
Ulster hand final appearances to two departing players in last game of season
Second row Treadwell, who is headed back to Harlequins, will end his Ulster career with 179 appearances, while double-centurion Warwick is making his 212th appearance for the only club he has represented in his career.
That means that Ulster fans have seen the last of John Cooney, who was always unlikely to play having been injured the last few weeks, as well as Corrie Barrett, Reuben Crothers, Michael McDonald, Alan O'Connor and Matty Rea.
Head coach Richie Murphy has made four changes to the side that lost at Thomond Park last week, with Rob Baloucoune, James McNabney, Rea and Scott Wilson all rotating out of the line-up.
South African winger Werner Kok comes back into the starting team in place of Baloucoune, with Michael Lowry and Jacob Stockdale rounding out the back three, with the pairings of Stuart McCloskey and Jude Postlethwaite in the centre and Nathan Doak and Jack Murphy at half-back unchanged.
Ireland tighthead prop Tom O'Toole is the only alteration the front row as he comes in for Wilson, with the departing Warwick and Ireland hooker Rob Herring packing down alongside him, with captain Iain Henderson partnering Treadwell in the second row.
Cormac Izuchukwu moves from the second row to blindside flank to accommodate Treadwell, with Rea dropping out of the squad altogether and McNabney relegated to the bench to allow David McCann to start at number eight, with Nick Timoney continuing at openside flanker.
Wilson and McNabney are both included among the replacements, with Tom Stewart and Callum Reid joining the former as front row substitutes and Harry Sheridan, making his first senior appearance since March, alongside McNabney as loose forward options.
In the backs, scrum-half Dave Shanahan is in line to move one cap away from a century should he be called upon, with fly-half Aidan Morgan and utility back Stewart Moore rounding out the squad.
ULSTER: (15-9) M Lowry; W Kok, J Postlethwaite, S McCloskey, J Stockdale; J Murphy, N Doak; (1-8) A Warwick, R Herring, T O'Toole; K Treadwell, I Henderson (captain); C Izuchuwku, N Timoney, D McCann.
Replacements: T Stewart, C Reid, S Wilson, H Sheridan, J McNabney, D Shanahan, A Morgan, S Moore.
EDINBURGH: (15-9) W Goosen; D Graham, M Currie, J Lang, H Paterson; R Thompson, A Price; (1-8) P Schoeman, E Ashman, D Rae; M Sykes, S Skinner; B Muncaster, H Watson, M Bradbury (captain).

Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles


Scotsman
a day ago
- Scotsman
Rangers v Club Brugge injury news: 8 out and 3 doubts as Russell Martin sweats over key duo at Ibrox
Rangers will look to take a huge step towards qualification for the 2025/26 Champions League as they welcome Club Brugge in the first leg of the qualifying playoff at Ibrox on Tuesday (kick-off: 8pm). Russell Martin's side were able to get back to winning ways against Alloa Athletic in the Premier Sports Cup on Saturday evening, but were less than convincing as they defeated lower league opposition 4-2 thanks to goals from Nedim Bajrami, Emmanuel Fernandez, James Tavernier and Findlay Curtis. As for their visitors Club Brugge, they arrive in Govan on a high following their last-gasp victory over Zulte Waregem, with South African youngster Shandre Campbell bagging an injury-time goal to hand them a dramatic 1-0 win at the Elindus Arena. Ahead of the game at Ibrox, The Scotsman has all the latest team news: 1 . Michal Skoras - Club Brugge - DOUBT The Polish midfielder is a doubt for the game with a knock. | BELGA/AFP via Getty Images Photo Sales 2 . Thelo Aasgaard - Rangers - AVAILABLE Made his competitive debut for Rangers in Saturday's win over Alloa Athletic following his recovery from injury. Will be part of the squad for the clash with Club Brugge. | SNS Group Photo: SNS Group Photo Sales 3 . Ridvan Yilmaz - Rangers - INELIGBLE Left out of the squad for the Champions League, and unlikely to be seen in royal blue again. Linked to Besiktas. | SNS Group Photo: SNS Group Photo Sales 4 . Joel Ordonez - Club Brugge - OUT Ecuadorian defender Joel Ordonez is missing due to a hamstring injury, but could return in time for the second leg. | BELGA/AFP via Getty Images Photo Sales


Wales Online
a day ago
- Wales Online
World Rugby announce seismic change to rankings as world order ripped up
World Rugby announce seismic change to rankings as world order ripped up South Africa were stunned by the Wallabies in their opening Rugby Championship match on Saturday and it's had a big impact on the World Rugby rankings table The Springboks were stunned by Australia in Johannesburg South Africa have been dethroned as the highest-ranked team in world rugby, with their shock defeat to Australia seeing them fall in the latest global rankings. Rassie Erasmus' side were stunned by the Wallabies in their opening Rugby Championship match at Ellis Park on Saturday, having raced into a commanding 22-0 lead in the opening quarter. Despite looking in full control of the contest at that point, however, the Springboks fell apart as the visitors scored an unanswered 38 points to seal a shock win, their first on South African soil in 14 years. The shock loss left Erasmus furious as he labelled his side's performance as 'dogs***' in his post-match press conference, while captain Siya Kolisi apologised to fans for what he described as an "unacceptable" display. However, not only does the result put a dent in the Springboks' hopes of winning a second successive Rugby Championship title, it has also had repercussions for their global standing, with their nine-month run at the top of the world rankings now over. Sign up to Inside Welsh rugby on Substack to get exclusive news stories and insight from behind the scenes in Welsh rugby. Erasmus' men have not just fallen to second however, but to third, the first time they have been at that position since the start of the 2023 Rugby World Cup, which they went on to win. They have been replaced at the top of the table by New Zealand, who become the highest-ranked team in the world for the first time since 2021 having beaten Argentina in their Rugby Championship opener at the weekend. Article continues below There is some distance between the All Blacks and Ireland, who have also leapfrogged the Springboks to move up into second place, with 2.68 ranking points separating them. For context, 2.19 ranking points currently separate Andy Farrell's side and the rest of the global top five. The shock result has also unsurprisingly benefitted Australia's global standing with Schmidt's side moving closer to the top five teams in the world having banked an extra three ranking points. They have moved well clear of Argentina, with the Pumas' loss to the All Blacks seeing them slip further behind the Wallabies after losing points. Of course, the Springboks could well bounce back in the coming weeks and will at least move back up to second if they can get revenge on Australia in the second Test in Cape Town on Saturday. A win could even see them reclaim top spot almost immediately, but that would require Argentina to also beat New Zealand by at least 16 points. After his side moved top of the world rankings by beating the Pumas, All Blacks head coach Scott Robertson admitted the change had caught him by surprise. 'It's actually something we just learned, because you just told us,' he told reporters after the match. 'Look, it shows how tough Test footy is and the margins. "Argentina were great tonight and defended really, really well, and were passionate – just like the Springboks were too. 'A moment, discipline, a card, great play, two or three tries back to back can turn Test matches,' Robertson added. 'We're pleased we're No.1, but our sights are settled on next week's match, rather than rankings.' Article continues below The latest World Rugby rankings (August 18)


Belfast Telegraph
a day ago
- Belfast Telegraph
Tasting Ulster Rally and Irish Tarmac Rally Championship joy on same weekend the stuff of dreams, hails Callum Devine
Devine was once again at his imperious best, conquering 12 challenging special stages spread across Friday and Saturday in the Newry and Banbridge areas to finish top of the timesheets, 21.4 seconds faster than the C&M Motorsport-owned Hyundai i20 N Rally2 of runner-up and event returnee Osian Pryce. Early nerves culminated in him boiling the brakes on his Skoda Fabia RS Rally2 on the opening test and damaging the right rear wheel on the second run after getting out of line just a fraction. He also had a tetchy final few miles over 'Bronte Homeland II' when the pop-off valve on the engine of his Czech-made supermini began to play up. Apart from this, the Claudy man enjoyed a relatively straightforward run to the finish at the Northern Ireland Motor Club showpiece with co-driver Noel O'Sullivan to end the long wait to add his name to the Ulster Rally trophy. He also joins a list of greats including Stig Blomqvist and Walter Rohrl, Jimmy McRae and his late son Colin, as well as current FIA World Rally Championship stars Elfyn Evans and Adrien Fourmaux, who are part of the Toyota and Hyundai works squad respectively. It also took the 31-year-old's run of international successes in 2025 to four on the bounce having triumphed at April's Circuit of Ireland Rally, May's Rally of the Lakes in Killarney and June's Donegal Rally where he became only the fourth person in history to retain the Jim Kennedy Perpetual Trophy for a third consecutive season. 'The Ulster has been a brilliant event, and it was one we came into knowing that we could wrap up the Irish Tarmac Championship, so trying to manage that and get a first Ulster Rally win was tough,' said Devine. 'It was great to get both in the end at what has been a faultless event – it has been brilliant. 'The stages were fantastic, they were really good driving stages. I really enjoyed both days and, obviously, I am happy with the final result.' Although settled weather made for an unusually dry Ulster Rally and strategy and tyre choice for the 100 competitive miles more straightforward compared to previous instalments, Devine insisted it was still a challenge keeping his Skoda out in front and away from potential hazards with so much at stake. 'It takes a big effort to make it all happen,' said the No.1 seed. 'And to get four international wins and a first Ulster win and a second Tarmac title on the same weekend, it is the stuff of dreams. 'It's been a great year for us – we didn't actually plan a Championship campaign, but when we won in Killarney, it gave us an incentive, and to win four rounds on the bounce is incredible and my first Ulster Rally win just tops it all off. 'Everything was faultless – Noel reading the notes, the team, my family. Like I said, it is a big effort from everyone to pull it all together.'