Ferris Returns For Ulster

Rugby comes home to Ravenhill on Friday (kick-off 8pm) as Ulster face Edinburgh in their first home game of the new Magners League campaign.

With the return of Grand Slam winner and Lions tourist Stephen Ferris in the number 6 jersey, Ulster’s stand-in captain Chris Henry moves to number 8, while Robbie Diack starts on the replacements bench.

Belfast Harlequins clubman Neil McComb comes into the team to make his senior debut for the province, replacing the injured Dan Tuohy in the second row. 

No changes have been made in the backs, from the Ian Humphreys-led line-up that impressed in last weekend’s surprise win at the Ospreys.

On the bench, Niall O’Connor and Jonny Shiels have been replaced by the experienced Paddy Wallace and Andrew Trimble, who spent the earlier part of the week in Dublin at an Ireland training camp.

Along with Tuohy, David Pollock, Bryn Cunningham, Ryan Caldwell, Rory Best and Matt McCullough are all currently out injured. 

Commenting on his first competitive home match as Ulster coach, Brian McLaughlin said: “We came out all guns blazing last weekend against the Ospreys, and performed very well.

“We must play like this time and time again, maintaining that level of play and driving it forward.

“Our defence was good, our set pieces were strong, our passing was more accurate and our finishing was clinical.

“There are always areas in which we can improve, and most importantly we need to ensure there is continuity in our game week in, week out.

“We know there are no easy games in professional rugby anymore – they are all hard-fought, down to the wire.

“We can’t afford to go out and play under par, we must be punching our weight every time we play and for the full 80 minutes.

“With every game played, we must make sure that we do both ourselves and our supporters justice, and this is especially important in front of our home crowd.”

ULSTER (v Edinburgh): Clinton Schifcofske; Timoci Nagusa, Darren Cave, Ian Whitten, Simon Danielli; Ian Humphreys, Isaac Boss; Bryan Young, Andy Kyriacou, BJ Botha, Neil McComb, Ed O’Donoghue, Stephen Ferris, Willie Faloon, Chris Henry (capt). 

Replacements: Nigel Brady, Declan Fitzpatrick, Tamaiti Horua, Robbie Diack, Cillian Willis, Paddy Wallace, Andrew Trimble.