Robert Baloucoune: Ireland wing returns to Ulster training and could feature against Northampton

Baloucoune sustained a shoulder injury in Ulster's impressive opening Champions Cup win over Clermont Auvergne in early December

Robert Baloucoune has returned to Ulster training after injury and could feature in Sunday's Champions Cup away game at Northampton.

The Ireland wing sustained a shoulder injury in Ulster's opening European win over Clermont Auvergne in December.

He then missed the Ulster's home win over Northampton a week later and has been recovering fitness since then.

John Cooney and James Hume are injury doubts after being forced off during Ulster's defeat by Munster.

Scrum-half Cooney has a calf injury with centre Hume troubled by a hamstring problem.

After winning their opening two European games, victory at Franklin's Gardens will prove enough to secure a last 16 spot for Ulster with their home game against Clermont to spare.

Ulster aim to secure home knockout ties

However, two closing pool victories will ensure home ties for Ulster in the last 16 and quarter-finals - if they win their first knockout game - so Dan McFarland's side have huge motivation to continue their winning European run over the next two weekends.

Assistant coach Dan Soper felt the Irish province were "just a bit off in a number of areas" at Thomond Park as Munster fought back from going 7-0 down and losing Simon Zebo to an early red card to edge a gritty 18-13 victory.

"Trying to create momentum in the game, we didn't win that in the middle of the pitch in terms of creating momentum to give our backs an opportunity," said Soper.

"And at times, when we needed the backs to step up, they didn't quite do that either.

"It's just a lesson that you've got to be on every week in the competitions that we're playing or otherwise you get found out."

Soper added that Ulster's successful start to the European campaign will be in danger of being undone if they slip up against a Northampton side who ended a run of run of four straight defeats by hammering Newcastle Falcons 44-8 away in the English Premiership on Saturday.

"If we don't do the job this weekend we fall back into the pack and with your outcome at the end of the pool, you start to rely on what's happening in other fixtures and we don't want that."

Tom O'Toole says Ulster failed to exploit key opportunities in Saturday's disappointing defeat by Munster at Thomond Park

Ulster lacked 'smarts' at Thomond

Ulster prop Tom O'Toole felt a lack of "smarts" ultimately led to the side's hugely disappointing weekend defeat in Limerick.

"I think the effort and the work rate was there," said the Ireland forward.

"But when you are playing away in Thomond Park and missing out on those key moments just gives them life and energy and they came back at us and did really, really well.

"For us, it's just making sure that we identify when we have an opportunity to put a team under the pump. I just don't think we executed as well as we could have.

"We put to bed last week, take our learnings from it and we have to move on and bring energy and spark."

O'Toole was in the Ulster squad which beat Northampton 35-27 in a European Challenge Cup quarter-final last autumn but that was a behind-closed-doors game and the prop is expecting a very different atmosphere this weekend.

"From talking to people who have played there previously it's obviously an exciting place to play but it's very hostile as well and you know when you go there that you have to show up physically."