Cardiff trio to hit century as Halfpenny returns

European Challenge Cup: Cardiff Rugby v Ulster

Venue: Cardiff Arms Park, Cardiff Date: Saturday, 13 December Kick-off: 20:00 GMT

Coverage: S4C and via iPlayer.

Cardiff trio Ben Thomas, Keiron Assiratti and Rory Thornton will make their 100th appearances for the region when they host Ulster in the Challenge Cup on Saturday.

They will bring their milestones up as starters against the Irish province while former Wales and British and Irish Lions fullback Leigh Halfpenny has also been named in the XV.

The 36-year-old signed a short-term deal at the start of the season as kicking coach and is now set for a first Cardiff appearance in more than 11 years, 4,347 days since his previous appearance for the Blue and Blacks.

The hosts are also boosted by the return of wing Josh Adams, who has served his three-match suspension following a red card for Wales against Japan in the Autumn Nations Series.

Cardiff are looking to bounce back from a 38-17 defeat by Stade Francais, while Ulster thumped Racing 92 with an impressive 61-7 win in the first round of fixtures.

Fly-half Ioan Lloyd misses the game after sustaining a shoulder injury in Paris, though he does not require surgery on the injury at this time.

Cardiff welcome back centre Thomas, fly-half Callum Sheedy and tight-head Assiratti to the XV after being with Wales in the autumn, while loose-head prop Danny Southworth, flanker Alex Mann and full-back or centre Jacob Beetham are on the bench.

"We had to give them a break," said van Zyl. "It was about choosing the squad that we'd trained with as well.

"It'll be a long block and important December with the derbies coming up, so it's about getting the balance right about who gets the jersey to go out and perform.

"We pride ourselves on our performances at home in front of our friends, families and supporters, it's massive to get the crowd behind us with these games coming up, it'll be big."

Van Zyl was quick to praise the potential centurions.

"If you think about the last few weeks we've had a few debutants and then the ones who've walked a mile to get to 100 caps," he told BBC Sport Wales.

"It's a pleasure to work with those boys, they take on board the positives and negatives and try to make it better and all three of them are really big figures in the squad.

"Some you can joke around with, but then get serious with and do the job so from a coaches point of view they're good people."

Saturday's fixture could prove to be an extra special day for Thomas, with his four-week old son set to come and watch his father in person for the first time.

"I'm really excited, it's been on my mind for a while now," said Thomas.

"It'll be a massive achievement for me, something I've always wanted to do.

"To have my family at this game will be really special to me, they don't get to come often [with late kick-offs] so hopefully they can wrap up warm enough to be out here.

"If I can get a win in front of the family it'll be brilliant."

"Obviously growing up in Cardiff, it's really special to make 100 games, but to do it for your home club is a huge thing."

Thomas says he will taking inspiration from the team's previous European successes.

"It's a special competition, you only have to walk around this building to see all the photos of what happened in Bilbao in 2018 [winning the Challenge Cup final 31-30 against Gloucester].

"Every time you play in Europe it's a chance to emulate the previous success we had."

"I love coming back to the Arms Park to play, a big European game for my 100th, it feels like the stars are aligning."

Cardiff: Halfpenny; Adams, Millard, B Thomas, Bowen; Sheedy, A Davies; Barratt, D Hughes, Assiratti, Nott, Thornton, Botham, D Thomas, Lawrence (capt).

Replacements: E Lloyd, Southworth, Wainwright, McNally, Mann, Bevan, Beetham, Winnett.

Ulster: S Moore; Kok, Hume, Carson, Ward; Flannery, McKee; Reid, Steward (capt), O'Toole, Sheridan, Irvine, McCann, Reffell, Ward.

Replacements: Andrew, Bell, McGuire, Izuchukwu, Augustus, Shanahan, Humphreys, McNamara

Referee: Evan Urruzmendi (France)

Assistants: Pierre-Baptiste Nuchy (France), Anthony Lac (Monaco)

TMO: Eric Gauzins (France)