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United Rugby Championship

Key players back in contention for Ulster after Six Nations duty

Belfast , United Kingdom - 2 January 2026; Ulster players, from left, Stuart McCloskey, Nick Timoney and James Hume after their side's victory in the United Rugby Championship match between Ulster and Munster at Affidea Stadium in Belfast. (Photo By Ramsey Cardy/Sportsfile via Getty Images)

Six Nations Player of the Championship nominee, centre Stuart McCloskey, is one of the players back in contention for Saturday’s URC game away to bottom-of-the-table Zebre.

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McCloskey, who is up against Louis Bielle-Biarrey, Tommaso Menoncello and Kyle Steyn for the championship honour, has returned to training along with back-rower Nick Timoney following international duty.

In a further boost to the province, scrum-half David Shanahan and centre James Hume have both recovered from the concussions they sustained in the 40-19 win against Edinburgh Rugby a fortnight ago and are fit for selection.

VIDEO

Charlie Irvine (lower leg), Sam Crean (knee), Jack Murphy (ribs) and Scott Wilson (shoulder) will have their fitness for selection assessed through training this week.

Cormac Izuchukwu (concussion), James McNabney (knee), Stewart Moore (knee), Jude Postlethwaite (hand), Robert Baloucoune (elbow), Rory McGuire (shoulder) and Jake Flannery (shoulder) are still sidelined.

Ulster are third in the United Rugby Championship standings, eight points behind leaders Glasgow, and will be looking to avenge last year’s shock home defeat to Zebre.

Zebre ran out 15-14 winners in Belfast as the Italian side ended a 36-game winless run away from home in the URC.

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Comments

4 Comments
S
SB 1 hr ago

Excited to see how Ulster do in the Challenge Cup. A quarter final matchup against La Rochelle seems to be on the cards.

J
John Breslin 1 hr ago

Give them the week off. Burger king and laser quest


Let the hair down

S
SB 1 hr ago

What order from Burger King?

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Comments on RugbyPass

P
PB 31 minutes ago
All Blacks captain Scott Barrett opens up on talks with Dave Rennie

Pffffttt a bench player is what he should be. He is a glory boy, likes the highlights reels. Never sticks his head into dark places like Sam Cane or Mc Caw used to. Too small to be a test 6 or 8

14 Go to comments
P
PB 36 minutes ago
SA great names Boks' main RWC threat but flags huge area of weakness

You discounting Italy?

3 Go to comments
c
cnw 43 minutes ago
The Six Nations deep dive: How France has the North playing Super Rugby

As much as I was not a fan of sacking Razor (because I wanted to see his structured power game plan through to fruition), there will be an immediate lift in AB performance as we revert to type. I would be very surprised watching the 6N if the NH teams last against the ABs at home. Their vulnerabilty to high intensity rugby was clearly exposed and that is what is waiting for them, plus a team with everything to prove.

150 Go to comments
J
John Breslin 58 minutes ago
Key players back in contention for Ulster after Six Nations duty

Gotta be the Whopper meal - a few of them

Always tastes better when you steal them. The secret ingredient is crime!



...

4 Go to comments
J
John Breslin 1 hour ago
SA great names Boks' main RWC threat but flags huge area of weakness

Boks are the greatest threat to themselves

Got to keep that good ship a trucking and stay top of the pile for another 20 months



...

3 Go to comments
c
cnw 1 hour ago
The Six Nations deep dive: How France has the North playing Super Rugby

Agree no excuses. If anything there should be a bump in performance as the AB teams

reverts back to type right on the back of the SR and with Rennie at the helm. Indeed I anticipate there wil be a huge lift in all of field intensity. It will be challenging for the NH teams trying to get into international level mode. It is really too bad the French wont be sending their A team. It would have made for a great spectacle. I think that if they can bring 6 of their top forwards and a couple of their backs it will still be interesting. But realistically this AB team will be out to prove something in that first test in Christchurch, led by Ardie with a clear and simple plan based on maximum destruction.



...

150 Go to comments
c
cnw 1 hour ago
The Six Nations deep dive: How France has the North playing Super Rugby

What was that about best teams and 33 points. Thats the number I recall put on the Boks in one half by Aussie? Its the about the number the Scots put on the French in 30 minutes of rugby and the English would have done but for the dubious yellow card. And BTW the same AB team beat the Boks, Australia, Argentina, France, Scotland, Wales and Ireland - the only team to so from memory. Looking forward to July.

150 Go to comments
E
Eric Elwood 1 hour ago
SA great names Boks' main RWC threat but flags huge area of weakness

It’s early days. I thought Ireland, Scotland and even England finished the 6 Nations stronger than France. Come RWC time I expect SA, NZ, Aus, Fra, Eng, Ire, Sco, Arg all to be contenders and all capable of knocking each other out.

3 Go to comments
c
cnw 1 hour ago
The Six Nations deep dive: How France has the North playing Super Rugby

NB France are plainly a team in transition. They simply cannot leak 95 points to the 6th and eighth ranked teams in the world and seriously claim No 2 status because of one decent win against Ireland.

150 Go to comments
c
cnw 1 hour ago
The Six Nations deep dive: How France has the North playing Super Rugby

Correct.

150 Go to comments
c
cnw 1 hour ago
The Six Nations deep dive: How France has the North playing Super Rugby

Thanks HH - yeah love the parallel NH universe ranking system.

150 Go to comments
S
SB 1 hour ago
Key players back in contention for Ulster after Six Nations duty

What order from Burger King?

4 Go to comments
S
SB 1 hour ago
Key players back in contention for Ulster after Six Nations duty

Excited to see how Ulster do in the Challenge Cup. A quarter final matchup against La Rochelle seems to be on the cards.

4 Go to comments
B
BC1812 1 hour ago
Nine uncapped players in Italy's Women's Six Nations squad

No Rigoni? Is she injured?

1 Go to comments
c
cnw 1 hour ago
The Six Nations deep dive: How France has the North playing Super Rugby

Seriously? Is this click bait to get the number of posts up 😂. I am so looking forward to the Nations cup and the destruction that will come to the NH teams when they travel south. As wonderful as the 6N was to watch, the vulnerability of all the 6N teams was exposed. HH is right - they play like that with Titanic leaking defense and they will be done trying to play SR rugby against either the Boks or the ABs and probably Aussie and Argentina. Scotland put 50 points on France and England put 45 points on them and deserved to beat them in Paris. The French are clearly a team in transition. And to be number 1 or 2 you have to be able to win away from home. France have not done that against the ABs in 15 years. And speculating that the French A team would best NZ in NZ is rubbish. Ireland were well beaten by NZ when they last met and will be again at Eden Park. Argentina have improved and yes beat NZ in BA after being soundly thrashed by them the week prior. And I doubt even the stauchest Argentina fan would rank them above NZ.

150 Go to comments
B
BC1812 1 hour ago
Trailfinders' White on why PWR play-off spot is becoming more of a reality

Even if Trailfinders make the top 4, they will be much depleted as most of their overseas internationals will no longer be available. The same applies to Exeter. I tend to favour those teams with more Red Roses qualified players. Hopefully the regulations will be tightened as to how many Red Roses qualified players you must have in your match day squad and even extending them to your starting 15.

1 Go to comments
J
John Breslin 1 hour ago
Key players back in contention for Ulster after Six Nations duty

Give them the week off. Burger king and laser quest

Let the hair down



...

4 Go to comments
c
cnw 1 hour ago
The Six Nations deep dive: How France has the North playing Super Rugby

But actually after the 6N we do NB. Great tournament - but the 6N teams are clearly where they should be in the rankings after the various thumpings each of them received.

150 Go to comments
c
cnw 2 hours ago
The Six Nations deep dive: How France has the North playing Super Rugby

NB need to be careful with generalisations here. Its England rugby that has carried the dour tag! Any AB fan who has watched France play at the 87, 99, 2007 WCs would never call the French game boring. More like heart attack inducing. And I think its the brand leaders in each competition that set the tone. SA in the RC and France in the 6N currently.

150 Go to comments
S
SB 2 hours ago
Fissler Extra: The Sale Sharks plea to England over Tom Curry

Many players should be rested this summer.

1 Go to comments
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