Ulster look too strong for Treviso

Ulster winger Craig Gilroy will become the youngest player to win 100 provincial caps

Craig Gilroy (right) is set to win his 100th Ulster cap tomorow night. Photograph: Jonathan Porter/Ulster
Craig Gilroy (right) is set to win his 100th Ulster cap tomorow night. Photograph: Jonathan Porter/Ulster

Ulster v Benetton Treviso
Ravenhill, 7.35pm (Live BBC 2NI)

Craig Gilroy may well be thinking that Dublin, not Belfast would be his city of choice tomorrow night. Out of favour for now with Irish coach Joe Schmidt, the right wing will become the youngest player to win 100 caps for Ulster when he lines out against Benetton Treviso for their Pro12 match in Ravenhill.

The 23 year-old made his debut against Cardiff in November 2010 and has a scoring hit of around a try in every four matches (25 tries in 99 games)

Ulster are without their Irish players Rory Best, Tommy Bowe, Jared Payne and Iain Henderson, who are involved in the Six Nations match against France, but have Nick Williams, Louis Ludik and Stuart McCloskey coming back in after injury.

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In all there are five changes and two positional switches to the side that defeated Leicester Tigers three weeks ago. Luke Marshall, also with further Irish ambitions, is included as is Robbie Diack, who starts on the bench having been released by Schmidt after playing against Italy last week

Ruan Pienaar lines out at scumhalf and partners Ian Humphreys, who needs just nine points to break the 500 mark in Pro12 rugby.

Ulster won the match in Stadio Monigo just a month ago with little to spare (20-24) but should have enough for a more wholesome victory this time around.

Ulster: L Ludik; C Gilroy, D Cave, L Marshall, M Allen; I Humphreys, R Pienaar; C Black, R Herring, W Herbst, L Stevenson, F Van der Merwe, R Wilson (c), M McComish, N Williams. Replacements: J Andrew, A Warwick, B Ross, R Diack, C Ross, P Marshall, S McCloskey, P Nelson.

Benetton: J Hayward; A Esposito, E Bacchin, S Christie, L Nitoglia; J Carlisle, A Lucchese; M Zanusso, D Giazzon, R Harden, A Pavanello (c), C Van Zyl, M Swanepoel, D Budd, M Luamanu. Replacements: A Anae, J Novak, S manu, T Vallejos, N Cattina, A Pratichetti, J Ambrosini, H Seniloli

Referee: I Davies (WRU)

Verdict: Ulster

Johnny Watterson

Johnny Watterson

Johnny Watterson is a sports writer with The Irish Times