Edinburgh face another prolonged spell without key man Grant Gilchrist as he required further surgery to his troublesome groin injury.
The Scotland lock had been progressing well from the injury he suffered in the Rugby World Cup match against the USA at Elland Road that forced him out of the tournament, but a scan revealed “soft tissue damage” that had not been evident before.
After consulting a specialist Gilchrist underwent another operation and his projected return to the game is not yet known.
Last year Gilchrist missed almost the entire season after breaking an arm in the European Challenge Cup match in November, just a week before he was due to captain Scotland in the November test match against Argentina.
He didn’t play for Edinburgh again last season, and still hasn’t this term after being away at the Rugby World Cup with Scotland, playing in the first two games before his latest injury.
It’s another headache for head coach Alan Solomons but at least a familiar one as he prepares the team for his old stomping ground at Ulster in the Guinness PRO12 tonight, making four changes form the team that ran up the first bonus of the campaign against Dragons last week.
Greig Tonks (hamstring), Tom Brown (shoulder), Sam Hidalgo-Clyne (hand) and Fraser McKenzie (neck) drop out with Jack Cuthbert, Dougie Fife, Sean Kennedy and the fit-again Anton Bresler returning to action.
For the fourth match in a row the all-Scotland front row of Al Dickinson, Ross Ford and WP Nel play, with all three among the 32 players coming to the end of their contracts at this season.
“I think it is important that we keep them here,” said Solomons. “The team has been built over the last two and a bit seasons, we have developed a very good pack and they are an important part of that going forward.
“We know need to add some firepower but it is important we keep the core players here so we can build the club.”
Edinburgh haven’t won in Belfast since 2009 but have won two games against Ulster this season, in pre-season and in their first league clash a month and a half ago.
“Ulster at the Kingspan in front of a home crowd will be a tough ask, without a doubt, and we have to make sure that we are at our best,” said the head coach. “This will be a real test for the team, and especially for our strength in depth, bearing in mind our heavy injury toll.”
Edinburgh: J Cuthbert; D Fife, C Dean, M Scott, W Helu; P Burleigh, S Kennedy; A Dickinson, R Ford, WP Nel; A Bresler, A Toolis; M Coman (capt), J Hardie, C du Preez.
Replacements: N Cochrane, R Sutherland, J Andress, J Ritchie, H Watson, N Fowles, M Allen, B Kinghorn.