| Venue: Kings Park Stadium, Durban Date: Saturday, 23 March Kick-off: 13:00 GMT |
| Coverage: Listen on BBC Radio Ulster, Radio Foyle & BBC Sounds; text updates & report on BBC Sport website |
Ulster captain Iain Henderson, Kieran Treadwell and Stuart McCloskey return for the United Rugby Championship game against Sharks in South Africa.
Henderson and McCloskey are back after helping Ireland to a Six Nations triumph while Treadwell is promoted from the bench.
Treadwell and Henderson will form a new second row partnership with McCloskey replacing Jude Postlethwaite at centre.
Ulster sit fifth while the Durban hosts are bottom of the URC table.
It will be a first match in charge for Ulster interim head coach Richie, who will be a the helm until the end of the season following the exit of Dan McFarland in February.
Treadwell is selected in the starting XV for the first time since sustaining a rib injury against Harlequins in January.
Sharks have won just one of their 11 URC matches this season while Ulster are coming off a thumping bonus-point win over Dragons in Belfast three weeks ago.
“We as a Sharks team must get our confidence right for next season and finish this season on a high – hopefully we can produce a great performance on Saturday. ,” said lock Eben Etzebeth.
“We need to step up in the physicality department, we haven’t had a great set-piece this year and we as South Africans love that battle, but I just feel at the moment we’re letting ourselves down and letting the supporters down with what we’ve produced.
“The plan is to be a lot more physical on the field this weekend. We’re looking to end strong, there’s always a sense of pride when we wear the jersey and win games and that motivates the guys to not give up, but to make it difficult for the teams coming to Durban.”
Sharks: Hendrikse; Masuku, Mapimpi, Hooker, Am (capt); Keyter, Fassi; Mchunu, Mbonambi, Jacobs, Etzebeth, Grobler, Buthelezi, Tshituka, Cronje.
Replacements: Van Vuuren, Nche, Koch, Rahl, Labuschagne, Wright, Bosch, Venter.
Ulster: Addison; McIlroy, Hume, McCloskey, Lowry; Burns, Cooney; Kitshoff, Stewart, O’Toole, Treadwell, Henderson (capt), Sheridan, McCann, Timoney.
Replacements: Andrew, Warwick, Wilson, Izuchukwu, Rea, Doak, Postlethwaite, Reffell.
