Stewart Moore will make his first senior start for Ulster in Friday's Pro14 opener against Benetton at Kingspan Stadium.

Marcell Coetzee returns to the side after missing Ulster's European exit last month.

Forwards David McCann and Gareth Milasinovich are set to make their Ulster debuts from the bench.

As expected, Burns, McCloskey and Ian Madigan will miss the province's season-opener, which will be played in front of 600 supporters, as will long-term absentee Will Addison.

Ireland international Jacob Stockdale will start at full-back with Rob Lyttle and Craig Gilroy on the wings.

Academy products Moore and Hume make up an inexperienced, yet exciting midfield, while the versatile Lowry switches to fly-half after impressing across the backline since breaking into Dan McFarland's side.

Jack McGrath and Marty Moore will pack down either side of Rob Herring in the front row, and Sam Carter will partner captain Iain Henderson at lock.

Matthew Rea, Sean Reidy and Marcell Coetzee, who missed Ulster's European exit away to Toulouse, round out a side which has struggled for form in their post-lockdown Pro14 and Champions Cup fixtures.

McCann and prop Milasinovich are joined on the bench by Adam McBurney, Eric O'Sullivan and David O'Connor while Alby Mathewson, Bill Johnston and Louis Ludik will provide the backline cover.

Benetton, who haven't played since beating Zebre on 30 August, will travel with an experienced pack to Belfast.

Dewaldt Duvenage will lead the Italian outfit for the first time from scrum-half while Jayden Hayward is set to make his 105th Benetton appearance at full-back.

Winger Ratuva Tavuyara scored for Bennetton in their last visit to Ulster, a 17-17 draw in January 2019, while Paolo Garbisi will embark on a youthful fly-half battle with opposite number Lowry.

Federico Ruzza and Marco Lazzaroni have over 150 caps between then in the engine room while English-born Callum Braley could make his second Benetton appearance off the bench.

Ulster: Stockdale; Gilroy; Hume, S Moore; Lyttle; Lowry, Cooney; McGrath, Herring, M Moore; Carter, Henderson (capt); Rea, Reidy, Coetzee.

Replacements: McBurney, Milasinovich, O'Sullivan, O'Connor, McCann, Mathewson, Johnston, Ludik.

Benetton: Hayward; Tavuyara; Brex, Zanon; Ioane; Garbisi, Duvenage (capt); Traore, Faiva, Riccioni; Lazzaroni, Ruzza; Negri, Steyn, Halafihi.

Replacements: Lucchesi, Quaglio, Ferrari, Cannone, Snyman, Pettinelli, Braley, Padovani.