| Date: Saturday, 16 April Kick-off: 20:00 BST Venue: Kingspan Stadium, Belfast |
| Coverage: Live on BBC Radio Ulster and BBC Sounds; report on BBC Sport website |
Prop Andrew Warwick and winger Ethan McIlroy are named in Ulster’s team for Saturday’s pivotal European Champions Cup last-16 second leg with Toulouse in Belfast.
Ulster hold a six-point lead over the reigning champions heading into the second leg following a 26-20 win.
McIlroy starts in place of Ben Moxham, who was forced off in the tackle which saw Juan Cruz Mallia sent off.
Dimitri Delibes replaces the winger for Toulouse in one of six changes.
The winner will face either Munster or Exeter Chiefs in the quarter-finals, with the English side holding a five point advantage thanks to a 13-8 victory.
Wing Robert Baloucoune played a starring role for Ulster in their 26-20 first-leg win over Toulouse, scoring three tries against a side that played 70 minutes with 14 men after Argentine winger Cruz Mallia was shown a red card for taking out Moxham in the air.
The 24-year-old celebrated his treble with a contract extension midweek and is joined in the back three by McIlroy and Michael Lowry, who also signed a new deal.
Andrew Warwick is named to start at prop after an impressive cameo off the bench in the reverse fixture and will pack down alongside Rob Herring and Marty Moore.
World Cup-winning Springbok Duane Vermeulen, who said Ulster are within “touching distance” of a first trophy since 2006, starts at number eight for Dan McFarland’s side as flanker Nick Timoney wins his 100th cap for the province.
Dupont fit despite sickness scare
World Player of the Year Antoine Dupont will captain Toulouse at scrum-half despite being sick earlier in the week, while Delibes comes in for Cruz Mallia is an enforced change and Tim Nanai-Williams starts at outside centre.
French Grand Slam winners Anthony Jelonch and Selevasio Tolofua are introduced to the back row, with former All Black tighthead prop Charlie Faumuina coming into the front row.
Richie Arnold is included in the second row alongside brother Rory after coming off the bench in the reverse fixture.
Seven of the French squad that won the Grand Slam are named in the starting team for the visitors, while second row Thibaud Flament is also included on the bench to provide experience if called upon.
Ulster: Lowry, Baloucoune; Hume, McCloskey; McIlroy; Burns, Cooney; Warwick, Herring, Moore; O’Connor, Henderson (capt), Rea, Timoney, Vermeulen.
Replacements: Roberts, O’Sullivan, O’Toole, Treadwell, Murphy, Doak, Marshall, Lyttle.
Toulouse: Ramos; Delibes; Nanai-Williams, Ahki; Lebel; Ntamack, Dupont (capt); Neti, Mauvaka, Faumuina; Ro Arnold, Ri Arnold; Elstadt, Tolofua, Jelonch.
Replacements: Cramont, Ainu’u, Aldegheri, Meafou, Flament, Miquel, Germain, Tauzin.
