Categories: European Rugby Home Top News Provincial Ulster URC

Murphy Selects Much-Changed Ulster Side To Face Glasgow

Ulster's Zac Ward is pictured scoring his ninth try of the current BKT United Rugby Championship campaign ©Ramsey Cardy/Sportsfile

Ulster head coach Richie Murphy has made ten changes for Friday’s BKT United Rugby Championship final round clash with leaders Glasgow Warriors at Affidea Stadium (kick-off 7.45pm – limited tickets are available to buy here).

Murphy’s selection comes with one eye on next week’s EPCR Challenge Cup final against Montpellier in Bilbao. Captain Iain Henderson is also unavailable following his red card against the DHL Stormers, while Stuart McCloskey, Jacob Stockdale, and David McCann are all injured.

Ulster head into round 18 of the URC in eighth place, level on points with Cardiff above them, and a point ahead of provincial rivals Connacht in ninth. A positive result in Belfast would see them qualify for the league quarter-finals, and secure Champions Cup rugby for next season.

Academy duo Bryn Ward and Wilhelm de Klerk both feature in the starting XV, the latter making his first senior start in the centre alongside Ireland international James Hume, who returns from a neck injury.

Rob Herring, Ulster’s most-capped player of all-time, is back to full fitness too, coming in for his 270th appearance at hooker. Joining him in the front row are Tom O’Toole, who missed the dramatic draw with the Stormers through illness, and Sam Crean.

Charlie Irvine continues in the engine room, making his 10th start of the season. He is partnered by Harry Sheridan, with development forward Joe Hopes linking up in the back row with Ward and stand-in skipper Nick Timoney.

Jake Flannery and Conor McKee are the province’s starting half-backs, as they were away to Munster recently. Ulster are banking on more tries from their in-form back-three of Michael Lowry, Werner Kok, and Zac Ward, who crossed five times between them last week.

With a five-three split among the replacements, Tom Stewart, Australian international Angus Bell, Scott Wilson, Cormac Izuchukwu, and Lorcan McLoughlin are the forward options available to Murphy.

Nathan Doak, Ulster’s top scorer in the URC this season with 97 points, Jack Murphy, and Ethan McIlroy will cover the back-line, as Ulster aim to get back to winning ways in the Championship for the first time since late March’s victory over Zebre Parma.

ULSTER (v Glasgow Warriors): Michael Lowry; Werner Kok, James Hume, Wilhelm de Klerk, Zac Ward; Jake Flannery, Conor McKee; Sam Crean, Rob Herring, Tom O’Toole, Harry Sheridan, Charlie Irvine, Joe Hopes, Nick Timoney (capt), Bryn Ward.

Replacements: Tom Stewart, Angus Bell, Scott Wilson, Cormac Izuchukwu, Lorcan McLoughlin, Nathan Doak, Jack Murphy, Ethan McIlroy.