HEAD COACH DAN McFarland has named an Ulster team for the first time in six weeks, as they get set for a long-awaited return to action following the loss to Leinster on 8 January.
There’ll be a first outing as captain for flanker Jordi Murphy when the northern province take on Glasgow Warriors in the Guinness Pro14 at Scotstoun Stadium tomorrow night [KO 7.35pm, eir Sport 2].
The starting line-up also features three players who have been on Six Nations duty with Ireland in recent weeks, with one more selected among the replacements.
John Cooney and Eric O’Sullivan, who provided specialist cover for the defeat to France last weekend, are named at scrum-half and loosehead prop respectively.
Stuart McCloskey will start at centre, while prop Tom O’Toole is on the bench alongside academy lock Cormac Izuchukwu, who’ll make his senior debut if called upon.
Having recovered from a back injury, wing Rob Lyttle returns from a two-month absence.
Ulster:
15. Michael Lowry
14. Craig Gilroy
13. James Hume
12. Stuart McCloskey
11. Rob Lyttle
10. Ian Madigan
9. John Cooney
1. Eric O’Sullivan
2. John Andrew
3. Marty Moore
4. Alan O’Connor
5. Kieran Treadwell
6. Nick Timoney
7. Jordi Murphy (captain)
8. Marcell Coetzee
Replacements:
16. Adam McBurney
17. Andrew Warwick
18. Tom O’Toole
19. Cormac Izuchukwu
20. Greg Jones
21. Alby Mathewson
22. Stewart Moore
23. Matt Faddes
Glasgow Warriors:
15. Huw Jones
14. Ratu Tagive
13. Robbie Fergusson
12. Sam Johnson
11. Rufus McLean
10. Adam Hastings
9. Jamie Dobie
1. Oli Kebble
2. Johnny Matthews
3. Enrique Pieretto
4. Richie Gray
5. Leone Nakarawa
6. Rob Harley
7. Thomas Gordon
8. Ryan Wilson (captain)
Replacements:
16. Grant Stewart
17. Aki Seiuli
18. D’arcy Rae
19. James Scott
20. TJ Ioane
21. Sean Kennedy
22. Ross Thompson
23. Ollie Smith
Criminal how Irish rugby treats John cooney..
@Padjo Mulk: I dunno what makes John Cooney continually join up with the Irish squad, knowing he will never get a decent craic of the whip like the others, maddening stuff!!
Looks like Bill Johnston not playing again & no sign of a contract renewal. Looks like he will be away at the end of the season, which is shame. Looking forward to Cormac getting a debut, looked good in the A game. Need 5 points to keep pressure on Leinster
@Patrick Corrigan: Scottish ref, touch judges and TMO. Can’t see any chance of 5 points!
@Trevor Johnston: same clown who took the England Italy game
@Sam Murray: He was the first Scottish ref to ref a 6 nations game in 19 years. Scottish refs have been poor for 2 decades and it effects the Pro 14. People complain about not having neutral refs, but when an Irish Province plays a Welsh region, it means the ref has to come from Scotland or Italy (people also complain and touch judges and 4th official as well) if the 4 provinces are playing the 4 welsh regions how are you goimg to get 16 scottish and Italian officials that are up to standard? Getting 4 would be good going.
@Patrick Corrigan: only contracts not done yet is Matt Faddes, Alby Mathewson, Louis Ludik
Bill Johnston, Ross Kane, Adam McBurney and Kyle McCall.
Some will retire others moved on.
Henderson reported to be on a 2 year central contract. Would have liked Mathewson for another year. McBurney would do a good job at another province, is better than 3rd choice any others have.
@Kingshu: can’t see faddes getting a contract even though he’s been better this season, just too much up and coming talent in the back line. I heard klye is retiring at the end of this season. With Shannon kept on, doak coming through, Cooney not getting called for up for ireland don’t see alby being kept on (would be nice if he was). Can’t see any of them getting contracts at this stage
@Patrick Corrigan: Alby would be an asset to any club imo but at 35 his age is against him.
@TL55: at 35 for one more year it wouldn’t be an issue for me. At present Cooney is 1st choice, the IRFU allowed Ulster a 4th NIQ but can only have 3 in a matchday, meaning Mathewson has only played 2/3 games for Ulster. Next year Doak will be getting games and will quickly leapfrog Shanahan. If Faddes goes, Mathewson may be used more, and it at start of year I can see Mathewson being on bench for big games, but by end of the year it would hopefully be Doak. As it stands it will be Shannahan on bench, but I see Doak becoming 2nd choice more quickly.
@Kingshu: it’s not only 3 NIQ in match day squads it is 3 non EU citizens, Saffas count as EU due to Kolpak agreement.
@Michael Bryson: Where do Ulster stand regarding EU regulations? Six counties in the UK and three in the EU. The NI protocol further muddying the waters. I wouldn’t want to calculate the legal costs if that ever went to court.
@Sustainable Hedgehog: the NI protocol means that NI is following most EU regulations so in effect its in the EU. I think in this case re player eligibility British citizens would also be classed as EU.
@Michael Bryson: the protocol is for the single market, so would that cover Labour laws cover that? The UK copied most eu laws, so currently it would be the same, but the UK could change their their law and then my head explodes!
@Kingshu:
I would definitely keep Alby for another year he is a fantastic back up player for Cooney and brings great tempo and decision making.
I also would not have given Shanners another years contract although I think that is more a sweetheart golden handshake deal and he will leave at the end of the one year extension.
The reason being that there are two scrumhalfs in the academy and both look really good, especially Doak but Finlay was also the Irish u20’s first choice.
Kyle McCall and Ross Kane have never shown that they can command a place as even third choice and they need to move on to free up spaces and finance.
Calum Reid has a chance to prove he can surpass McCall in the loosehead
I’m delighted to see Izuchukwu on the bench. He’s a great prospect and perfectly suited to the modern lock forward role. Hopefully he’ll get plenty of minutes this season.
@Sustainable Hedgehog:
Yes it will be good to get a look at him.
He certainly has the step and pace and it remains to be judged what he is like in the power stakes.
We wish him well