Team news – Ward starts with Augustus ruled outpublished at 12:33 BST
Lions v Ulster (12:45 BST)
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Rob Herring captains Ulster
Joe Hopes makes his first Ulster start after being named in the second row today.
With Iain Henderson on Ireland duty, 21-year-old lock Hopes comes in to partner Harry Sheridan after making his second Ulster appearance off the bench in last week’s bonus-point win over the Sharks in Durban.
Hooker Rob Herring captains the side on his return to the line-up, with Tom Stewart switching to open-side flanker to replace Ireland’s Nick Timoney after filling in as a back-row forward in the second half of the Sharks game.
In the backline, Zac Ward and Jude Postlethwaite replace Jacob Stockdale and Stuart McCloskey, both of whom are with Ireland, while Rob Baloucoune comes in for Werner Kok on the right wing.
Bryn Ward – Zac’s younger brother – makes his debut from the start after Juarno Augustus failed a late fitness test. Marcus Rea is called up to the bench.
The 21-year-old back row, who has been capped by Ireland at under-20 level, travelled out to South Africa to link up with the Ulster squad earlier this week.
Lions: Q Horn; Keyter, Van Wyk, Mills, Davids; Smith, Steyn; Kotze, Marais, Ntlabakanye, Oosthuizen, Nothnagel, Cairns, Venter, F. Horn (capt).
Replacements: Brandon, Schoeman, van Vuuren, Landsberg, du Plessis, L Horn, Lombard, Mpeku.
Ulster: Lowry; Baloucoune, Hume, Postlethwaite, Z Ward; Murphy, Doak; Crean, Herring (capt), O’Toole, Sheridan, Hopes, McCann, Stewart, B Ward.
Replacements: McCormick, Reid, Wilson, Dalton, Rea, McKee, Flannery, Kok.
