| Venue: Kingspan Stadium, Belfast Date: Friday, 22 December Kick-off: 19:35 GMT |
| Protection: Watch dwell on BBC Two NI, BBC iPlayer and the BBC Sport web site and app, with textual content updates, report, response and highlights on the BBC Sport web site |
Ulster are hopeful that hooker Rob Herring will probably be match for the journey to Leinster on New 12 months’s Day after he was dominated out of Friday’s sport towards Connacht at Kingspan Stadium.
Ulster defence coach Jonny Bell stated the harm “wasn’t too critical”.
“It offers him an opportunity of being again for Leinster however we’ll have to attend and see,” stated Bell.
Fly-half Billy Burns is a health doubt for Friday’s United Rugby Championship fixture with a bicep harm after he sustained within the European Pool 2 victory over Racing.
“Unsure on the minute, we’ll discover out tomorrow (Wednesday),” Bell stated of Burns’ availability for the go to of Connacht to Belfast.
“We’ll see how he trains or if he trains tomorrow. He’d had a bicep problem which altering the perform in his arm and as a ten he wants to have the ability to go the ball, so we’ll wait and see on that.”
Luke Marshall, who injured his ankle in coaching final week, is unavailable for choice for the pre-Christmas match.
On a extra constructive be aware, flanker and long-term absentee Sean Reffell has resumed full coaching and is now obtainable for choice following the ankle harm he sustained final January.
A squad replace, issued by Ulster previous to Bell’s information convention, additionally revealed that wing Ethan McIlroy has returned to group coaching this week.
McIlroy sustained a facial fracture and concussion in the course of the residence URC win over Munster.
The replace confirmed that Burns’ availability for Ulster’s second assembly of the season with Connacht “will probably be assessed in the course of the week”.
The westerners ran out 22-20 winners over Dan McFarland’s aspect on the Sportsground in Galway in early November.
That win took Peter Wilkins’ aspect prime of the URC desk, however they’ve now misplaced 5 of their final six outings in all competitions, together with three reverses in league motion.
Ulster misplaced their final two URC matches towards Glasgow and Edinburgh however ought to take confidence from their success over the High 14 leaders on Saturday.
Connacht are anticipated to welcome again Mack Hansen for Friday’s match after the Eire wing sat out his aspect’s defeat by Saracens on the weekend with a foot downside.
Ulster sit seventh within the standings after seven rounds of fixtures, with their opponents on Friday one level worse off in eighth.
