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Ulster line-up doesn't bode well for Ireland's burgeoning injury crisis

Rob Herring of Ireland walks out of the tunnel with teammates prior to the Rugby World Cup France 2023 match between Ireland and Romania at Nouveau Stade de Bordeaux on September 09, 2023 in Bordeaux, France. (Photo by Adam Pretty - World Rugby/World Rugby via Getty Images)

Anyone looking for light at the end of the tunnel for Ireland burgeoning injury crisis at hooker certainly didn’t get much with Ulster naming their line-up for this weekend’s URC clash with Ospreys.

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Neither Rob Herring nor Tom Stewart feature in the 23, with both still listed as ‘long-term injuries’ at the province. James McCormick once again starts at hooker, with former Ireland U20s star Tadhg McElroy named on the bench.

Herring hasn’t featured yet this season as he struggles to bounce back from a calf issue, while teammate Stewart is himself fighting to regain fitness following an ankle injury.

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With both Leinster’s Dan Sheehan and Ronan Kelleher set to miss the Autumn Nations Series, it looks like Ireland now face the prospect of going into the Test window without the services of their four first choices at No.2s.

Indeed Leinster started Lee Barron against Munster last weekend in Croke Park and he went off at half-time with an ankle injury, although it’s not thought to be significant.

At this rate it looks like Andy Farrell may be forced into calling up veterans in the shape of Munster’s 32-year-old Niall Scannell and 33-year-old Connacht hooker Dave Heffernan. He might also be tempted to look at Emerging Ireland talents in the position with Stephen Smyth, Gus McCarthy and Danny Sheahan also featuring the team in their recent tour of South Africa.

Elsewhere Alan O’Connor captains the Ulster team against the Ospreys after earning his 200th cap in the win over Connacht last weekend. He is joined in the second row by Harry Sheridan, who returns from the Emerging Ireland tour.

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Eric O’Sullivan starts at loosehead prop after recovering from a shoulder injury, and Tom O’Toole starts at tighthead.

Cormac Izuchukwu returns at blindside flanker, Marcus Rea starts on the openside and David McCann starts at No.8.
John Cooney continues at scrum-half alongside fly-half Aidan Morgan. Jacob Stockdale and Werner Kok remain on the wings, while Stuart McCloskey and Ben Carson form the midfield. Mike Lowry starts at full-back.

ULSTER: (1-8) Eric O’Sullivan, James McCormick, Tom O’Toole, Alan O’Connor (C), Harry Sheridan, Cormac Izuchukwu, Marcus Rea, David McCann;

(15-9) Mike Lowry, Werner Kok, Ben Carson, Stuart McCloskey, Jacob Stockdale, Aidan Morgan, John Cooney.

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Replacements: Tadgh McElroy, Callum Reid, Scott Wilson, Kieran Treadwell and Matty Rea, Nathan Doak, James Humphreys, Jude Postlethwaite

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R
RedWarrior 20 minutes ago
'Sorry Ireland, we didn't need to get motivated playing you': All Blacks great

From Peter O’Mahony’s comments to Sam Cane to Reiko Ioane’s message to Johnny Sexton last year, this is now a Test with a lot of “spice”, to which Brooke believes “if you’re going to give it out, you’ve got to take it as well.”


I think "Arrogance" is the word here.

Sledging during the match is not the same as abusing players and spectators after the final whistle.

As well as that being a nastily arrogant act, NZs inability to admit when they get things wrong is a further symptom of entitlement and arrogance.

Mocking beaten players and spectators is wrong: even when the "Great All Blacks" no ifs, no buts.

Remember NZ were too big to have a beer with a team they didn't rate, never mind swap a jersey. Perhaps time these "Humble Heroes" were brought down to earth a bit.

A truly global game like soccer, where everybody plays, and the winners are truly world class: they shake hands, they swap jerseys, they respect opponents.

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