Ulster's Topping may be out for season

Ulster’s James Topping could be out for the entire season after breaking his leg while playing for Ballymena in the Ulster Senior League on Saturday.

This could be the most serious in a string of injuries that have prevented the wing from adding to his eight Ireland caps.

Topping will be 30 years old in December and it is debatable whether Ulster coach Mark McCall will be patient enough to give Topping all the time necessary to regain his fitness and form, especially with the encouraging early-season form of Andrew Maxwell and Tommy Bowe.