Guinness PRO12: Benetton Treviso v Ulster (today, 5pm, Stadio Monigo, live on BBC2)
ROB Herring has been released from the Ireland Six Nations training squad and will captain Ulster in Italy this afternoon.
After a superb individual display in last weekend’s European win over Oyonnax, Herring’s return means youngster John Andrew will have to wait for his chance in the replacements.
Stuart Olding returns to the side at inside centre for what will be his first appearance since suffering an ACL injury against Cardiff last March.
He is partnered in midfield by Darren Cave, while Louis Ludik, Rory Scholes and Ian Humphreys all come into the backline in the absence of international trio Jared Payne, Andrew Trimble and Paddy Jackson.
Callum Black comes into the front row in place of Kyle McCall, who suffered concussion last week, while Roger Wilson and Clive Ross are introduced to the back row alongside Sean Reidy.
Wilson takes over at 8 from Nick Williams, who aggravated a recurring groin injury during the week and is unavailable for selection.
Luke Marshall is the standout name among a young replacements bench, which features academy players Lorcan Dow and Jacob Stockdale.
They are both in line to make their competitive debuts for the province should they be introduced, while fellow academy player Dave Shanahan will be hoping to add to the 12 minutes of action he got at Kingspan last weekend.
Treviso are decimated by international call-ups, with Andrea Lovotti, Matteo Zanusso, Ornel Gega, Marco Fuser, Francesco Minto, Alessandro Zanni, Edoardo Gori and Luke McLean all on Italian duty.
South African born number 8 Abraham Steyn and centre Andrea Pratichetti were both released back to their club by the international camp, though both start in the replacements.
Winger Ludovico Nitoglia returns after a month out with a fractured cheekbone for bottom-of-the-table Treviso, who have yet to win in the Pro12 this season.
Treviso: J Hayward; L Nitoglia, H Bacchin, A Sgarbi, T Iannone; S Christie, A Lucchese; Alberto De Marchi, R Santamaria, S Ferrari; W Paulo, T Palmer; Andrea De Marchi, M Lazzaroni, R Barbieri
Replacements: L Bigi, C Traore, P Filippetto, J Montauriol, A Steyn, J Ambrosini, S Ragusi, A Pratichetti
Ulster: L Ludik, R Scholes, D Cave, S Olding (pictured), C Gilroy, I Humphreys, P Marshall; C Black, R Herring, R Lutton; A O’Connor, F van der Merwe; C Ross, S Reidy, R Wilson
Replacements: J Andrew, A Warwick, B Ross, P Browne, L Dow, D Shanahan, L Marshall, J Stockdale
