Latest news with #URCPlay-Offs
Belfast Telegraph
15-05-2025
- Sport
- Belfast Telegraph
Ulster hand final appearances to two departing players in last game of season
The pair, who will depart in the summer, will end their time with the province with a dead-rubber game at the Hive Stadium after Ulster's chances of qualifying for the URC Play-Offs was extinguished with defeat to Munster last week. 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).
Belfast Telegraph
09-05-2025
- Sport
- Belfast Telegraph
Munster defeat ends Ulster's chances of qualifying for URC Play-Offs and next season's Champions Cup
8 minutes ago The full-time whistle sounds. Munster take a huge step towards booking a spot in the URC Play-Offs. However, Ulster's hopes look bleak. Technically, they still have an outside chance of making the Top Eight, but realistically it's not going to happen. This is Ulster's worst season the professional era, that was aptly summed up by that dreadful second half performance. 80' The last ten minutes of this game have passed by without incident. Munster secured the victory with that O'Mahoney try half an hour ago. 80' Tom Farrell is named Player of the Match 71' It is Munster's turn to lose a man to the bin as loose-head replacement Josh Wycherley is the unfortunate man to get punished for consecutive penalties 70' Ulster haven't been able to maintain their first half momentum, here. They've been outplayed in every department. Now they must face up to the reality of failing to qualify for the Champions Cup for the first time since the tournament's inception in 1995. 66' Ulster back up to 15 as Stuart McCloskey returns 61' Peter O'Mahoney leaves the field to a massive reception. What a moment for him 61' Tom Stewart is on for Rob Herring. 61' Two more for Crawley 61' It was a searching kick into the corner from Jack Crowley. O'Mahoney leaps into the air like a basketball player before dotting down in the corner. What a moment for the man who has served Munster for 15 years 60' It's a try for O'Mahoney in his last game at Thomond Park! 58' Ulster's hopes are hanging by a thread here. Munster are once against camped inside the Ulster 22 57' Crowley adds the extras 57' Farrell runs in Munster fifth try after the home side asserted pressure from the lineout. This looks like the end of Ulster's campaign. 55' It's a yellow card for Stuart McCloskey for professional foul. He kicks the ball away from the hands of the Munster scrum half, to prevent a try scoring opportunity. Munster have a penalty and will kick for the corner. O'Toole comes on for Wilson 46' Rob Herring smashes the ball out of Michael Milne's hands. It's a goal line drop out for Ulster, who survive this particular Munster barrage.
Irish Independent
09-05-2025
- Sport
- Irish Independent
Munster v Ulster – Provinces face off in URC showdown at Thomond Park
Live | Today at 14:00 Munster play host to provincial rivals Ulster in URC action this evening. Back-to-back URC defeats have left Munster in ninth place, outside of the play-off spots, while, more importantly, the province's place in next season's Champions Cup is also seriously at risk. For Ulster, their hopes of snatching a late play-off spot are still alive. Richie Murphy's men currently sit in 12th place, but such is the congested nature of the URC table, Ulster are only three points off the all-important top eight. Kick-off at Thomond Park is 7.35pm. 4 minutes ago Jude Postlethwaite reveals what he must do to reach the next level for Ulster Jude Postlethwaite reveals what he must do to reach the next level for Ulster As one of the top players in the RBAI side that famously won three Schools Cups in a row, Jude Postlethwaite is not a player you would think is shy on confidence. Here's Richie Murphy's pre-match thoughts Some people think Ulster are a million miles away… but we really aren't, insists coach Richie Murphy In a season that has ebbed and flowed more than the tide crashing against the promenade at Portstewart, Ulster know they need to be on the crest of a wave when the season ends if they are to earn the rewards they so desperately crave. 17 minutes ago Ulster able to call upon Ireland trio for must-win URC derby clash with Munster Ulster able to call upon Ireland trio for must-win URC derby clash with Munster Ulster have been handed a timely boost for their must-win United Rugby Championship clash with Munster on Friday night with three Ireland internationals, including captain Iain Henderson, back in the line-up for their trip to Thomond Park (kick-off 7.35pm). 19 minutes ago Hello and welcome to our live coverage of tonight's crucial URC clash between Munster and Ulster. With both defeat enduring a difficult season, there loser of tonight's game is unlikely to make the the URC Play-Offs and qualify for next season's Champions Cup. It's all on the line at Thomond Park. Kick-off in 35 minutes.
Belfast Telegraph
08-05-2025
- Sport
- Belfast Telegraph
Ulster able to call upon Ireland trio for must-win URC derby clash with Munster
The skipper, who hasn't featured for the province since January, is back just in time to aid in their bid for the URC Play-Offs, with winger Rob Baloucoune and tighthead prop Tom O'Toole back in the squad, too. Baloucoune starts after recovering from a hamstring injury, while O'Toole was a late withdrawal from their loss to the Cell C Sharks two weeks ago due to a family bereavement and is named on the bench. In total, head coach Richie Murphy has made just three changes to the team that conceded 22 unanswered points against the South Africans last time out, with the other alteration seeing Michael Lowry restored at full-back after shaking off a neck injury sustained against Leinster. That means there is no place for centre James Hume or prop Eric O'Sullivan, who both returned to training this week after respective injury lay-offs. Ulster know that only a win will do in Limerick if they are to finish in the top-eight of the League standings, which would bring with it a place in the Play-Offs and a coveted spot in next season's European Champions Cup. Murphy's men are currently 12th, three points outside the Play-Off spots with two rounds to go – the province head to Edinburgh next weekend in their final regular season fixture – while Munster are also battling for their lives in ninth. Accordingly, both sides have gone strong, with Munster bringing the likes of Jean Kleyn and Peter O'Mahony back into their starting line-up, with Conor Murray on the bench and the retiring Stephen Archer lining out at tighthead prop. On the Ulster side, Baloucoune returns to an all-international back three as Jacob Stockdale switches back to the wing to accommodate Lowry's return at full-back, with Werner Kok dropping to the bench and Zac Ward missing out altogether, while in Hume's absence the centre pairing of Stuart McCloskey and Jude Postlethwaite is unchanged. Nathan Doak and Jack Murphy form a still inexperienced but now familiar half-back pairing, with Scott Wilson getting the nod over O'Toole at tighthead prop as he continues in a front row that also contains loosehead prop Andrew Warwick and Ireland hooker Rob Herring. Cormac Izuchukwu partners returning skipper Henderson in an Ireland second row pairing, while blindside flanker Matty Rea is once again preferred to David McCann in the back row, with Ireland openside flanker Nick Timoney and James McNabney rounding out the starting line-up. Loosehead prop Callum Reid retains his place on the bench despite O'Sullivan's return, with Ireland hooker Tom Stewart and O'Toole forming the rest of the front row replacements, with Alan O'Connor and McCann adding further ballast in the loose. In the backs, Dave Shanahan and Stewart Moore complete the squad alongside Kok. ULSTER: (15-9) M Lowry; R Baloucoune, J Postlethwaite, S McCloskey, J Stockdale; J Murphy, N Doak; (1-8) A Warwick, R Herring, S Wilson; I Henderson (c), C Izuchukwu; Matty Rea, N Timoney, J McNabney. Replacements: T Stewart, C Reid, T O'Toole, A O'Connor, D McCann, D Shanahan, S Moore, W Kok. MUNSTER: (15-9) T Abrahams; C Nash, T Farrell, A Nankivell, D Kilgallen; J Crowley, C Casey; (1-8) M Milne, N Scannell, S Archer; J Kleyn, T Beirne (c); P O'Mahony, J Hodnett, G Coombes.
