Herring To Make 150th Appearance In Ulster’s Clash With Cardiff

Ireland hooker Rob Herring will make his 150th appearance for Ulster at Kingspan Stadium on Saturday (kick-off 3pm) after being named to start against Cardiff Blues in the GUINNESS PRO14.

Rob Herring is one of six players involved in Ireland’s unbeaten November run to return to Dan McFarland’s matchday squad. Jordi Murphy, John Cooney and Stuart McCloskey are also set to start, while Ireland captain Rory Best and Jacob Stockdale are included among the replacements.

Herring will be joined in the front row by Andrew Warwick and Martin Moore, with Kieran Treadwell and captain Alan O’Connor continuing in the second row. Murphy features in a rejigged back row as Sean Reidy moves to the other side of the scrum and Marcell Coetzee shifts to the base.

Goal-kicking scrum half Cooney, who has not featured for Ulster in six weeks due to a combination of injury and international commitments, will resume his half-back partnership with Billy Burns. Cooney’s last appearance for the province was at home to Leicester Tigers in the Heineken Champions Cup.

McCloskey and Abbey Insurance Ulster Academy centre James Hume are paired together in midfield, while Henry Speight, Louis Ludik and Hume’s Academy colleague Michael Lowry make up the back-three once again.

Best, Academy prop Eric O’Sullivan, Ross Kane, recent signing Ian Nagle and Nick Timoney are named on the bench as forward reinforcements, with David Shanahan, who scored Ulster’s opening try in last week’s 29-12 defeat at the Scarlets, Johnny McPhillips and Stockdale covering the back-line.

To avoid queues and delay in admission, advance ticket sales are recommended online or by phone. To purchase tickets for Ulster v Cardiff Blues, please click here or contact the Ulster Rugby ticket office for more information – (028) 9049 3222 (option 2).

ULSTER (v Cardiff Blues): Michael Lowry; Henry Speight; James Hume, Stuart McCloskey, Louis Ludik; Billy Burns, John Cooney; Andrew Warwick, Rob Herring, Martin Moore, Alan O’Connor (capt), Kieran Treadwell, Sean Reidy, Jordi Murphy, Marcell Coetzee;

Replacements: Rory Best, Eric O’Sullivan, Ross Kane, Ian Nagle, Nick Timoney, David Shanahan, Johnny McPhillips, Jacob Stockdale.
 
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