Ulster rocked by injuries to key players ahead of visit of Toulouse

Ulster will have to plan without a number of key players for Friday’s Heineken Champions Cup game against Toulouse at Kingspan Stadium after the province released a fresh injury update today. Andy Farrell’s Ireland squad are returning to their provinces this week ahead of the new European season, which kicks-off on Friday night, but there’s bad news for Ulster head coach Dan McFarland as some of his senior players have returned to Belfast nursing injuries.

Ulster have confirmed that captain Iain Henderson is due to see a knee specialist after coming off injured during the first half of Ireland’s defeat of Scotland on Saturday, and will miss Friday’s game against Toulouse as a result.

Henderson’s absence represents a major blow for Ulster, who have reached the knock-out stages of the Champions Cup in the last two seasons, as they are also without fellow second-row Kieran Treadwell due to suspension.

Out-half Billy Burns, who recently won his first international cap, will also be sidelined as he recovers from a groin injury.

Premium feature exclusive to TheXV.Rugby - Free Trial Decision time A mid-season off-shore signing has hampered the final weeks of many a player's New Zealand career. Gregor Paul Forecast cloudy It's been a week of typically mixed fortunes for the Hurricanes - and they're yet to even take the field. Jamie Wall Chalk and cheese It's been over a year since NZ and Australian Super Rugby sides clashed. What should we expect on Friday? Ben Wylie One giant leap Justin Marshall picks out his biggest movers and shakers from Super Rugby Aotearoa. Justin Marshall A closer shave Scott Robertson has led the Crusaders to a fifth title but has that enhanced his All Blacks chances? Gregor Paul

Trending on RugbyPass

• 1 'As tough as it has been ... I am happier now than I was...
• 2 How a French club ruthlessly ended the career of former Scotland flanker Johnnie Beattie
• 3 'That scares me': All Blacks great Richie McCaw breaks silence on Silver Lake saga
• 4 Kruis ready to destroy another All Black dream in Japan

More News

Recommended

• 'We had a very open and honest conversation' - Jamie George admits England have to work on how to handle being favourites
• 'You can't just say everything is perfect now' - What the Irish media are saying about Andy Farrell
• Referee Andrew Brace subjected to appalling online abuse in wake of Autumn Nations Cup final

More News