Team news: Springbok Vermeulen to skipper Ulster against Bulls
SKIPPER SUPREME: Ulster’s Duane Vermeulen warming up. Pic: ©INPHO/Steve Haag Sports/Steve Haag
Ulster and Connacht have named their sides to take on the Bulls and Edinburgh in the URC this weekend.
On the Ulster front, Dan McFarland's side welcome South African outfit, the Bulls, to Belfast on Saturday evening (Kick-off, 7.35pm).
Springbok No. 8 Duane Vermeulen is set to captain an Ulster side against an outfit he knows very well, having skippered the opposition during his time with the Bulls from 2019 to 2021.
Kieran Treadwell, who featured for Ireland in the Grand Slam win against England, is back starting in the second row alongside experienced Wallaby lock, Sam Carter.
Elsewhere, Andy Warwick starts at loosehead prop and is joined by Tom Stewart at hooker, who is back with the province after being part of Ireland’s Grand Slam winning training squad.
Ulster currently sit third in the URC table on 54 points, knowing a win could see them draw level with DHL Stormers - who face league leaders Leinster on Friday night - currently in second on 59 points.
Meanwhile, Andy Friend and his Connacht coaching team have made five changes to their starting XV for Saturday's meeting with Edinburgh at The Sportsground (Kick-off, 3pm).
Ahead of the fixture, Friend said: "Tomorrow is the start of a massive block of games for us. We’re where we want at this stage of the season, with our destiny in our own hands knowing if we keep winning games then we reach playoff rugby.
"We’ve won 4 in a row in the URC so there’s a real sense of momentum within the group, and with a massive crowd behind us at The Sportsground we’ll do everything to keep that run going."
M Lowry; R Baloucoune, J Hume, S Moore, J Stockdale; B Burns, N Doak; A Warwick, T Stewart, J Toomaga-Allen; K Treadwell, S Carter; D McCann, N Timoney, D Vermeulen.
J Andrew, E O’Sullivan, G Milasinovich, A O’Connor, H Sheridan, M Rea, J Cooney, J Postlethwaite.
O McNulty; D Kilgallen, T Farrell, C Forde, J Porch; D Hawkshaw, C Blade; P Dooley, D Tierney-Martin, J Aungier; O Dowling, N Murray; C Prendergast, C Oliver, J Butler.
D Heffernan, J Duggan, D Robertson-McCoy, D Murray, S Hurley-Langton, K Marmion, T Daly, S Jennings.
