MARCELL COETZEE HAS handed Ulster a welcome early-season boost as the Springbok flanker prepares to make his long-awaited injury comeback in the province’s clash with Wasps tomorrow evening.
Coetzee missed the entirety of last season after further damaging a knee ligament problem in the campaign opener against the Cheetahs, and has played just five times for Ulster since February 2017.
The 27-year-old, who has been capped 28 times by South Africa, required ‘revision surgery’ on his left knee and was sidelined for nine months, but is now back to full fitness ahead of the new season.
Coetzee has been named to start at blindside flanker for Dan McFarland’s first game in charge of Ulster, as they round off their pre-season preparations with a final hit-out at the Ricoh Arena [7.30pm].
“It’s mentally challenging to come to a new club, you want to give back what they invest in you, and then bad luck comes your way,” Coetzee said back in May.
“It’s character-building at the end of the day, I’ve learnt a lot about life in the last two years. It has all been very frustrating, this past year watching the boys play.”
With summer signing Jordi Murphy still unavailable, Coetzee is joined in the back row by Sean Reidy at openside and Nick Timoney — again impressive in the defeat to Gloucester last weekend — at number eight.
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New arrivals Will Addison and Marty Moore will make their first starts for the province, with the latter coming up against the club with whom he spent two years before returning home to Ireland.
Dan McFarland will take charge of his first game on Friday after arriving earlier this week. Ulster Rugby / John Dickson/INPHO
Ulster Rugby / John Dickson/INPHO / John Dickson/INPHO
Out-half Billy Burns went off injured at Kingspan Stadiun last Saturday and as Ulster continue to monitor his fitness, Johnny McPhillips gets the chance to stake his claim for selection for next weekend’s Pro14 opener against Scarlets.
McPhillips and Jonny Stewart make up a youthful half-back pairing, with Stuart McCloskey, fresh off signing a new contract during the week, and Craig Gilroy named in the backline.
Alan O’Connor will once again captain the side from the second row, with Ireland international Kieran Treadwell selected to partner him in the engine room.
Wasps, meanwhile, have named captain Joe Launchbury and fellow England summer tourists Elliot Daly, Dan Robson and Nathan Hughes in their side for the pre-season fixture.
The Premiership outfit were put to the sword by Andy Friend’s Connacht in Athlone last weekend, conceding seven tries en route to a heavy defeat.
Ulster:
15. Will Addison
14. Craig Gilroy
13. Stewart Moore
12. Stuart McCloskey
11. Angus Kernohan
10. Johnny McPhillips
9. Jonny Stewart
1. Eric O’Sullivan
2. John Andrew
3. Marty Moore
4. Alan O’Connor (captain)
5. Kieran Treadwell
6. Marcell Coetzee
7. Sean Reidy
8. Nick Timoney.
Replacements: Adam McBurney, Andrew Warwick, Tom O’Toole, Alex Thompson, Caleb Montgomery, David Shanahan, Angus Curtis, Darren Cave, Greg Jones, Chris Henry, Jack Owens.
Wasps:
15. Rob Miller
14. Christian Wade
13. Elliot Daly
12. Juan De Jongh
11. Josh Bassett
10. Billy Searle
9. Dan Robson
1. Ben Harris
2. Tom Cruse
3. Kieran Brookes
4. Joe Launchbury (captain)
5. Will Rowlands
6. Nizaam Carr
7. Joe Atkinson
8. Nathan Hughes
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Coetzee to make long-awaited injury return in Ulster's final pre-season outing
MARCELL COETZEE HAS handed Ulster a welcome early-season boost as the Springbok flanker prepares to make his long-awaited injury comeback in the province’s clash with Wasps tomorrow evening.
Coetzee missed the entirety of last season after further damaging a knee ligament problem in the campaign opener against the Cheetahs, and has played just five times for Ulster since February 2017.
The 27-year-old, who has been capped 28 times by South Africa, required ‘revision surgery’ on his left knee and was sidelined for nine months, but is now back to full fitness ahead of the new season.
Coetzee has been named to start at blindside flanker for Dan McFarland’s first game in charge of Ulster, as they round off their pre-season preparations with a final hit-out at the Ricoh Arena [7.30pm].
“It’s mentally challenging to come to a new club, you want to give back what they invest in you, and then bad luck comes your way,” Coetzee said back in May.
“It’s character-building at the end of the day, I’ve learnt a lot about life in the last two years. It has all been very frustrating, this past year watching the boys play.”
With summer signing Jordi Murphy still unavailable, Coetzee is joined in the back row by Sean Reidy at openside and Nick Timoney — again impressive in the defeat to Gloucester last weekend — at number eight.
New arrivals Will Addison and Marty Moore will make their first starts for the province, with the latter coming up against the club with whom he spent two years before returning home to Ireland.
Out-half Billy Burns went off injured at Kingspan Stadiun last Saturday and as Ulster continue to monitor his fitness, Johnny McPhillips gets the chance to stake his claim for selection for next weekend’s Pro14 opener against Scarlets.
McPhillips and Jonny Stewart make up a youthful half-back pairing, with Stuart McCloskey, fresh off signing a new contract during the week, and Craig Gilroy named in the backline.
Alan O’Connor will once again captain the side from the second row, with Ireland international Kieran Treadwell selected to partner him in the engine room.
Wasps, meanwhile, have named captain Joe Launchbury and fellow England summer tourists Elliot Daly, Dan Robson and Nathan Hughes in their side for the pre-season fixture.
The Premiership outfit were put to the sword by Andy Friend’s Connacht in Athlone last weekend, conceding seven tries en route to a heavy defeat.
Ulster:
15. Will Addison
14. Craig Gilroy
13. Stewart Moore
12. Stuart McCloskey
11. Angus Kernohan
10. Johnny McPhillips
9. Jonny Stewart
1. Eric O’Sullivan
2. John Andrew
3. Marty Moore
4. Alan O’Connor (captain)
5. Kieran Treadwell
6. Marcell Coetzee
7. Sean Reidy
8. Nick Timoney.
Replacements: Adam McBurney, Andrew Warwick, Tom O’Toole, Alex Thompson, Caleb Montgomery, David Shanahan, Angus Curtis, Darren Cave, Greg Jones, Chris Henry, Jack Owens.
Wasps:
15. Rob Miller
14. Christian Wade
13. Elliot Daly
12. Juan De Jongh
11. Josh Bassett
10. Billy Searle
9. Dan Robson
1. Ben Harris
2. Tom Cruse
3. Kieran Brookes
4. Joe Launchbury (captain)
5. Will Rowlands
6. Nizaam Carr
7. Joe Atkinson
8. Nathan Hughes
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