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BBC News
25-04-2025
- Sport
- BBC News
Ulster 'playing knockout rugby now'
United Rugby Championship: Ulster v SharksVenue: Kingspan Stadium, Belfast Date: Saturday, 26 April Kick-off: 19:35 BSTCoverage: Watch live on iPlayer, BBC Two NI & online, follow live text and watch highlights on BBC Sport website & app Ulster hooker Tom Stewart believes his side are playing "knockout rugby" going into their United Rugby Championship game against Sharks on results in the URC on Friday night, Ulster are 11th in the league standings, three points outside the all-important top they host the Sharks in Belfast this weekend, Richie Murphy's side finish their campaign away to Munster and Edinburgh, with Stewart feeling they are in must-win territory if they are to stand a chance of making the play-offs."I feel it's knockout rugby now, we're at a stage we need to win all these games to guarantee us going through," he told BBC Sport NI."It's nice to have that, it also puts a bit of added pressure, but one we can hopefully step up to." 'I'd love to get back in an Ireland squad' Stewart knows the Sharks will be a tough test given the number of South African internationals they have in their squad with nine World Cup winners named in their starting line-up for Saturday. But after facing a Leinster side stacked with Irish internationals last weekend, he hopes Ulster will be prepared for the challenge ahead."It's nice playing Ireland one week and South Africa the next!" he joked."We're delighted to be back at home and take it to them. There are opportunities there to go at them, they're a big pack and they'll want to go at us."They have a good scrum and a good maul, but it's a challenge we're excited for."Stewart still harbours ambitions of getting back into the Ireland squad after missing out on the Six Nations amid an injury-wrecked season that has restricted his game time at Kingspan back fully fit, some good displays in Ulster's last three games will surely put him in contention for the squad to take on Georgia and Portugal in the summer, when so many Irish players are expected to be on British and Irish Lions duty."I'd love to get back into a squad but at the minute I don't have the privilege of that," he added."I just need to keep working at Ulster and keep playing rugby as much as I can because when you go in and out and it's not as consistent as you want it to be, I do feel rusty at times."The biggest thing is just getting out on the pitch and staying out there."
BBC News
25-04-2025
- Sport
- BBC News
Kok and McCloskey return as Stockdale starts at full-back
United Rugby Championship: Ulster v SharksVenue: Kingspan Stadium, Belfast Date: Saturday, 26 April Kick-off: 19:35 BSTCoverage: Watch live on iPlayer, BBC Two NI & online, follow live text and watch highlights on BBC Sport website & app Werner Kok and Stuart McCloskey have returned to the Ulster team for Saturday's crucial United Rugby Championship game against the Sharks at Kingspan Sharks wing Kok has been out injured since January while Ireland international centre McCloskey replaces Stewart Moore after missing last week's defeat by Leinster. With Michael Lowry sidelined, Jacob Stockdale starts at full-back. Ulster head coach Richie Murphy makes one change to his pack as Matty Rea is named at blind-side flanker, which sees James McNabney moving to number eight and Dave McCann dropping to the bench. Alan O'Connor will captain the team in his final home match, with Rea, Andrew Warwick and Kieran Treadwell also set for a farewell Kingspan outing. Murphy has opted for a 6-2 split on the bench: Treadwell, McCann, Tom Stewart, Callum Reid, Scott Wilson and Matthew Dalton are the forward reinforcements with Dave Shanahan and Aidan Morgan covering the backline. Ulster are 10th in the URC table as they chase a play-off spot and Champions Cup qualification for next season. After hosting the Sharks, they face trips to Munster and Edinburgh in their final two games on 9 and 16 May. Ulster: Stockdale; Kok, Postlethwaite, McCloskey, Ward; Murphy, Doak; Warwick, Herring, O'Toole; O'Connor (capt), Izuchukwu; Matty Rea, Timoney, McNabney. Replacements: Stewart, Reid, Wilson, Dalton, Treadwell, Shanahan, Morgan, McCann.
