Ulster without Star Fullback Mike Lowry as they name team to face Munster in URC quarter final

Ulster will have to do without star fullback Mike Lowry for this Friday's URC quarter final against provincial rivals Munster at the Kingspan stadium. Lowry misses out on the matchday 23 entirely through injury so Stewart Moore will take over the responsibilities at 15. Ulster are also missing regular starting tight-head prop Marty Moore, who has been sidelined for the rest of the campaign after suffering multiple concussions this season.

The Ulstermen are otherwise at full strength as they prepare for a stiff challenge against their old rivals from the south of Ireland.

Tom O'Toole takes over responsibility on the tight-head side of the scrum and will pack down alongside Rob Herring and Andrew Warwick in the front row.

Captain Iain Henderson will play at lock beside Alan O'Connor, and a powerful back row of Marcus Rea, Nick Timoney and Duane Vermeulen complete the Ulster pack.

Long-term halfback pairing John Cooney and Billy Burns will link the play at 9 and 10, and the fiercesome centre partnership of Stuart McCloskey and James Hume are at 12 and 13.

The back three will be made up of Stewart Moore, Ethan McIlroy and budding star Robert Baloucoune. Ulster can rely on Iain Madigan's experience off the bench for this crucial match along with backup scrumhalf Nathan Doak, who is looking to end his impressive debut season with a trophy. Munster have named a team full of many stars of Irish rugby, and will be captained by returning talisman Peter O'Mahony.

O'Mahony is only one part of a frighteningly talented back row for the red army, with returning enforcer Gavin Coombes also joined by star-in-the-making Alex Kendellen.

Long-time Ireland Test 9 Connor Murray will join up with Joey Carbery behind the Munster pack, and they will have Springbok World cup winner Damian de Allende outside them at 12.

Elsewhere Andrew Conway returns from injury on the wing, and the other wing will be manned by veteran flier Keith Earls who signed a contract extension earlier this week. A URC quarter-final between two Irish provinces doesn't needs added spice, but there should be some in this fixture. Ulster lost both games against Munster in the regular season, including a home defeat in April that was less close than the 24-17 scoreline suggests.

Munster on the other hand are coming off the back of a chastening loss to a second string Leinster side in the Aviva a fortnight ago.

Both Munster and Ulster have shown real quality at points this season.

The southern province are capable of playing wonderful attacking rugby full of line breaks, offloads and lovely finishes, as they displayed in Belfast a few weeks ago.

Ulster have had some memorable wins themselves, not least the victories in Clermont and Toulouse in the Champions Cup.

However, both teams have flattered to deceive at times, with Munster prone to flat performances at crucial times such as that crushing loss to their hated rivals in Dublin two weeks ago.

Ulster have been liable to allow opposition teams to score late tries and therefore give them a way back into games that had looked to be long since settled.

There's everything to prove and a semi-final spot to play for at Ravenhill on Friday evening.

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