Pro14 Rainbow Cup: Ulster make seven changes for trip to Murrayfield

Fly-half Ian Madigan will partner Dave Shanahan in the half-backs

Ulster have made seven changes from the side that lost narrowly to Leinster three weeks ago for their trip to Murrayfield, where they will take on Edinburgh.

Ian Madigan is named at fly-half and Rob Lyttle takes over at full-back as Iain Henderson captains the side from lock.

Despite, like Ulster, being out of the running for a place in the Rainbow Cup final, Edinburgh have named a strong side that includes Lions-elect Duhan van der Merwe and Hamish Watson.

Ulster have not played since mid-May after last week's fixture against Scarlets was cancelled after four Ulster players tested positive for Covid-19.

In total 13 players are self-isolating after nine squad members were identified as close contacts.

One Edinburgh player is also unavailable having tested positive for the virus earlier this week.

Matt Faddes is brought onto the right wing for the trip to Murrayfield, with Craig Gilroy remaining on the left flank and James Hume and Stuart McCloskey retained at centre.

Kyle McCall and Adam McBurney join Marty Moore in the front row with brothers Matty and Marcus Rea lining up at flanker as Nick Timoney starts at number eight.

The province remain winless at the bottom of Rainbow Cup north, after their game against Scarlets was recorded as a 0-0 draw with no weekends free to reschedule the fixture, meaning Saturday's contest is their final game of the season.

Edinburgh: Paterson; Sau, Johnstone, Taylor, Van der Merwe; Kinghorn, Shiel; Venter, Harrison, Nel, Sykes, Toolis; Ritchie, Watson, Muncaster.

Replacements: Willemse, Schoeman, Berghan, Kunavula, Morris, Pyrgos, Chamberlain, Hutchinson.

Ulster: Lyttle; Faddes, Hume, McCloskey, Gilroy; Madigan, Shanahan; McCall, McBurney, Moore, A O'Connor, Henderson; Matty Rea, Marcus Rea, Timoney.

Replacements: Herring, Warwick, O'Toole, Treadwell, Jones, Mathewson, Burns, Lowry.