United Rugby Championship: Ulster's Burns and Herring ruled out of Connacht game

Billy Burns leaves the field during Ulster's 36-29 Champions Cup defeat by La Rochelle on Saturday

Billy Burns and Rob Herring have been ruled out of Ulster's United Rugby Championship game against Connacht in Galway on Friday through injury.

Fly-half Burns suffered a concussion during Saturday's Heineken Champions Cup defeat by La Rochelle while hooker Herring came off with a rib injury.

Others still on the injured list include Jacob Stockdale, James Hume, Robert Baloucoune and Tom O'Toole.

Andy Warwick remains an absentee as he serves a three-week suspension.

Ulster sit fourth in the URC table, 12 points behind leaders Leinster.

Dan McFarland's men led 22-10 at half-time in their most recent outing in the competition against the league pacesetters but their Irish interprovincial rivals ran out 38-29 winners.

Consecutive Champions Cup losses to Sale Sharks at the AJ Bell Stadium and La Rochelle in Dublin followed for Ulster.

"It's going to be a big challenge against Connacht. They are in a rich vein of form but we have no option but to pick ourselves up and dust ourselves down," said assistant coach Dan Soper.

"It's an interpro and we've had tough battles with Connacht and I'd expect the same this weekend. They play a good brand of rugby."

"Losing a key player like Rob, a key leader and an experienced player, is a big loss but it's an opportunity for someone else."

Connacht lie 11th in the URC but will have been boosted by successive European Challenge Cup wins over Newcastle Falcons and Brive.

Ulster saw off Connacht 36-10 at Kingspan Stadium in the first meeting between the sides this season in September.

• Ulster and EPCR to review pitch controversy

• Ulster coach McFarland angry over venue switch