20-YEAR-OLD out-half Jack Murphy will make his first Champions Cup start for Ulster in their final Champions Cup pool game against Exeter in Belfast tomorrow night [KO 8pm, Premier Sports].
Murphy joined the Ulster academy last summer and has made swift progress recently under his father, head coach Richie Murphy.
The former Ireland U20 international started for the first time against Connacht in the URC last month, made his Champions Cup debut off the bench last weekend against Leicester, and is now handed the number 1o shirt again as Aidan Morgan drops out of the matchday 23.
Ulster can mathematically still qualify for the Champions Cup Round of 16 despite having zero match points from their three pool games so far, but it would take a huge victory over Exeter and for the Sharks to get no match points against Bordeaux on Sunday to achieve that.
However, Murphy’s men know that a win of any kind against Exeter would guarantee them a place in the Challenge Cup Round of 16.
Advertisement
The Ulster boss has welcomed Ireland hooker Rob Herring back from injury in his starting XV, while wing Michael Lowry and fullback Stewart Moore are also fit again and named in the team.
The bench includes wing Rob Lyttle, who left Ulster in 2023 but has been playing in the AIL with Banbridge RFC and recently re-joined on a short-term deal as emergency injury cover. Also among the Ulster replacements are the fit-again hooker Tom Stewart and out-half Jake Flannery.
Meanwhile, Exeter have heavily rotated their team to face Ulster with 12 changes from last weekend’s hammering at the hands of Bordeaux.
Ex-Leinster flanker Martin Moloney starts at blindside flanker, Belfast native Niall Armstrong is at scrum-half, and former Leinster lock Jack Dunne is among the replacements.
Ulster:
15. Stewart Moore
14. Werner Kok
13. Ben Carson
12. Jude Postlethwaite
11. Michael Lowry
10. Jack Murphy
9. Nathan Doak
1. Eric O’Sullivan
2. Rob Herring
3. Scott Wilson
4. Iain Henderson (captain)
5. Cormac Izuchukwu
6. James McNabney
7. Nick Timoney
8. David McCann
Replacements:
16. Tom Stewart
17. Callum Reid
18. Corrie Barrett
19. Kieran Treadwell
20. Harry Sheridan
21. John Cooney
22. Jake Flannery
23. Rob Lyttle
Exeter:
15. Harvey Skinner
14. Ben Hammersley
13. Joe Hawkins
12. Will Rigg
11. Paul Brown-Bampoe
10. Will Haydon-Wood
9. Niall Armstrong
1. Will Goodrick-Clarke
2. Jack Innard (captain)
3. Josh Iosefa-Scott
4. Rusi Tuima
5. Christ Tshiunza
6. Martin Moloney
7. Richard Capstick
8. Ross Vintcent
Replacements:
16. Max Norey
17. Kwenzo Blose
18. Jimmy Roots
19. Jack Dunne
20. Lewis Pearson
21. Joe Bailey
22. Tom Cairns
23. Zack Wimbush
To embed this post, copy the code below on your site
Close
16 Comments
This is YOUR comments community. Stay civil, stay constructive, stay on topic.
Please familiarise yourself with our comments policy
here
before taking part.
20-year-old Murphy starts at 10 for Ulster against Exeter
20-YEAR-OLD out-half Jack Murphy will make his first Champions Cup start for Ulster in their final Champions Cup pool game against Exeter in Belfast tomorrow night [KO 8pm, Premier Sports].
Murphy joined the Ulster academy last summer and has made swift progress recently under his father, head coach Richie Murphy.
The former Ireland U20 international started for the first time against Connacht in the URC last month, made his Champions Cup debut off the bench last weekend against Leicester, and is now handed the number 1o shirt again as Aidan Morgan drops out of the matchday 23.
Ulster can mathematically still qualify for the Champions Cup Round of 16 despite having zero match points from their three pool games so far, but it would take a huge victory over Exeter and for the Sharks to get no match points against Bordeaux on Sunday to achieve that.
However, Murphy’s men know that a win of any kind against Exeter would guarantee them a place in the Challenge Cup Round of 16.
The Ulster boss has welcomed Ireland hooker Rob Herring back from injury in his starting XV, while wing Michael Lowry and fullback Stewart Moore are also fit again and named in the team.
The bench includes wing Rob Lyttle, who left Ulster in 2023 but has been playing in the AIL with Banbridge RFC and recently re-joined on a short-term deal as emergency injury cover. Also among the Ulster replacements are the fit-again hooker Tom Stewart and out-half Jake Flannery.
Meanwhile, Exeter have heavily rotated their team to face Ulster with 12 changes from last weekend’s hammering at the hands of Bordeaux.
Ex-Leinster flanker Martin Moloney starts at blindside flanker, Belfast native Niall Armstrong is at scrum-half, and former Leinster lock Jack Dunne is among the replacements.
Ulster:
15. Stewart Moore
14. Werner Kok
13. Ben Carson
12. Jude Postlethwaite
11. Michael Lowry
10. Jack Murphy
9. Nathan Doak
1. Eric O’Sullivan
2. Rob Herring
3. Scott Wilson
4. Iain Henderson (captain)
5. Cormac Izuchukwu
6. James McNabney
7. Nick Timoney
8. David McCann
Replacements:
16. Tom Stewart
17. Callum Reid
18. Corrie Barrett
19. Kieran Treadwell
20. Harry Sheridan
21. John Cooney
22. Jake Flannery
23. Rob Lyttle
Exeter:
15. Harvey Skinner
14. Ben Hammersley
13. Joe Hawkins
12. Will Rigg
11. Paul Brown-Bampoe
10. Will Haydon-Wood
9. Niall Armstrong
1. Will Goodrick-Clarke
2. Jack Innard (captain)
3. Josh Iosefa-Scott
4. Rusi Tuima
5. Christ Tshiunza
6. Martin Moloney
7. Richard Capstick
8. Ross Vintcent
Replacements:
16. Max Norey
17. Kwenzo Blose
18. Jimmy Roots
19. Jack Dunne
20. Lewis Pearson
21. Joe Bailey
22. Tom Cairns
23. Zack Wimbush
Referee: Hollie Davidson [Scotland].
To embed this post, copy the code below on your site
exeter Team news Ulster