URC: Ulster v Munster, Kingspan Stadium, Friday, 7.35pm – Live on RTÉ 2, BBC 2 and Premier Sports
Ulster have made 11 changes to the side that lost 22-20 in Galway last weekend for Friday night’s clash with Munster as head coach Dan McFarland benefits from the exemplary work of the medical team in quickly rehabilitating a host of players who were unavailable for the Connacht match.
Fullback Ethan McIlroy, centre Stewart Moore, prop Eric O’Sullivan and number eight Nick Timoney are the four survivors in the run-on team. Irish internationals Stuart McCloskey, Rob Herring and Iain Henderson return following Ireland World Cup duty in France.
McCloskey partners Moore in the centre while hooker Herring – who will set a new Ulster appearance record (230) that he previously shared with Andrew Trimble and Darren Cave upon his introduction – and secondrow Henderson start on what is a very strong bench.
Jacob Stockdale (ankle), who has been in excellent form, try scoring and otherwise, is back on the left flank having missed the Connacht match and is reunited with his wing strike partner Rob Baloucoune, who also missed the match in Galway. Billy Burns and Nathan Doak are restored to the starting halfback positions.
The 22-year-old hooker Tom Stewart will captain the side and is joined in the frontrow by Wexford-born tighthead prop Greg McGrath (26), once of Lansdowne, the Leinster academy, Connacht and Jersey Reds and a former underage international. James French (concussion) is unavailable.
Cormac Izuchukwu has completed the return-to-play protocols after picking up a head injury against the Bulls, while Kieran Treadwell has recovered from a hip issue. Dave McCann and Marcus Rea join Timoney in the backrow.
Joining Herring and Henderson among the replacements is John Cooney, who signed a new contract with Ulster earlier this year. A torn calf in last season’s URC quarter-final means that he is set for a first appearance since then. Summer signing Dave Ewers (concussion) is available again while former Ireland Under-20 Grand Slam winner and Ulster academy tighthead Scott Wilson is set to make his senior debut.
Jake Flannery, who had a fine game in the defeat to Connacht, may see some game time against his former province, the Tipperary man will cover outhalf and fullback while Jude Postlethwaite, one of the finest young prospects in Irish rugby, is another to shake off injury concerns.
Munster head coach Graham Rowntree makes five alterations to the side that hammered the Dragons. Antoine Frisch comes in at outside centre, Alex Nankevill moves in one place while Jack Crowley starts at outhalf having come on as a replacement last week.
Another Ireland World Cup squad member Jeremy Loughman is named at loosehead prop with Fineen Wycherley, who reaches the landmark moment of 100 caps for the province, and John Hodnett introduced into the pack.
Hooker Diarmuid Barron captains Munster for the first time, while last week’s standout player Calvin Nash has recovered from injury. Ben O’Connor once again makes the matchday squad while another replacement Brian Gleeson is worth watching in any rugby context.
[ Munster and Ireland wing Andrew Conway retires aged 32 due to knee injuryOpens in new window ]
Ulster won’t get a chance to dwell on the disappointment of last week when they let a 17-point lead slip in Galway, going down 22-20 to Connacht, instead getting an opportunity to exorcise those memories.
The nature of provincial tussles invariably drills down to personal duels; Nash versus Stockdale, Doak versus Casey, Stewart versus Barron and Timoney versus Coombes to highlight a few that pertain to the national pecking order in selection.
Munster will target several areas in which they will feel they can get after their hosts and one of those will be the scrum, an area where Ulster have been hit by injuries. It’s all about painting the right pictures for referee Frank Murphy, at every collision point.
The lineout and breakdown promise to be pivotal to the outcome, while there will be a sense of anticipation to see how young players like Izuchukwu and Edwin Edogbo measure up in having a direct influence on the match.
The two backlines have plenty of attacking patterns given a half-decent platform, which places an onus on the halfbacks to choose wisely. Ulster arguably have the stronger bench. The home side starts as three-point favourites, which is probably a fair call.
ULSTER: E McIlroy; R Baloucoune, S Moore, S McCloskey, J Stockdale; B Burns, N Doak; E O’Sullivan, T Stewart (capt), G McGrath; C Izuchukwu, K Treadwell; D McCann, M Rea, N Timoney.
Replacements: R Herring, C Reid, S Wilson, I Henderson, D Ewers, J Cooney, J Flannery, J Postlethwaite.
MUNSTER: S Daly; C Nash, A Frisch, A Nankivell, S O’Brien; J Crowley, C Casey; J Loughman, D Barron (capt), J Ryan; E Edogbo, F Wycherley; A Kendellen, J Hodnett, G Coombes.
Replacements: S Buckley, J Wycherley, S Archer, T Ahern, B Gleeson, P Patterson, R Scannell, B O’Connor.
Referee: F Murphy (IRFU).
