Ulster v Edinburgh: Ulster lock Iain Henderson ruled out as Steven Kitshoff makes first start
- Published
Iain Henderson sustained a hip injury in Ulster's defeat by Glasgow last weekend
United Rugby Championship - Ulster v Edinburgh |
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Venue: Kingspan Stadium, Belfast Date: Saturday, 2 December Kick-off: 17:15 GMT |
Coverage: Listen live on BBC Radio Foyle, BBC Sounds, BBC Sport website and app with live text updates, report & highlights also available on the BBC Sport website & app. |
Iain Henderson will miss Ulster's home game against Edinburgh on Saturday while two-time Rugby World Cup winner Steven Kitshoff makes his first start.
Having helped South Africa retain the World Cup, prop Kitshoff made his debut in last week's defeat by Glasgow.
Henderson has a hip issue with Luke Marshall (shoulder), Jake Flannery (groin) and Rob Herring (calf) also ruled out.
Stuart McCloskey returns at centre having been rested last week.
Matty Rea and Nick Timoney are also recalled in the back row as Ulster head coach Dan McFarland makes five changes from the Glasgow loss for Saturday's United Rugby Championship encounter in Belfast.
Alan O'Connor replaces Henderson in the second row while Billy Burns is fit to start at fly-half after coming off last week.
Prior to announcing their line-up, an Ulster medical update on Friday morning detailed that Ethan McIlroy (facial fracture and concussion), Sean Reffell (ankle), Angus Curtis (concussion), James McCormick (shoulder), Marcus Rea (elbow), Callum Reid (back), Michael Lowry (hip) and David McCann (ankle) remained unavailable for this weekend's game at Kingspan Stadium.
Ulster begin their Heineken Champions Cup campaign away to Bath on 9 December before hosting Racing 92 seven days later and it's not clear whether Henderson or any of the other injured players will be available for either of those contests.
McFarland's side are fourth in the URC table with four wins and two defeats from their opening six games.
Fifth-placed Edinburgh have an identical record but are behind Ulster in the table on points difference. Ulster won 28-14 when the sides met in Belfast in April.
Ulster: Addison, Baloucoune, Hume, McCloskey, Stockdale, Burns, Cooney; Kitshoff, Stewart, O'Toole; O'Connor (capt), Treadwell; Matty Rea, Timoney, McNabney.
Replacements: Andrew, Warwick, Moore, Izuchukwu, Ewers, Doak, Moore, Moxham.
Edinburgh: Swiel, Paterson, Currie, Lang, Goosen, Healy, Vellacott (capt); Schoeman, Ashman, Nel; Sykes, Hodgson; Crosbie, Ritchie, Mata.
Replacements: McBurney, Hislop, Sebastian, Young, Watson, Price, Scott, Bennett.