United Rugby Championship: Ulster v Dragons - Hume captains hosts in first game since McFarland's exit

Jacob Stockdale drops to the bench with Ethan McIlroy and Mike Lowry starting on the wings

James Hume will captain Ulster as assistant coach Dan Soper makes seven changes for Saturday's United Rugby Championship game with Dragons.

With Iain Henderson injured, Hume skippers Ulster in the first game since head coach Dan McFarland's departure.

Ireland trio Tom Stewart, Tom O'Toole and Nick Timoney start for Ulster but Jacob Stockdale is on the bench.

Wales international Taine Basham and new loan signing Harry Taylor start in the Dragons back row.

Basham has been released from Warren Gatland's Six Nations Wales squad, while new recruit Taylor is straight into match action as head coach Dai Flanagan makes seven changes to his starting side.

Following McFarland's exit, Soper takes charge of Ulster for Saturday's game before Ireland under-20 head coach Richie Murphy comes in as interim boss until the end of the season.

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Mike Lowry, who missed Ulster's defeat at the Ospreys with an injury sustained in the warm-up, is preferred on the wing to Stockdale while second row Cormac Izuchukwu is handed his first start since November.

South Africa's two-time World Cup winner Steven Kitshoff returns to an all-changed front row with O'Toole and Stewart, while the half-back partnership of John Cooney and Billy Burns is restored having not featured against Ospreys.

For the visitors, a new back line sees a recall for Will Reed to partner Dane Blacker with Angus O'Brien missing the game with an arm injury. Joe Westwood, Corey Baldwin, and Ewan Rosser make up a new back three.

Argentine prop Rodrigo Martinez is named up front while there is a return for countryman Gonzalo Bertranou among the replacements, while Wales Under-20s back Huw Anderson could make his senior debut from the bench.

Dragons have 14 players remain sidelined with injury, while five are away on senior international duty.

What they say

Ulster assistant coach Dan Soper: "I'm delighted that we've got a game to focus on," said Soper.

"Last week was a little bit different [with the coaching change]. Whatever change happens there's always a bit of disruption, but the one thing we have always prided ourselves on was how to adapt and overcome."

Dragons head coach Dai Flanagan: "Ulster are a good team, especially at home. The Kingspan Stadium is a formidable place to go, but it's also a fantastic place if you get on top of them.

"There will be no fear in them. They've had a coaching change and usually that's when players are on high alert to impress."

Line-ups

Ulster: Will Addison; Ethan McIlroy, James Hume (capt), Jude Postlethwaite, Mike Lowry; Billy Burns, John Cooney; Steven Kitshoff, Tom Stewart, Tom O'Toole; Cormac Izuchukwu, Harry Sheridan; David McCann, Marcus Rea, Nick Timoney.

Replacements: John Andrew, Andrew Warwick, Scott Wilson, Kieran Treadwell, Sean Reffell, Nathan Doak, Luke Marshall, Jacob Stockdale.

Dragons: Ewan Rosser; Joe Westwood, Steff Hughes (capt), Aneurin Owen, Corey Baldwin; Will Reed, Dane Blacker; Rodrigo Martinez, James Benjamin, Chris Coleman, Sean Lonsdale, Matthew Screech Dan Lydiate, Harry Taylor, Taine Basham.

Replacements: Brodie Coghlan, Aki Seiuli, Luke Yendle, Barny Langton-Cryer, George Nott, Gonzalo Bertranou, Harri Ackerman, Huw Anderson.