Stuart Olding, will make his first competitive start for Ulster against Ospreys on Friday night at Ravenhill (7.05pm) as the RaboDirect PRO12 resumes after a short break.
Olding, who played fullback for Ireland Under-20s last week in the Six Nations, will line out for Ulster in the key role of outhalf.
The 19-year-old Ulster Academy player has featured in the flyhalf position with Belfast Harlequins as well as the Ulster Ravens and Irish U20s, although he has also started at centre.
Olding has made three previous appearances, from the bench, for the Ulster senior side and tonight will be a huge opportunity for him to show his talent.
Ulster head coach, Mark Anscombe said: “Stuart is a guy we have had all year and we think he has a fine future, he had a pre season game for us against Leicester then he came on in Munster.
“Every time he has been given a bit of time with us we like what he has brought and we have always identified this period to give him a bit of game time to see what he has got to offer us and hopefully he will take that opportunity on Friday.”
In the backline, young gun Olding is surrounded by experience in the form of Ruan Pienaar (scrumhalf) and Paddy Wallace (inside centre).
Another player returning from injury is centre, Luke Marshall, who will start in the midfield along side Wallace.
Darren Cave, who was on Irish training duty this week is named on the bench while Andrew Timble, who was also in Dublin, starts on one wing with Michael Allen on the opposite flank.
Between injuries and players at the Irish training camp, Ulster are missing up to 16 players.
It is something they have experienced previously, but Anscombe is glad to be able to have some key players back in the mix from injury.
As expected, Ulster skipper Johann Muller returns from injury to lead the team, while fellow lock, Dan Tuohy, also returning from injury, is named on the bench, but will get game time.
Lewis Stevenson retains his place in the second row from the Heineken Cup Pool Four win against Castres.
In the front row, Tom Court will move to the tight side having feature mostly at loosehead prop this season. Callum Black will start at loose and Rob Herring gets the start at hooker.
There is a new mix in the backrow, with Robbie Diack moving to No 8, Mike McComish starting on the blindside and Ali Birch comes in at open.
Ballymena prop, Andrew Warwick is named on the bench and is in line for his first Ulster appearance. The 21-year-old has impressed both at this club and on the Ulster Ravens this season.
Anscombe added: “It is good to have Johann and Dan in the mix this week, they add a bit to the side, as does Tom Court. They give us that bit of extra grunt up front.
In respect of Court’s selection on the tight side, Anscombe said: “He’s an option at tighthead and we are looking at that as well, we have spoken to him about it, Tom has been outstanding for us this year.
“The one thing Tom does is he’ll do whatever is best for the team and that I was what I admire about the game he knuckles down and does his job.”
Meanwhile, Wales and Lions lock Alun Wyn Jones returns from injury and is on the Ospreys bench.
Wyn Jones has not played since injuring his shoulder in Wales’ Test defeat against Argentina on 12 November.
Wales have released James King and Ryan Bevington to the Ospreys for the trip to Belfast, while wing Eli Walker is still struggling with a hamstring.
The Ospreys have now gone four successive matches without a win in all competitions. However, the Welshmen have suffered just one reversal in their last 10 Pro12 games.
Ulster: Ricky Andrew; Andrew Trimble, Luke Marshall, Paddy Wallace, Michael Allen; Stuart Olding, Ruan Pienaar; Callum Black, Rob Herring, Tom Court; Johann Muller (capt), Lewis Stevenson; Mike McComish, Ali Birch, Robbie Diack.
Replacements: Neil Annett, Ricky Lutton, Andrew Warwick, Dan Tuohy, Neil McComb, Paul Marshall, Darren Cave, Chris Cochrane.
Ospreys: Richard Fussell; Tom Habberfield, Tom Isaacs, Jonathan Spratt, Ben John; Matthew Morgan, Kahn Fotuali’i (Capt); Ryan Bevington, Scott Baldwin, Cai Griffiths, Ian Gough, James King, Morgan Allen, Sam Lewis, Joe Bearman
Replacements: Matthew Dwyer, Duncan Jones, Dmitri Arhip, Alun Wyn Jones, Lloyd Peers, Arthur Ellis, Ross Jones, Jamie Murphy
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