URC – Ulster v Connacht Rugby – Preview & Teams News

The teams for Friday night’s rescheduled Round 8 fixture of the United Rugby Championship have been named with all details of match officials and broadcast information below.

TEAM NEWS HEADLINES

#ULSvCON

• Mike Lowry, Robert Baloucoune and Nick Timoney are released from international duties and are named in Ulster’s match-day squad. Stuart McCloskey returns from injury to start in midfield.

• Connacht’s Tom Daly returns from injury after a three-month layoff and will start at inside centre.

FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 4

Ulster Rugby v Connacht Rugby

Kingspan Stadium, Belfast – KO 20.15 IRE & UK / 21.15  ITA / 22.15 SA

Referee: Andy Brace (IRFU, 72nd league game)

AR 1: Andrew Cole (IRFU) AR 2: Paul Haycock (IRFU)

TMO: Joy Neville (IRFU)

Live on: BBC NI, TG4, Premier Sports, SuperSport & URC TV

Ulster Rugby: Mike Lowry, Robert Baloucoune, Angus Curtis, Stuart McCloskey, Ethan McIlroy, Billy Burns, Nathan Doak, Andrew Warwick, John Andrew, Gareth Milasinovich, Alan O’Connor (CAPT), Sam Carter, Greg Jones, Marcus Rea, Duane Vermeulen.

Replacements: Declan Moore, Callum Reid, Ross Kane, Mick Kearney, Nick Timoney, David Shanahan, Ben Moxham, Rob Lyttle.

Connacht Rugby: John Porch, Peter Sullivan, Sammy Arnold, Tom Daly, Alex Wootton, Conor Fitzgerald, Kieran Marmion, Denis Buckley, Shane Delahunt, Tietie Tuimauga, Niall Murray, Oisín Dowling, Cian Prendergast, Conor Oliver, Jarrad Butler (CAPT)

Replacements: Jonny Murphy, Jordan Duggan, Greg McGrath, Leva Fifita, Paul Boyle, Colm Reilly, Cathal Forde, Oran McNulty

Connacht Rugby Head Coach Andy Friend said: “We’ve had an honest week with difficult conversations about what happened last weekend. The performance wasn’t nearly good enough and we need to see a major improvement tomorrow against a strong Ulster team who are on a good run of form. We’re welcoming back a number of players for various reasons which is always a plus, and we can take confidence from a good record up in Belfast the last few years.”