Friday Night URC Team News: Alun Wyn Jones returns, Herring to make his 200th appearance

The teams for Friday night's Round 3 fixtures of the United Rugby Championship have been named with all details of match officials and broadcast information below.

TEAM NEWS HEADLINES

#ULSvBEN

• Rob Herring to make his 200th Ulster appearance after being named in the match day squad

• Former PRO14 top try-scorer Rhyno Smith makes his first start at full back for Benetton. 

#OSPvSHA

• Adam Beard and Alun Wyn Jones, returning British & Irish Lions come into the starting line-up.

• Thomas du Toit will captain Cell C Sharks with the absence of Phepsi Buthelezi, who plays off the bench this week.

Friday, October 1

Ulster Rugby v Benetton Rugby

Kingspan Stadium, Belfast – KO 19.35 IRE & UK / 20.35 ITA & SA

Referee: AJ Jacobs (SARU, 5th league game)

AR 1: Paul Haycock (IRFU), AR 2: Andrew Cole (IRFU),

TMO: Marius van der Westhuizen (SARU)
Live on: BBC NI, TG4, Premier Sports 1 & URC TV.

Ulster Rugby: Will Addison, Craig Gilroy, James Hume, Stewart Moore, Ethan McIlroy, Billy Burns, Nathan Doak, Andrew Warwick, Rob Herring, Tom O’Toole, Alan O’Connor, Sam Carter (CAPT), Matty Rea, Nick Timoney, David McCann.
Replacements: Brad Roberts, Callum Reid, Ross Kane, Mick Kearney, Sean Reidy, David Shanahan, Mike Lowry, Ben Moxham.

Benetton Rugby: Rhyno Smith, Ratuva Tavuyara, Marco Zanon, Tommaso Benvenuti, Luca Sperandio, Leonardo Marin, Callum Braley, Federico Zani, Corniel Els, Ivan Nemer, Irné Herbst, Federico Ruzza, Giovanni Pettinelli, Michele Lamaro (CAPT), Braam Steyn
Replacements: Tomas Baravalle, Cherif Traoré, Tiziano Pasquali, Marco Lazzaroni, Sebastian Negri, Lorenzo Cannone, Luca Petrozzi, Luca Morisi.

Ospreys v Cell C Sharks

Swansea.com Stadium, Swansea – KO 19.35 IRE & UK / 20.35 ITA & SA

Referee: Frank Murphy (IRFU, 51st league game)

AR 1: Craig Evens (WRU) AR 2: Carwyn Williams (WRU),

TMO: Leo Colgan (IRFU)

Live on: BBC Wales, SuperSport, Premier Sports 2 & URC TV.

Ospreys: Dan Evans, Mat Protheroe, Tiaan Thomas-Wheeler, Owen Watkin, Luke Morgan, Gareth Anscombe, Rhys Webb (CAPT), Nicky Smith, Sam Parry, Tomas Francis, Adam Beard, Alun Wyn Jones, Will Griffiths, Jac Morgan, Morgan Morris

Replacements: Elvis Taione, Gareth Thomas, Tom Botha, Rhys Davies, Ethan Roots, Reuben Morgan-Williams, Stephen Myler, Joe Hawkins

Cell C Sharks: Anthony Volmink, Marnus Potgieter, Jeremy Ward, Marius Louw, Thaakir Abrahams, Boeta Chamberlain, Ruan Pienaar, Ntuthuko Mchunu, Kerron van Vuuren, Thomas du Toit (CAPT), Ruben van Heerden, Hyron Andrews, James Venter, Gerbrandt Grobler, Henco Venter

Replacements: Dan Jooste, Khwezi Mona, Lourens Adriaanse, Le Roux Roets, Phepsi Buthelezi, Dylan Richardson, Sanele Nohamba, Werner Kok

Ospreys Head Coach Toby Booth said: “Having seen the Sharks selection, we know they are big and there are four second rows in that starting line-up. There was a lot of forward orientated stuff in our performance against Cardiff, and that has clearly been thought of. We know they are going to be physical and will have a good kicking game. It will be a different challenge and an exciting one because we are playing someone new.”

Cell C Sharks Head Coach, Sean Everitt said: “There were many positives to take away from the match against Glasgow. Even though we are missing 14 of our key players, our youngsters against an experienced Glasgow team, put their hands up in the second half. We are looking for a complete performance from the players. The team has worked hard this week and have been relentless in our preparation for the match against Ospreys.”