Preview: Ulster v Ospreys

Jerry Collins has been deemed fit enough to captain the Ospreys in their Magners League opener against Ulster at Ravenhill this Friday.

Veteran blindside flanker Jerry Collins has been deemed fit enough to captain the Ospreys in their Magners League opener at Ulster this Friday.

The reigning champions have opted to hand the leadership duties to their former All Black after his earlier than expected return from injury. Collins takes over the job due to Alun-Wyn Jones and Ryan Jones being sidelined at the current time.

Elsewhere and both Shane Williams and Lee Byrne must make do with bench roles in Belfast while international duo Andrew Bishop and Sonny Parker start in the centre, outside Dan Biggar.

Meanwhile, Rory Best will captain Ulster

Ulster Coach Brian McLaughlin has named trialist Adam D'Arcy at full-back after an impressive showing last week against Leeds.

Tommy Seymour switches to the right wing in place of the injured Craig Gilroy, David McIlwaine comes in on the left wing while Paul Marshall returns at scrum-half having recovered from a shoulder injury sustained in the opening friendly against Bath last month.

Up front there is no change to the starting line-up that defeated Leeds in the final pre-season friendly last week.

Irish tourists Tom Court and Paddy Wallace have been named on the bench while prop Paddy McAllister, who sustained a neck and back injury against Bath in the first of Ulster's pre-season friendlies has been passed fit to play.

Form: Ulster's only victory over Ospreys in their last seven meetings in all competitions was 20-16 at Liberty Stadium on 12 September 2009. Ulster have lost in round one of the Magners League for the past two seasons. The Ulstermen concluded last campaign with back to back victories over Edinburgh and Connacht, but are winless in their last five encounters with Welsh teams.

Defending Magners League champions, Ospreys, have only once before begun a Magners League season with defeat: in 2007 at Cardiff Blues, this is despite playing away from home for a fourth successive season. Ospreys ended last season with a run of four successive victories, and have won on four of their last five visits to Ireland.

The two teams have met in round one on two previous occasions, with Ospreys winning 41-30 at The Gnoll in 2003 and Ulster gaining revenge 17-16 at Ravenhill in 2007. Ulster's only victory over Ospreys in their last seven meetings in all competitions was 20-16 at Liberty Stadium on 12 September 2009.

The teams:

Ulster: 15 Adam D'Arcy, 14 Tommy Seymour, 13 Darren Cave, 12 Ian Whitten, 11 David McIlwaine, 10 Niall O'Connor, 9 Paul Marshall; 8 Pedrie Wannenburg 7 Willie Faloon, 6 Stephen Ferris, 5 Tim Barker, 4 Johan Muller, 3 Declan Fitzpatrick, 2 Rory Best (c), 1 Bryan Young.
Replacements: 16 Nigel Brady, 17 Tom Court, 18 Paddy McAllister, 19 Ryan Caldwell, 20 Robbie Diack, 21 I Porter, 22 Paddy Wallace, 23 Jonny Shiels

Ospreys: 15 Gareth Owen, 14 Nikki Walker, 13 Sonny Parker, 12 Andrew Bishop, 11 Richard Fussell, 10 Dan Biggar, 9 Jamie Nutbrown, 8 Jonathan Thomas, 7 Marty Holah, 6 Jerry Collins (capt), 5 Ian Evans, 4 Ian Gough, 3 Craig Mitchell, 2 Mefin Davies, 1 Ryan Bevington.
Replacements: 16 Huw Bennett, 17 Paul James, 18 Cai Griffiths, 19 James Goode, 20 Ben Lewis, 21 Rhys Webb, 22 Lee Byrne, 23 Shane Williams.

Date: Friday, September 3
Kick-off: 19:05
Venue: Ravenhill
Referee: Peter Allan (Scotland)
Assistant referees: Dudley Phillips (Ireland), Eanna O'Dowd (Ireland)
Television match official: Peter Ferguson (Ireland)
Assessor: Brian Stirling (Ireland)