Doak starts at fly-half in Ulster's Connacht game

Nathan Doak started at scrum-half in Ulster's 36-10 over Connacht at the Kingspan Stadium in September

Nathan Doak replaces concussed Billy Burns at fly-half as Ulster's side shows three changes for Friday's United Rugby Championship game at Connacht.

With Iain Henderson switching to lock, Sam Carter drops to the bench as number eight Duane Vermeulen is left out.

The forward switches see David McCann and Marcus Rea named in the back row.

Ulster were 29-0 down at half-time in Dublin last weekend before rallying and coach Dan McFarland has opted to give the majority of those players another chance to end a losing run which now stretches to three games.

The Heineken European Champions Cup game was moved to the Aviva Stadium following freezing conditions in Belfast although Ulster chief executive Jonny Rea and Dan McFarland insisted the Kingspan Stadium pitch was playable on Saturday and that the final pitch inspection - which took place on Friday evening - should have delayed until the morning of the game.

With Ireland fly-half Ian Madigan also out injured at the moment, Doak starts in the half-backs alongside John Cooney, who he is usually battling with for the scrum-half role.

Former Munster player Jake Flannery will be Ulster's back-up fly-half option on the bench.

More to follow.

Ulster: Lowry; McIlroy, Marshall, McCloskey, Lyttle; Doak, Cooney; Sutherland, Stewart, Moore; O'Connor, Henderson (capt); McCann, Marcus Rea, Timoney.

Replacements: Andrew, O'Sullivan, Milasinovich, Carter, G Jones, D Shanahan, J Flannery, S Moore