Eight of the nine Ulster players called up by Andy Farrell for Ireland’s Nations Championship fixtures next month will feature for the province against the Bulls in Pretoria on Saturday. The United Rugby Championship match kicks off at 12:45 BST and is the first of two games Richie Murphy’s side will play in South Africa, with a trip to face the Stormers in Cape Town scheduled for 31 October.
Tom O’Toole, Tom Stewart, and Nick Timoney start up front for Ulster, while Stuart McCloskey, Jamie Benson, Nathan Doak, and Jacob Stockdale line up in the back-line. James McNabney, an uncapped back rower hoping to make his Test debut next month, is among the replacements. Robert Baloucoune is the only Ulster international called up by Ireland who will not appear in Saturday’s 23.
Benson, named in Farrell’s squad as a fly-half option, returns to outside centre for this match after wearing the number 10 jersey in Ulster’s recent Challenge Cup win against Zebre. Mike Lowry will play left wing for the first time since January 2025. Richie Murphy has opted for a 6:2 split on the bench.
Ulster have yet to secure a victory in the United Rugby Championship this season. So far in the 2026-27 campaign, they have drawn twice and lost once. The Bulls game offers a chance to end that streak.
Ulster’s starting XV reads: Jacob Stockdale at full-back; Rory Mullins, Jamie Benson, Stuart McCloskey, and Mike Lowry across the back-line; Richie Murphy and Nathan Doak at half-back; the front row of Tom O’Toole, Tom Stewart (captain), and Sam Knox; the second row includes Donnell and Izuchukwu; and the back row features Michael McCann, Nick Timoney, and Augustus.
The replacements bench includes Walker, O’Sullivan, Wilson, Snyman, James McNabney, Devine, Flannery, and McKillop.
The match comes as part of a brief South African tour for Ulster, setting the tone before the Ireland squad’s Nations Championship fixtures. Although the Ulster internationals are expected to feature against the Bulls, they are unlikely to play in the final tour game against the Stormers at the end of the month.
Ulster’s search for their first league win this season will depend heavily on the performances of their international players, who have been retained for this trip despite their upcoming commitments with Ireland.
According to Yahoo Sports.
