Updates from Ulster’s game with the Bulls in South Africa and today’s four Sports Direct Premiership games.
Vodacom Bulls
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Ulster
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Seb de Klerk dots down in the corner…
But there was a foot in touch. Bulls must settle for a five-metre scrum
Sean Reffell concedes a penalty 25 metres from the sticks. The Bulls kick for touch
Nathan Doak gets the game underway
It’s 25 degrees in Pretoria but the altitude of 1,350m above sea level will be draining particularly for the visitors.
Iain Henderson leads Ulster onto the pitch in Pretoria. It’s fair to say they are up against it here with the Bulls team packed full of Springboks. South Africa have just won the Rugby Championship
We’re focusing on Ulster’s URC game in South Africa today, but we’ll also keep one eye on the Sports Direct Premiership.
There are four games today with Ballymena United hosting Loughgall, managerless Carrick Rangers at home to Cliftonville, Crusaders welcome Coleraine and Glenavon face Portadown in the Mid-Ulster derby. All four kick-off at 3pm
Ulster can be in the hunt for silverware a lot sooner than some think: Louis Ludik
It’s half an hour to kick-off in South Africa. Here’s some pre-match reading
Ulster head coach Richie Murphy has shuffled his pack and handed three first starts – including one full debut – in Saturday’s United Rugby Championship clash with the Vodacom Bulls at Loftus Versfeld Stadium (3pm NI time).
Academy second row Charlie Irvine will make his first appearance for the province having been named in the pack, while hooker James McCormick and centre Ben Carson have also been named in the run-on team for the first time.
There is the potential for another two debuts off the bench as well, with short-term medical cover signing Tadhg McElroy and Academy fly-half James Humphreys among the replacements.
There is also the potential for a first involvement in an Ulster matchday squad for Ben Moxham in ten months as he has been named on the bench, the utility back finally recovered after suffering an ACL tear in their game against Edinburgh in December 2023.
The starting trio are three of nine changes to the team that lost to the Emirates Lions a week ago as Murphy rotates his panel for the second game of their South African double-header.
Irvine is partnered by captain Iain Henderson in the engine room as they replace Alan O’Connor and Kieran Treadwell, with McCormick coming in for John Andrew at hooker and Carson replacing Ireland centre Stuart McCloskey, who suffered right knee and ankle injuries against the Lions, for only his second provincial appearance.
There are also recalls for Mike Lowry, Nathan Doak, Corrie Barrett, James McNabney and David McCann, with the coaching staff clearly keen to keep their panel fresh.
Lowry comes in for Ethan McIlroy in a back three that also contains Werner Kok and Jacob Stockdale, with Stewart Moore partnering Carson in the midfield and fly-half Aidan Morgan continuing alongside Doak in the half-back pairing.
Loosehead prop Andrew Warwick and openside flanker Sean Reffell are the only players to retain their jerseys in the pack, with Barrett coming in for Tom O’Toole at tighthead, McNabney at blindside flanker ahead of Matty Rea and McCann packing down at number eight in place of Nick Timoney.
Hooker McElroy and fly-half Humphreys will hope they get their first taste of Ulster action in the latter stages of the game and are joined by a strong bench that includes Ireland internationals O’Toole and Timoney, with Eric O’Sullivan, O’Connor and Dave Shanahan also named along with the returning Moxham.
Meanwhile, the Bulls are fully loaded and have named all eight of their Springbok internationals in their matchday squad, although former Ulster back row Marcell Coetzee has been omitted from the team.
TEAMS
Ulster: (15-9) M Lowry; W Kok, S Moore, B Carson, J Stockdale; A Morgan, N Doak; (1-8) A Warwick, J McCormick, C Barrett; I Henderson (captain), C Irvine; J McNabney, S Reffell, D McCann.
Replacements: T McElroy, E O’Sullivan, T O’Toole, A O’Connor, N Timoney, D Shanahan, J Humphreys, B Moxham.
Bulls: (15-9) W le Roux; S de Klerk, C Moodie, D Kriel, K-L Arendse; B Chamberlain, E Papier; (1-8) G Steenekamp, J Grobbelaar, W Louw; C Wiese, R Nortje (captain); M van Staden, E Louw, C Hanekom.
Replacements: A van der Merwe, J-H Wessels, F Klopper, S Manjezi, C Gumede, K Johannes, S Gans, A Dyantyi.