Ulster's United Rugby Championship match against Cardiff sees a strategic lineup with Rob Herring and Zac Ward taking the field. Herring, who was on the bench last week, joins Scott Wilson and Angus Bell in the front row, while Ward returns to the backline with Ethan McIlroy, who makes his season debut at full-back post-knee injury recovery. Ben Carson starts at inside centre, and Richie Murphy's replacements include a balanced 5:3 split. Bryan O'Connor, Lorcan McLoughlin, and Ben Moxham are poised for their season debuts from the bench. However, Ulster faces a challenge with several key players away on international duty, including Jacob Stockdale, Nathan Doak, Stuart McCloskey, Rob Baloucoune, Tom O'Toole, Jude Postlethwaite, Tom Stewart, Cormac Izuchukwu, and Nick Timoney. Ulster's starting lineup: McIlroy; Kok, Hume, Carson, Ward; Murphy, McKee; Bell, Herring, Wilson; Henderson (capt), Irvine; Dalton, Rea, McCann. Replacements: McCormack, Crean, O'Connor, Sheridan, McLoughlin, Shanahan, Flannery, Moxham.
