Ireland hooker Rob Herring will return from injury to captain Ulster against the Stormers in South Africa, but Iain Henderson misses out through illness.
Wing Robert Baloucoune returns while Nathan Doak will start at fly-half.
World Cup-winning Springbok Steven Kitshoff starts at prop against his former side in Cape Town.
The match is Richie Murphy’s second as interim head coach, with his first outing ending in a 22-12 defeat by the Sharks.
South African side Stormers are fifth in the United Rugby Championship table, two places ahead of Ulster.
The match will be Ulster’s first since chief executive Jonny Petrie departed the province on Monday. Hugh McCauley has been appointed as his interim replacement.
More to follow.
Ulster: Lowry; Baloucoune; Hume, McCloskey; McIlroy; Doak, Cooney; Kitshoff, Herring, O’Toole; Sheridan, Treadwell; Matty Rea, McCann, Timoney.
Replacements: Stewart, Warwick, Wilson, Izuchukwu, Marcus Rea, Shanahan, Flannery, Moore.