Irish Rugby

Image source, Inpho

Ulster's Zac Ward is one of eight Ulster players names in Cullie Tucker's Ireland XV squad that will face England 'A' at Thomond Park on Friday, 6 February (19.15 GMT).

Ward, who featured in the Ireland XV against Spain in November, missed out on a place in Andy Farrell's 37-man squad for the Six Nations, but the winger will have the chance to impress in Limerick after a good run of form on the wing for his province.

Joining Ward in the 27-man squad are fellow Ulster backs Jack Murphy, Jude Postlethwaite and the three-time capped James Hume.

In the forwards, Ulster are represented by Sam Crean, Charlie Irvine, Scott Wilson and the in-form Bryn Ward - younger sibling of Zac - who picked up back-to-back man-of-the-match awards in the northern province's recent on-field wins against Munster and Stade Francais.

Leinster's four-time capped back row Max Deegan has been names as captain, with further capped Test internationals selected in the forwards including Leinster's Gus McCarthy, Munster's Oli Jager and Connacht duo Paul Boyle and Darragh Murphy.

Munster's Shane Daly and Connacht's Ben Murphy provide further Test match experience in the backs.

Ireland XV squad

Forwards (16): Diarmuid Barron (Munster), Billy Bohan (Connacht), Paul Boyle (Connacht), Sam Crean (Ulster), Max Deegan (Leinster, captain), Brian Gleeson (Munster), Sam Illo (Connacht), Charlie Irvine (Ulster), Oli Jager (Munster), Sean Jansen (Connacht), Diarmuid Mangan (Leinster), Gus McCarthy (Leinster), Darragh Murray (Connacht), Stephen Smyth (Leinster), Bryn Ward (Ulster), Scott Wilson (Ulster)

Backs (11): Shane Daly (Munster), Matthew Devine (Connacht), Cathal Forde (Connacht), Fintan Gunne (Leinster), James Hume (Ulster), Dan Kelly (Munster), Joshua Kenny (Leinster), Ben Murphy (Connacht), Jack Murphy (Ulster), Jude Postlethwaite (Ulster), Zac Ward (Ulster).

Image source, Inpho

Ulster's utility back Stewart Moore has sustained an "significant knee injury" in training and will undergo surgery.

"All out of luck last week, three letters no athlete wants to hear. Different challenge ahead," the 26-year-old posted on social media.

Moore was loaned out to Newcastle Red Bulls in November but was recalled by Ulster after 19 days due to injuries in Richie Murphy's squad.

Ireland international Jacob Stockdale is a doubt for Ulster's United Rugby Championship game away to Scarlets on Saturday.

Stockdale will follow World Rugby's return to play protocols after he developed delayed concussion symptoms following the Challenge Cup win over Stade Francais.

Cormac Izuchukwu and Ben Carson are injury doubts for the game with Scarlets and their availability will be assessed ahead of the game.

Australia prop Angus Bell is available for selection after he was forced to withdraw from the starting team against Stade Francais through illness.

Forwards James McNabney and Juarno Augustus remain unavailable with their respective knee and ankle injuries.

Image source, Anadolu via Getty Images

Full-back Hugo Keenan will not see action for Leinster in their United Rugby Championship game against Connacht in Galway on Saturday [17:30 GMT] but the Ireland international remains in contention for the Six Nations.

Keenan scored the winning try for the British and Irish Lions in their second Test against Australia to seal the series win last summer and underwent hip surgery upon his return home.

The 29-year-old has not featured for club nor country since, but will step up his on-field training with Leinster alongside Jamie Osborne, who has been out with a shoulder injury sustained during Ireland's win over Japan in November.

Both are closing in on returns to action, which will be good news for Ireland head coach Andy Farrell, who is due to announce his squad for the Six Nations on Wednesday ahead of the opening game away to France on 5 February.

Elsewhere, Ciaran Frawley and Jack Conan will be available this week as they return to training, while Jimmy O'Brien (hamstring), Robbie Henshaw (knee), Tommy O'Brien (calf) and Tadhg Furlong (calf) will be assessed later in the week.

There are no further updates on Ryan Baird, Jordan Larmour, Paddy McCarthy, Andrew Porter or Rabah Slimani.

Joel Bell
BBC Sport NI

Image source, Getty Images

Having been deprived of a game last weekend, Ulster's Harry Sheridan is looking forward to a "massive fixture" against Stade Francais on Saturday at Affidea Stadium (13:00 GMT).

Second place Ulster take on pool leaders Stade Francais in a top of the table clash in the European Challenge Cup.

Ulster, who won their opening game against Racing 92, were awarded a 28-0 win and five points last weekend following the weather-enforced cancellation of their game against the Cheetahs in the Netherlands.

Sheridan says the squad are hoping to bounce back from the frustration of last weekend even though they have already qualified for the next round.

"We were going over there expecting to do a job. All we wanted to do was go down and play the game and obviously the game was called off last minute, it was unfortunate," said the 24-year-old second row, who has started nine games for Ulster this season.

''But we'll take five points every day of the week and change our focus now to Stade Francais. It's a massive fixture for us at home in front of our fans. I'm really looking forward to it.''

Sheridan's parents were part of Ulster's travelling support in the Netherlands last weekend and he is hoping Richie Murphy's side can produce a top performance to make up for last weekend's disruption.

''We've got to put an even better show on this weekend and really deliver," added Sheridan.

"We're looking to really show them and put in a performance that they can be proud of this weekend.

''We're aiming to get the maximum points against a tough opposition. That would put us in a great position to get home, round of 16, quarter, semi-finals going into this Challenge Cup competition, which is so highly revered.''

Image source, Getty Images

Ulster hooker Tom Stewart has signed a two-year contract extension to keep him at the province until the summer of 2028.

The 25-year-old has played a key role in Ulster's impressive season and has registered six tries in all competitions so far.

Ireland international Stewart has been capped five times for Andy Farrell's side and captained an Ireland XV during their victory over Spain in November.

The Belfast native is due to start on Saturday as Ulster face Stade Francais at Affidea Stadium (13:00 GMT) in the Challenge Cup as Richie Murphy's outfit aim to secure top spot in Pool Three and a home draw in the last-16.

"Ulster Rugby is my home club and the team I always grew up wanting to play for," Stewart said after the announcement.

"I'm honoured to sign on for a further two seasons, and I'm fully focused on continuing to improve my game to help the team move forward.

"I'm hugely ambitious about what we can achieve as a club in the future and what we continue to push for this season."

Image source, Inpho

Jacob Stockdale has returned from injury as Ulster name a strong team to face Stade Francais in the Challenge Cup in Belfast on Saturday [13:00 GMT].

Both sides have already qualified for the knockout stages but the French side hold a one-point advantage over Ulster at the top of Pool Three.

Ulster were awarded a 28-0 win over the Cheetahs in their penultimate fixture after sub-zero temperatures in the Netherlands meant the game could not be played.

Head coach Richie Murphy has made 10 changes from the starting team which was set to take on the Cheetahs.

Harry Sheridan, David McCann, Nathan Doak, Zac Ward and James Hume are the only players to retain their starting jerseys for the game at Affidea Stadium.

Stockdale returns at full-back after he sustained a rib injury against Munster while Robert Baloucoune and Ward make up the back three.

Stuart McCloskey and Hume will form the centre partnership as Jack Murphy returns at fly-half alongside Doak.

Australian prop Angus Bell starts with Tom Stewart and Tom O'Toole, while Iain Henderson will captain the side from the second row with Harry Sheridan.

McCann, Nick Timoney and Bryn Ward will start in the back row as hooker Rob Herring, who signed a new contract extension, is named on the bench.

Ulster: J Stockdale; R Baloucoune; J Hume, S McCloskey; Z Ward; J Murphy, N Doak; A Bell, T Stewart, T O'Toole; I Henderson, H Sheridan; D McCann, N Timoney, B Ward.

Replacements: R Herring, E O'Sullivan, S Wilson, M Dalton, S Reffell, C McKee, J Flannery, J Postlethwaite.

Image source, Inpho

Craig Casey has recovered from a shoulder injury to start for Munster in Saturday's Investec Champions Cup game with Castres.

The Ireland scrum-half was forced off in the second half of Sunday's loss to Toulon but has been passed fit to start in Limerick.

Head coach Clayton McMillan has made three changes from that defeat as Thaakir Abrahams, Niall Scannell and Jean Kleyn come into the side.

Ireland forward Tadhg Beirne will win his 100th Munster cap in the final European Pool game.

Munster are fourth in Pool Two and will likely need a victory to secure their place in the knockout stages, while Castres are bottom but can leapfrog the Irish province with victory at Thomond Park.

Abrahams joins Shane Daly and Ben O'Connor in the back three while Alex Nankivell and Tom Farrell have retained their places at centre as Jack Crowley will partner Casey at half-back.

The front row comprises of Jeremy Loughman, the returning Scannell and Michael Ala'alatoa, and Kleyn and Fineen Wycherley pack down in the second row.

Centurion Beirne will captain the side from the back row alongside Jack O'Donoghue and Gavin Coombes.

Prop Oli Jager is named on the bench and is set to make his first appearance since sustaining a head injury in October.

Munster: S Daly; T Abrahams; T Farrell, A Nankivell; B O'Connor; J Crowley, C Casey; J Loughman, N Scannell, M Ala'alatoa; J Kleyn, F Wycherley; T Beirne (C), J O'Donoghue, G Coombes.

Replacements: L Barron, M Milne, O Jager, E Edogbo, B Gleeson, E Coughlan, JJ Hanrahan, D Kelly.

Snyman, Ringrose and O'Brien return for Leinster

Image source, Inpho

Leinster will welcome back a trio of internationals for their final Pool Three match in Bayonne.

South African second row RG Snyman and Ireland backs Garry Ringrose and Jimmy O'Brien will all make their first appearances since December.

Ireland second row James Ryan will make his 50th European appearance for the Irish province.

Leo Cullen's side have already qualified for the knockout stages while Bayonne are bottom of the Pool and without a point.

O'Brien will join Tommy O'Brien and Joshua Kenny in the back three while Ringrose and Robbie Henshaw will form a familiar centre partnership.

Harry Byrne has been rewarded for his match-winning kick against La Rochelle and starts at fly-half alongside Jamison Gibson-Park.

Prop Tadhg Furlong begins in the front row with Ronan Kelleher and Jack Boyle, while Synman and Ryan will partner at lock.

The back row comprises of Max Deegan, Josh van der Flier and captain Caelan Doris. Leinster have also named a strong bench which includes Dan Sheehan, Joe McCarthy, Sam Prendergast and All Black Rieko Ioane.

Leinster: J O'Brien; T O'Brien; G Ringrose, R Henshaw; J Kenny; H Byrne, J Gibson-Park; J Boyle, R Kelleher, T Furlong; RG Snyman, J Ryan; M Deegan, J van der Flier, C Doris (capt).

Replacements: D Sheehan, J Cahir, T Clarkson, J McCarthy, S Penny, L McGrath, S Prendergast, R Ioane.

Image source, Getty Images

Ulster hooker Rob Herring has signed a contract extension to remain at the province until the summer of 2027.

The 35-year-old is Ulster's record appearance holder, having played 261 times for the province since his debut in 2012.

South Africa-born Herring has also won 43 caps for Ireland and was part of the side that won the Six Nations Grand Slam in 2023.

He follows the likes of Cormac Izuchukwu and Nathan Doak who have recently committed their futures to Richie Murpy's side.

"I'm delighted to be re-signing with Ulster. This club and supporters have given me so much over the years and feels like an adopted home for me and my family," Herring told Ulster's website.

"The hunger to keep improving, competing, and pushing this team forward is as strong as ever. With the group we have, I'm incredibly excited about what lies ahead and grateful for the continued trust Ulster has shown in me."

Loosehead prop Sam Crean has also extended his stay at Ulster until 2028.

The 25-year-old Englishman arrived from Saracens initially on loan in February 2025 before signing a permanent deal with the province last summer.