Baloucoune to make first appearance of the season as McCloskey set for 200th Ulster cap

ULSTER WING ROBERT Baloucoune will make his first appearance of the season in Friday night’s crucial URC meeting with the Stormers at Kingspan Stadium [KO 7.35pm].

The 27-year-old speedster returns to action, having recovered from a long-term hamstring injury.

Baloucoune’s inclusion is one of five changes from the last-gasp win over Dragons last Saturday, while Stuart McCloskey is set for his 200th Ulster appearance.

Richie Murphy has been boosted by two other injury comebacks: Prop Andrew Warwick also returns to the starting XV, while hooker Tom Stewart is in line for his 50th cap from the bench. The duo last featured in January, before being sidelined with hamstring and ankle issues respectively.

John Cooney, who will depart for French club Brive at the end of the season, starts at scrum-half as Nathan Doak drops to the replacements. Kieran Treadwell and Matty Rea also return to the XV.

Murphy opts for a 5:3 split on the bench, as ninth-placed Ulster look to stay in contention for the URC play-offs against close rivals Stormers.

The South Africans have also named their team, with Suleiman Hartzenberg and Connor Evans both starting on their return from injury.

Ulster

15. Michael Lowry
14. Rob Baloucoune
13. James Hume
12. Stuart McCloskey
11. Jacob Stockdale
10. Jack Murphy
9. John Cooney

1. Andrew Warwick
2. Rob Herring
3. Tom O’Toole
4. Alan O’Connor (captain)
5. Kieran Treadwell
6. Matty Rea
7. Nick Timoney
8. David McCann

Replacements:

16. Tom Stewart
17. Callum Reid
18. Scott Wilson
19. Harry Sheridan
20. James McNabney
21. Nathan Doak
22. Ben Carson
23. Zac Ward

Stormers

15. Damian Willemse
14. Ben Loader
13. Suleiman Hartzenberg
12. Dan du Plessis
11. Leolin Zas
10. Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu
9. Dewaldt Duvenage

1. Ali Vermaak
2. Joseph Dweba
3. Neethling Fouche (captain)
4. Connor Evans
5. Ruben van Heerden
6. Dave Ewers
7. Marcel Theunissen
8. Evan Roos.

Replacements:

16. Andre-Hugo Venter
17. Brok Harris
18. Sazi Sandi
19. Gary Porter
20. Willie Engelbrecht
21. Paul de Wet
22. Jurie Matthee
23. Wandisile Simelane.