Ulster will have to be without scrum-half John Cooney for Sunday’s European Champions Cup clash against Toulouse after he was ruled out with a hamstring injury sustained in last week’s defeat to Leinster.
The former Ireland international was pressed into action on the wing during the inter-provincial clash at Ravenhill due to other injuries but would depart the game injured himself late on.
Now he will miss the trip to the Stade Ernest-Wallon at the weekend as Richie Murphy’s side begin their European campaign in earnest against the defending champions and current Top14 leaders.
In Cooney’s absence, Nathan Doak looks set to get the start, although he perhaps would have been the incumbent anyway given he was handed the shirt against Leinster.
Meanwhile, Murphy will have to make changes in his back three after Ben Moxham was ruled out long-term after suffering a “significant right knee injury” last Friday, which will require him seeing a surgeon.
With Robert Baloucoune, Ethan McIlroy and Jacob Stockdale all out injured and Aaron Sexton reportedly leaving the province to pursue a place on the NFL’s International Player Pathway, it leaves the head coach very short on options.
While Werner Kok has been passed fit after being an early withdrawal from the Leinster game and former Ireland Sevens star Zac Ward is back in training after suffering a concussion on Ulster ‘A’ duty, it still doesn’t give Murphy much to choose from.
Ulster will have all of their Ireland internationals available for the trip to France, with Iain Henderson, Rob Herring, Cormac Izuchuwku, Stuart McCloskey and Tom O’Toole all in line to feature.