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Brutal injury toll from Leinster loss rules out over a quarter of Ulster squad
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Six members of the Ulster squad that lost to Leinster on Friday in the United Rugby Championship have been ruled out of their clash with Munster this weekend.
Ulster take on Munster at Thomond Park on Saturday, but will travel south with several key figures to their squad missing following their 29-21 home defeat to a weakened Leinster side last week.
Wallabies loosehead Angus Bell headlines the list of injuries after he was carted off in the opening 10 minutes in Belfast with a foot injury, and was soon followed off the field by centre James Hume. A neck injury forced Hume off in what was a brutal opening 10 minutes to the match for Richie Murphy’s side.
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Fellow prop Tom O’Toole, who started on the other side of the scrum to Bell, has also been ruled out with a hand injury.
A further three players – all substitutes against Leinster – will not make the second Irish derby in as many weeks. An ankle injury has sidelined tighthead prop Scott Wilson, while centre Jude Postlethwaite has picked up a hand injury and Bryn Ward has injured his shoulder.
The sextet will join Nick Timoney (hip), James McNabney (knee), Rob Herring (calf), Robert Baloucoune (elbow), Rory McGuire (shoulder) and Stewart Moore (knee) on an alarming injury list as Ulster reach the business end of the season.
A positive from what is otherwise a bleak update from Ulster is that full-back Michael Lowry is in contention to play against Munster, and will be monitored this week.
The club did not outline the severity of the injuries to the six newcomers to their treatment room, but this is a tough time to endure an injury crisis with the club competing on two fronts. Ulster currently sit in fifth-place in the URC with three matches remaining, but only sit three points ahead of ninth-place Connacht, and face Exeter Chiefs in the Challenge Cup semi-finals.
