McCloskey, Herring and O'Connor return for Ulster

McCloskey will partner James Hume at centre for Ulster

Ireland internationals Rob Herring and Stuart McCloskey return to the Ulster team for Saturday's Heineken Champions Cup knockout game away to Leinster.

As expected, Ross Byrne replaces injured Leinster captain Johnny Sexton at fly-half for the Dublin encounter.

Injury concerns Garry Ringrose and Caelan Doris did not make their squad.

The winners of Saturday's match at the Aviva Stadium will face Leicester Tigers or Edinburgh in the quarter-finals of the European competition the following week.

Iain Henderson and Marty Moore are both unavailable for Ulster, with captain Henderson picking up another injury while on Six Nations duty with Ireland.

Ulster: (Lowry, Baloucoune, Hume, McCloskey, Stockdale, Burns, Doak; Sutherland, Herring, O'Toole, O'Connor, Treadwell, McCann, Timoney, Vermeulen.

Replacements: Stewart, O'Sullivan, Toomaga-Allen, Sheridan, Rea, Cooney, Moore, Moxham.

Leinster: Keenan, Larmour, O'Brien, Henshaw, Lowe, Byrne, Gibson-Park; Porter, Sheehan, Furlong, Molony, Ryan, Baird, van der Flier ,Conan.

Replacements: McKee, Healy, Ala'alatoa, Jenkins, Penny, McGrath, Byrne, Frawley.