Baloucoune And Nagle To Start For Ulster
Ulster head coach Dan McFarland has made three changes to the starting XV for Friday's mouth-watering GUINNESS PRO14 derby match against Munster at Kingspan Stadium (kick-off 7.35pm). Tickets are available at ulsterrugby.com/tickets.
Ulster head coach Dan McFarland has made three changes to the starting XV for Friday’s mouth-watering GUINNESS PRO14 derby match against Munster at Kingspan Stadium (kick-off 7.35pm). Tickets are available at ulsterrugby.com/tickets.
Two of the alterations to the side that saw off the Scarlets at the same venue last Friday are in the pack, with Rob Herring starting at hooker and taking over the captaincy, and lock Ian Nagle returning from injury to make his first start for the province.
Eric O’Sullivan and Martin Moore combine with Herring in the front row, while Kieran Treadwell will pack down beside a fully-fit Nagle in the second row. The loose forward combination of Sean Reidy, Jordi Murphy and Marcell Coetzee is unchanged.
Abbey Insurance Academy winger and Ireland Sevens international Robert Baloucoune comes into the back-line, picked on the left wing for his fourth run-out of the PRO14 season. The experienced Louis Ludik and Henry Speight complete the back-three.
The half-back axis of Billy Burns, Ulster’s man-of-the-match against the Scarlets last weekend, and John Cooney is retained along with the centre pairing of Will Addison and Stuart McCloskey who have scored five tries between them so far this term.
Regular captain Rory Best, Kyle McCall and Ross Kane are named as the front row replacements, while Clive Ross and Nick Timoney provide additional forward cover. 20-year-old Academy back James Hume is recalled to the matchday squad, with David Shanahan and Johnny McPhillips also included.
Enthused by the visible improvements in Ulster’s play in recent weeks, including the scrum, Best noted: “Marty Moore has stepped up and taken a big lead. He’s gotten himself match fit and got himself into a good place. Eric (O’Sullivan) takes in everything you say to him and wants to try to implement it.
“Before I went away in the autumn I just couldn’t get comfortable in the scrum with whatever was going on and the boys have worked unbelievably hard. From the first scrum when I came back from the internationals, you sorta fitted in and felt like, ‘this feels more like a scrum that can actually try and attack now’.
“We did really well bringing in Will Addison, purchasing somebody that brings leadership to the backs. Billy Burns, even though he is quite young, he brings a bit and is only going to get better.”
Commenting on Friday’s opponents, he added: “Munster are a quality outfit and they are going to be a test for us. There has to be a bit of a fear factor – if you don’t turn up Munster have more than enough firepower to turn you over. We had a fairly torrid time against them at the start of the season (losing 64-7 at Thomond Park).
“Overall, I think we’re in a good place and we’re starting to give supporters something to cheer about. The atmosphere for the Scarlets game was brilliant and we’re all looking forward to getting back out there on Friday night. We’ll be doing everything we can to ensure the fans go home happy.”
ULSTER (v Munster): Louis Ludik; Henry Speight, Will Addison, Stuart McCloskey, Robert Baloucoune; Billy Burns, John Cooney; Eric O’Sullivan, Rob Herring (capt), Martin Moore, Ian Nagle, Kieran Treadwell, Sean Reidy, Jordi Murphy, Marcell Coetzee.
Replacements: Rory Best, Kyle McCall, Ross Kane, Clive Ross, Nick Timoney, David Shanahan, Johnny McPhillips, James Hume.