Robert Baloucoune is pictured in possession for Ulster during last month's home victory over Racing 92 in the EPCR Challenge Cup ©Ramsey Cardy/Sportsfile
Robert Baloucoune will return from a shoulder injury when Ulster host Stade Français Paris in Saturday’s Pool 3 decider in the EPCR Challenge Cup at Affidea Stadium (kick-off 1pm). Limited tickets are still available here.
Head coach Richie Murphy has made wholesale changes to the team selected for last week’s cancelled match against the Toyota Cheetahs, while there are three alterations to the side that beat Munster 28-3 a fortnight ago.
Baloucoune, Harry Sheridan, and David McCann come into the starting XV for the round 4 fixture which is a fight for top spot in the pool and one of the top seedings for April’s round of 16.
Ulster, who trail unbeaten leaders Stade by three points, hand Australia international Angus Bell his third start since his arrival in Belfast. Tom O’Toole and Tom Stewart, fresh from signing a contract extension, complete the front row.
Sheridan starts alongside captain Iain Henderson at lock, and in a combative back row, McCann and Nick Timoney combine with Academy forward Bryn Ward, the player-of-the-match in Ulster’s last home game against Munster.
Nathan Doak is set for his 99th senior appearance in Ulster colours, continuing his half-back partnership with Jack Murphy. Outside them are the experienced all-international centre pairing of James Hume and Stuart McCloskey.
Baloucoune replaces Werner Kok on the right wing, Zac Ward, the scorer of four tries last month against Racing 92 and Connacht, starts on the left, and Jacob Stockdale anchors the back-three at full-back.
The fit-again Sean Reffell is set to feature as a replacement, getting his first match minutes since last month’s defeat to Cardiff. He is part of a five-three split on the bench as the province look to end the pool stages on a high.
The other forward options are Rob Herring, who has extended his contract with Ulster, Eric O’Sullivan, Scott Wilson, and Matthew Dalton. Conor McKee, Jake Flannery, and Jude Postlethwaite will provide the back-line cover.
Eager to maintain their recent momentum, with five home wins out of five so far this season, head coach Murphy said: “Firstly, home advantage is a huge thing. The Affidea has been fantastic for us this year.
“The crowd have really got in behind the team, and we’ll need that again on Saturday. But to try and finish top of the group will be a massive advantage. It would definitely help us finish on top.
“So, if we finish by winning the game this weekend, we’ll definitely finish in the top three seeds, which means that we control the next few opportunities that we have in this competition.”
He added: “Although we did talk about the URC being our priority, we were never discarding this competition.
“It was always just a case of picking a team that we felt was good enough to go out and win, and we have done that in every game that we’ve had in this competition.
“So, this week, after the rest because we didn’t play last week, more or less a fully-fit squad to pick from. The atmosphere is good in camp, and we move on very quickly from what happened last weekend into preparing for Stade.”
ULSTER (v Stade Français Paris): Jacob Stockdale; Robert Baloucoune, James Hume, Stuart McCloskey, Zac Ward; Jack Murphy, Nathan Doak; Angus Bell, Tom Stewart, Tom O’Toole, Iain Henderson (capt), Harry Sheridan, David McCann, Nick Timoney, Bryn Ward.
Replacements: Rob Herring, Eric O’Sullivan, Scott Wilson, Matthew Dalton, Sean Reffell, Conor McKee, Jake Flannery, Jude Postlethwaite.
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