Ulster coach Richie Murphy gives Will Addison the nod at centre for Benetton clash

The former Ireland international has moved into the midfield during games on several occasions before, including last week's narrow 19-17 win over Cardiff, but hasn't worn the 13 jersey since Ulster's Rainbow Cup clash against Munster nearly three years ago.

While Addison is versed at outside centre having played there for Sale Sharks before moving to Ravenhill, Ulster do have more experienced options at their disposal such as veteran Luke Marshall or exciting prospects Jude Postlethwaite or Ben Carson, while Stewart Moore would have surely been top of the list was it not for injury.

However, Addison has been given first crack at the job and it looks like Friday's clash with the Italians could be an audition to interim head coach Richie Murphy that he is the man to partner Stuart McCloskey for the remainder of the campaign as he is one of five changes to the side that beat the Welsh region a week ago.

Indeed, it is not surprising to see Murphy recall most of his big hitters for what is increasingly looking like a must-win game against Benetton, bringing Rob Baloucoune and McCloskey back in after being rested for the game against Cardiff and promoting Billy Burns and John Cooney from the bench.

Murphy's men are currently tenth in a condensed URC table and can take a significant stride towards the knockouts if they win, however a defeat could leave them as many as five points off the Play-Off places with just three games to go, two of which are inter-provincial derbies against Leinster and Munster.

The final change sees development flanker Reuben Crothers, who captained Murphy's Ireland Under-20s to Six Nations Grand Slam glory last season, in line for his first appearance since November 25 as he is named on the openside ahead of Marcus Rea.

Crothers is the only alteration to an otherwise unchanged pack, which features development tighthead prop Scott Wilson making the first back-to-back starts of his fledgling Ulster career in the absence of Tom O'Toole, while blindside flanker Dave Ewers also starts consecutive games for the first time since December.

Baloucoune comes back into a re-shuffled back three which sees Mike Lowry revert to full-back and Jacob Stockdale retain his place on the left wing, while after three weeks out injured, Burns makes his first start at fly-half since March 23 alongside Cooney.

Eric O'Sullivan and Tom Stewart are retained at loosehead and hooker respectively to partner Wilson in the front row, while off the back of a man of the match performance against Cardiff, Harry Sheridan partners stand-in captain Alan O'Connor in the second row, with David McCann rounding out the back row alongside Ewers and Crothers.

On the bench, there could be only a third appearance of the season for tighthead prop James French, who is called into the team for the first time since November 4 due to O'Toole's injury.

John Andrew and Andrew Warwick are the other front row replacements, with Cormac Izuchukwu and Greg Jones set to provide ballast in the loose forwards, while Dave Shanahan, the soon-to-be-retired Luke Marshall and Ethan McIlroy cover in the backs.

Ulster

(15-9) M Lowry; R Baloucoune, W Addison, S McCloskey, J Stockdale; B Burns, J Cooney; (1-8) E O'Sullivan, T Stewart, S Wilson; H Sheridan, A O'Connor (c); D Ewers, R Crothers, D McCann.

Replacements: J Andrew, A Warwick, J French, C Izuchuwku, G Jones, D Shanahan, L Marshall, E McIlroy