The only change to Munster's pack from the Glasgow game sees Jack O'Donoghue replacing Ireland star CJ Stander.

Pro12 leaders Ulster, who lost to Connacht in their last domestic outing, lie three points ahead of fifth-placed Munster in the standings.

TEAMS

Ulster: C Piutau; T Bowe, L Marshall, D Cave, C Gilroy; P Jackson, R Pienaar; C Black, R Herring (capt), W Herbst; D Tuohy, F van der Merwe; R Diack, S Reidy, R Wilson. Replacements: J Andrew, K McCall, A Warwick, C Ross, C Joyce, P Marshall, B Herron, J Stockdale

Munster: A Conway; D Sweetnam, J Taute, R Scannell, R O'Mahony; I Keatley, D Williams; D Kilcoyne, N Scannell, J Ryan; D Ryan, B Holland; P O'Mahony (capt), T O'Donnell, J O'Donoghue. Replacements: V O'Brien, B Scott, S Archer, D O'Shea, R Copeland, A Griesel, A Wootton, D Goggin.