Ulster boost as duo fit for return to France

Ulster have been handed a double boost ahead of their Challenge Cup quarter-final against Clermont Auvergne as Steven Kitshoff and captain Iain Henderson have been passed fit for this afternoon’s tie.

Both were listed as doubts in Ulster’s midweek injury report, with Kitshoff not training with the rest of the squad as late as Wednesday, but they have pulled through to be named to start at the Stade Marcel-Michelin.

That means interim head coach Richie Murphy has only made two changes to the team that racked up 33 unanswered points against Montpellier last week to triumph 40-17 and book a return trip to France.

Those alterations see Mike Lowry and Harry Sheridan added to the starting line-up, the former replacing Will Addison and starting on the wing, with Stewart Moore reverting to full-back, while Sheridan is a straight swap at blindside flanker. Matty Rea partners David McCann and Nick Timoney at the back of the scrum.

Exploits

After his try-scoring exploits in Montpellier, Rob Baloucoune is retained on the right wing alongside Moore and Lowry in the back-three, with James Hume and Stuart McCloskey continuing in the centre and Nathan Doak and John Cooney staying put at half-back.

Ireland hooker Rob Herring is the anchor between Kitshoff and Ireland tighthead Tom O’Toole in the front-row, with second-row Alan O’Connor rounding out the pack by starting alongside Henderson in the engine room.

There is also a welcome return on the bench for Tom Stewart with Andrew Warwick, Cormac Izuchukwu, Dave Ewers and Marcus Rea the forwards replacements in a 6/2 split. Jake Flannery and Ethan McIlroy, who is preferred to Jacob Stockdale, are the backs substitutes.