If Matt Williams described last Friday’s performance by a highly-inexperienced Ulster side against Bath as “money in the bank”, the coach will be no doubt hoping his returning international big guns will make a few withdrawals tonight against the Queensland Reds at Ravenhill.

Having run his eye over 11 debutants in the 15-7 defeat, Williams has injected the international experience of Rory Best, Paddy Wallace, Isaac Boss, Bryan Young and Simon Danielli to his line-up for tonight’s clash (kick-off 7.30pm).

And against an inexperienced Queensland side, the onus will be on the home side to put their stamp on the contest with just one friendly, against Worcester next Wednesday, to go before the Magners League campaign gets underway.

Tonight’s line-up is much closer to the hand Williams is expected to show for Ulster’s competitive opener against Llanelli Scarlets at Ravenhill on September 5, and while the Ireland international squad players will want to dust off the cobwebs, new signings like Robbie Diack will be keen to press further claims for a starting place after an impressive debut last Friday.

“It has been a long pre-season for me and it was great to get out against Bath and play some rugby at Ravenhill, a place I have heard so much about,” said Diack, who carried the ball well particularly in the opening exchanges against Bath.

“The crowd were great for a friendly game and the team spirit was great, even though we lost the team spirit was great.

“There is still a lot of work that needs to be done and we will look to build on that against Queensland.

“To get the first game under my belt and feel positive about it has been a big boost for me and I just can’t wait for tonight’s game.

“We will aim to improve our setpieces, our defence and overall our game needs patching up and a bit of fine-tuning here and there and get the combinations right.”

Queensland will field a shadow side from their Super 14 outfit, with former Saracens and England Sevens star Ben Gollings pulling the strings at out-half.

Reds coach Phil Mooney is hoping for big performances from rising stars such as fullback Aiden Toua and wing Luke Morahan.

“Aiden Toua has done well for Easts in the Premier competition and was quite explosive at times during the Barbarians game,” said Mooney, who knows Ravenhill well, having coached Australia Under-19s there during the IRB World Championship in Belfast in April 2007.

“The beauty of a trip like this is that it gives our young guys the opportunity to play high quality opposition in intimidating settings.”

Ulster, however, should prove too strong.

ULSTER: C Schifcofske; T Nagusa, D Cave, P Wallace, S Danielli; I Humphreys, I Boss; B Young, R Best (c), T Court, E O'Donoghue, D del Fava, M McCullough, D Pollock, R Diack.

Replacements: N Hanna, J Carey, T Anderson, C Henry, C Willis, R Dewey, B Cunningham.

QUEENSLAND REDS: A Toua; L Morahan, M Turinui, C Fetoai, D Ioane, B Gollings, W Genia; G Holmes, J Hanson, J Slipper, V Humphries, A Byrnes, S Higginbotham, P Luafutu, L Houston.

Replacements: A Anae, J Kennedy, R Simmons, A Shaw, B McKibbin, A Faingaa, R Davies.