Ulster

Jana McCabe
BBC Sport NI journalist

Image source, Getty Images

Ulster winger Jacob Stockdale said Friday's Challenge Cup quarter-final against La Rochelle is a chance to "create a statement for ourselves" [20:00 BST].

Richie Murphy's side defeated Ospreys 28-24 at the Affidea Stadium to advance to the last eight.

La Rochelle won the Champions Cup in 2022 and 2023 and were the victors against Newcastle Red Bulls to set up the tie in Belfast.

"It's an exciting game as they are a big French giant. I feel like we do play well whenever big French teams come to town, so, I'm really excited about it," Stockdale told BBC Sport NI's Mark Sidebottom.

"I think there's an opportunity to put in a massive performance and hopefully create a bit of a statement for ourselves.

"We need to focus on ourselves, just bring the best version of ourselves, and hope that that's enough and I think it will be."

Despite playing four times against La Rochelle during his career so far and Ulster only winning one of those matches, Stockdale believes that the side can take confidence into the game after the Ospreys win.

The home side trailed 17-14 before Stockdale and Nick Timoney crossed the line in the second half to secure Ulster's quarter-final spot.

"It was frustrating on the pitch but, looking back and reviewing it, it's quite encouraging because we were able to beat a good Ospreys in a tight encounter, but actually leave a lot on the pitch," he continued.

"We felt like we weren't really anywhere near our best and the best we've shown so far this season.

"So that's exciting that we can hopefully right those wrongs this week and put in a big, big performance on Friday."

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Massimo De Lutiis has ended speculation of a move to Ireland by signing a three-year contract with Australia and the Queensland Reds.

The 22-year-old tight-head prop was linked with a move to Ulster but has committed his future to Australia until the end of the 2029 season.

De Lutiis, who weighs 126kg, said his family and the chance to represent Australia at a home World Cup next year were key factors in his decision.

"I had a lot to weigh up. I spent a good week or two going through it and it was a bit stressful," said De Lutiis, who is yet to make his Test debut for Australia.

"I definitely feel like a weight has been lifted with this decision. Now I'm locked in, I can focus on the next three years in Australia."

Sydney-born De Lutiis played nine Super Rugby Pacific games for the Reds last season but has not featured this term because of a hamstring injury.

"Despite challenges with injury, he's a committed professional and he's only going to get better and better," said Reds coach Les Kiss, who will replace Joe Schmidt as Wallabies boss later this year.

"He's an important and respected figure in the Reds locker room."

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Ulster have confirmed that Rob Herring and Nathan Doak are injury doubts for Friday's Challenge Cup quarter-final against La Rochelle (20:00 BST).

Herring (calf) and Doak (ankle) both picked up injuries in Saturday's 28-24 victory over Ospreys at the Affidea Stadium.

Scrum-half Doak made his international debut in the Six Nations and has been influential in Ulster's impressive form this season.

"We are still waiting on both of the guys," Ulster defence coach Willie Faloon told BBC Sport NI.

"They both took part in some parts of training and we will see where we are at the weekend."

Stewart Moore (knee), Rory McGuire (shoulder), James McNabney (knee), Michael Lowry (groin) and Robert Baloucoune (elbow) will remain sidelined this weekend.

Richie Murphy's side face La Rochelle for a spot in the Challenge Cup semi-finals with the northern province unbeaten in their past two games.

This weekend's visitors defeated Newcastle Red Bulls 26-18 to reach the last eight and have won three of their past four fixtures.

Montpellier host Connacht, Benetton welcome Exeter Chiefs and Zebre face Dragons in the other quarter-finals.

Jana McCabe
BBC Sport NI journalist

Image source, Inpho

Ulster head coach Richie Murphy said his side "were a bit wasteful at times" during their 28-12 United Rugby Championship victory over Zebre in Parma.

Despite the home side being reduced to 14 men after Simone Gesi's straight red card just before the half-hour mark, it was a tight and tense match.

The bonus-point win moves Murphy's side up to third position in the URC table as they return to winning ways ahead of their Challenge Cup fixture against Ospreys at the Affidea Stadium.

"We expected it to be really physical over here and that is what we got," Murphy said.

"I suppose the red card early in the game gave us a bit more of an advantage and I thought from our point of view, we have to look after the ball better as we were a bit wasteful at times.

"But very happy to get four tries. Coming over here is always very difficult."

Player of the Match Werner Kok, who scored the bonus-point try, believed that the turning point in the game was the start of the second half.

Ulster scored three tries after the restart with Rob Herring, Zac Ward and Kok all able to cross the line.

"We stopped playing when they went down to 14 and we tried to regroup again and the boys stuck together and played as a team," Kok said.

"I think the energy from the kick-off [in the second half] was the turning point. The boys stuck in there and that was the turning point for me."

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Ulster's Ethan McIlroy feels the United Rugby Championship [URC] is as competitive as it's ever been and "we'll have to be at our best" to get back to winning ways at Zebre on Saturday [19:45 GMT].

Last weekend, Connacht's victory in Belfast saw them remain ninth in the standings, but they are just seven points off third-place Ulster.

With the margins tight, the race for the play-offs looks set to produce some twists and turns over the final five rounds of games and although Ulster take on the bottom-placed side this weekend, McIlroy insists it will not be a straightforward assignment.

"Compared to when I first came in, the league is so competitive," the 25-year-old told BBC Sport NI.

"There's no game you go into where you can expect to win if you're not at your best as every game is so tough.

"The Italians are doing so well internationally and that's filtering down to their club sides, so it will be a tough challenge this week and we'll have to be at our best of we want to get the win."

It is a tough run to the play-offs for Ulster as after this week's trip to Parma and a European Challenge Cup tie against Ospreys, they host Leinster and travel to Munster before finishing up at home against the Stormers and Glasgow, who currently occupy the top two places in the URC.

It will be all hands on deck for Richie Murphy's squad in their bid to compete for silverware but McIlroy feels they have the personnel to finish the season on a high.

"There is no easy game and no break from it, so it will take the larger part of our squad to get through that as there will be knocks," McIlroy added.

"We are still confident in ourselves. We took learnings from the Connacht game and if we take those into the rest of the season, we'll be able to finish strong and compete for the first two spots."

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Ireland internationals Stuart McCloskey and Nick Timoney return for Ulster against Zebre on Saturday (19:45 GMT) with James Humphreys making his first start.

Six Nations Player of the Tournament nominee McCloskey will be partnered by the returning James Hume with Timoney back in at openside flanker as Richie Murphy makes 10 changes to the side that lost to Connacht last week.

McCloskey and Timoney were given last week off following their exploits on the international stage while Hume was absent for Ulster's first home defeat of the season with concussion.

With first-choice fly-half Jack Murphy out with a rib injury and Jake Flannery also unavailable, Murphy has turned to Humphreys who has made one appearance for Ulster this season - coming off the bench in their Challenge Cup defeat to Cardiff in December.

The son of former Ulster fly-half and current IRFU technical director David, the 24-year-old featured four times last season and starts alongside Conor McKee in a new half-backs partnership with Nathan Doak named among the replacements.

There is also a full-back alteration as Ethan McIlroy replaces Mike Lowry.

Werner Kok and Zac Ward start on the wings as the only backs to keep their place in the side from that 26-19 loss.

Experienced prop Eric O'Sullivan comes into the front row with academy product Tom McAllister making his second start for the province either side of Rob Herring in an all-changed front three as Australia international Angus Bell is named on a strong Ulster bench.

Iain Henderson captains the side from the second row and is partnered by Joe Hopes.

David McCann retains his place at blindside flanker, with Timoney replacing Marcus Rea at openside.

Ulster: McIlroy; Kok, Hume, McCloskey, Z Ward; Humphreys, McKee; O'Sullivan, Herring, McAllister; Henderson, Hopes; McCann, B Ward, Timoney.

Replacements: James McCormick, Angus Bell, Scott Wilson, Matthew Dalton, Juarno Augustus, Nathan Doak, Ben Carson Ben Moxham

David Mohan
BBC Sport NI journalist

Image source, Getty Images

Ulster hooker Rob Herring is expecting a "physical battle" when they travel to face Zebre in the United Rugby Championship [URC] on Saturday [19:45 GMT].

The northern province head to Italy off the back of defeat by Connacht last weekend, but sit third in the standings as the URC reaches the final five round of games before the play-offs.

Zebre remain bottom of the table following their defeat by the Scarlets but Herring insists they can take nothing for granted in Parma this week.

"You have to get over those losses pretty quickly as we have a tough game away from home this week," the 35-year-old told BBC Sport NI.

"We probably got a bit lucky on the table with other teams doing us favours, so to come out of it in third is great, but we have a tough run-in starting with this one.

"Their set-piece attack is good and they are a very physical team in defence.

"At home they seem to lift it up another level so it is going to be a physical battle and we have to get that right, especially away from home where we have to bring our own energy."

Herring felt Ulster "just weren't ourselves" in attack against Connacht and says the focus will be on "imposing our game on other teams like we have throughout most of the season".

Those performances throughout the campaign contributed to an increased representation in Ireland's Six Nations squad with seven featuring in the victory over Wales.

The knock-on effect meant there were opportunities for some younger players to make their mark for Ulster and Herring feels that can boost their push for silverware this season.

"In my time here, I don't think we've ever had seven guys in a Six Nations team and I thought all of the Ulster boys played well throughout the tournament," he reflected.

"I think that's coming from the environment we have here and confidence they brought into [Ireland] camp.

"It's probably a new problem for Ulster to have so many, but then it gives young guys the opportunity to step up and show what they've got.

"If you want to be a team competing at the end of the season, that's what you need."