Ulster

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Ireland internationals Iain Henderson and Rob Herring have signed contract extensions with Ulster.

Henderson's new deal means the Ulster captain will move off his central Irish Rugby Football Union [IRFU] contract at the end of the season and on to a provincial deal until 2027.

Herring's new deal will keep the hooker at the Belfast-based club until 2026.

Henderson, who has won 82 Ireland caps, said he feels "energised" about continuing to lead Ulster, who are in their first full season under head coach Richie Murphy.

"We are building a team with a new core of players coming through the ranks and I believe there is the talent and experience to drive us forward," said five-time Six Nations winner Henderson.

"As a proud Ulsterman, I love playing for the club and I'm excited for us going forward."

Second row Henderson, 32, has won 150 Ulster caps after making his debut in 2012.

In addition to his success with Ireland, he is a two-time British and Irish Lions tourist, having been selected for the 2017 and 2021 squads.

Herring, the province's most-capped player, said he was "delighted" to agree a new deal with Ulster as "Belfast feels like home to me".

"It's always an honour to wear the jersey and I'm enjoying my role as one of the experienced players in an exciting young squad," said the 2023 Six Nations Grand Slam winner.

"I look forward to competing on the pitch but also helping the next generation come through.

"There's a lot of excitement around the squad at the moment and hopefully plenty more special days ahead."

Earlier this week, Ulster centre Stewart Moore signed a contract extension until 2027.

Ulster return to action on 29 November when they host Leinster in the United Rugby Championship, their first game in a month because of the autumn internationals.

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Ulster centre Stewart Moore has signed a contract extension with the province that will keep him at Kingspan Stadium until the summer of 2027.

The 25-year-old debuted under previous head coach Dan McFarland in December 2019 and has now made 71 appearances for the side.

Moore has proven a versatile member of the Ulster panel having featured at both centre positions, full-back and on the wing.

“I’m delighted to sign for the next couple of years," he said.

"We have a great group of lads that are working hard to progress over the years ahead.

"For me, I want to keep pushing, work on my game and hopefully nail down my place in the team."

Ulster, who are seventh in the United Rugby Championship [URC], are next in action at home to Leinster on 29 November.

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The Irish Rugby Football Union [IRFU] has confirmed that a provincial 'A' championship will return next month.

The competition will see second string sides from each of the four provinces meet each other home and away between November and May in an effort to give those not featuring regularly in the United Rugby Championship game-time through the season.

"We’re delighted to kickstart the men’s ‘A’ Interprovincial championship which will provide a host of players with a further means of developing in a meaningful competition," said the IRFU's performance director David Humphreys.

"With the success of the Emerging Ireland tours, coupled with the return of an ‘A’ international against England next year, it is vital that we continue to provide players at provincial and club levels with opportunities to impress outside of the traditional URC and EPCR fixture windows.

"Discussions have been ongoing for some time to provide players with meaningful games and all four provinces are unanimously supportive of this competition."

Ulster will start their campaign by welcoming Connacht to Ballymacarn Park, the home of Ballynahinch RFC, on 22 November with Humphreys adding it is hoped the competition will benefit All-Ireland League clubs.

"It is also great to see provinces taking matches around their local clubs," he said.

"It is anticipated that as the competition progresses over the coming seasons these fixtures won’t clash with Energia All-Ireland League fixtures for the most part, thus potentially also offering players from the club game with an opportunity to impress.

"This competition will form another important part of the representative pathway from Energia AIL to URC levels for Academy players upwards over the coming seasons."

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Ulster coach Richie Murphy says Iain Henderson, Sean Reffell and Ethan McIlroy will all be available for Saturday's United Rugby Championship game against Cardiff after missing the home win over Ospreys.

Ireland lock Henderson was concussed after a challenge by Connacht's Dave Heffernan in Ulster's win over their fellow Irish province on 12 October.

Flanker Reffell and back McIlroy sustained ankle knocks in the same game which forced them out of the Ospreys contest.

"Sean Reffell, Ethan and Hendy are all coming back to fitness. They will all be available for selection this week," said Ulster coach Murphy.

Hookers Rob Herring and Tom Stewart are nearing a return to fitness but will not be considered for this week's game which means James McCormick, who started last weekend, and John Andrew will be in contention for the number two jersey.

After the opening five rounds of fixtures, Ulster sit fifth in the table, three points ahead of the ninth-placed Welsh club.

"It's a very important game for us. Four wins out of the first six matches would be quite satisfying. Three wins would be just sort of a pass," said Murphy.

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Ulster hope to have hookers Tom Stewart and Rob Herring back in the "next couple weeks".

Neither of the Irish internationals have featured this season with Andy Farrell's side set to face the All Blacks in Dublin on 8 November.

Leinster pair Dan Sheehan and Ronan Kelleher are both set to miss that Aviva Stadium encounter and the return of either Stewart or Herring in time would represent a significant boost to the depth in the position.

"The boys are in a good space, they're both returning, both running," said Ulster's forwards coach Jimmy Duffy after the province's 36-12 win over Ospreys on Friday night.

"Tom scrummed with us last week and Rob is not far off as well. Hopefully we'll get those guys back on the paddock in the next couple of weeks."

In the pair's absence, young hooker James McCormick has appeared five times in the United Rugby Championship this season and scored his first pair of senior tries against the Ospreys.

"He’s been great," added Duffy.

"I worked with James with the under-20s back in 21-22 and he’s been growing.

"This was his fifth cap and he looked really good. He is maturing and he’s got good people around him so it’s encouraging to see him coming through."

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Fit-again Stuart McCloskey has been named in a much-changed Ulster team for Friday's United Rugby Championship game against Ospreys in Belfast (19:35 BST).

Ireland centre McCloskey, who missed the win over Connacht with knee and ankle injuries he picked up in the defeat by the Lions in South Africa, returns to form a new centre partnership with Ben Carson.

Mike Lowry replaces Ethan McIlroy at full-back in the other change to the backline while head coach Richie Murphy has made six alterations to his pack.

Eric O'Sullivan and James McCormick are the two front-row changes, replacing Andy Warwick and John Andrew, while Alan O'Connor will captain the side from the second row with Iain Henderson having been ruled out through concussion.

Emerging Ireland players Harry Sheridan and Cormac Izuchukwu also return while Marcus Rea is recalled to the back row with Dave McCann switching to number eight.

Prop Scott Wilson, another Emerging Ireland tourist, is named on the bench.

Ulster are aiming for an eighth successive home win in the URC and have not lost to Ospreys in Belfast since 2013.

Ulster: Mike Lowry, Werner Kok, Ben Carson, Stuart McCloskey, Jacob Stockdale, Aidan Morgan, John Cooney; Eric O’Sullivan, James McCormick, Tom O’Toole; Alan O’Connor (capt), Harry Sheridan; Cormac Izuchukwu, Marcus Rea, Dave McCann;

Replacements: Tadgh McElroy, Callum Reid, Scott Wilson, Kieran Treadwell and Matty Rea, Nathan Doak, James Humphreys, Jude Postlethwaite.

Ospreys: Jack Walsh; Dan Kasende, Evardi Boshoff, Owen Williams, Keelan Giles; Dan Edwards, Kieran Hardy; Gareth Thomas, Sam Parry, Ben Warren, Will Greatbanks, Lewis Jones, Lewis Lloyd, Justin Tipuric, Morgan Morris (capt).

Replacements: Ethan Lewis, Garyn Phillips, Math Iowerth-Scott, Rhys Thomas, Dan Gemine, Reuben Morgan-Williams, Tom Florence, Max Nagy.

Referee: Andrea Piardi (FIR)

Assistant referees: Andrew Cole & Andrew Fogarty (IRFU)

TMO: Matteo Liperini (FIR)

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Ulster assistant coach Dan Soper has said Connacht hooker Dave Heffernan's tackle on Iain Henderson which led to the latter suffering a concussion in last weekend's United Rugby Championship game "didn't look great".

Ireland second row Henderson was withdrawn 15 minutes into Ulster's win and failed his head injury assessment, with the club subsequently ruling him out of Friday's game against Ospreys.

Heffernan's challenge was not reviewed by the officials at the time with Soper suggesting that not doing so was not in keeping with trying to make rugby safer.

"My thoughts initially were it didn’t look great, did it?," said Soper.

"But everyone’s had a good look and we all have our opinions on it. The decision was made at the time, it is what it is.

"We’re trying to keep the game safer, but it wasn’t quite the case on Saturday night, was it?"

Henderson joins a growing list of players currently unavailable to Ulster. Centre Stewart Moore sustained a shoulder injury in the Connacht game and will also miss the Ospreys fixture, while fellow backs Jude Postlethwaite and Ethan McIlroy are doubts.

Rob Baloucoune, Jake Flannery, James Hume, Rob Herring and Tom Stewart remain out with longer term injuries, but centre Stuart McCloskey and prop Eric O'Sullivan have returned to training.

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Ulster captain Iain Henderson will sit out their United Rugby Championship visit from Ospreys on Friday.

The Ireland international suffered a concussion in their win against Connacht last weekend and will now follow World Rugby graduated return protocols.

Centre Stewart Moore sustained a shoulder injury in the same game and will also miss the Ospreys fixture, while fellow backs Jude Postlethwaite and Ethan McIlroy are doubts.

Rob Baloucoune, Jake Flannery, James Hume, Rob Herring and Tom Stewart remain out with longer term injuries, but centre Stuart McCloskey and prop Eric O'Sullivan have returned to training.

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Ulster and Ireland centre James Hume admits his recovery from an anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) surgery has been "mentally challenging" but remains on course to return during the Six Nations window.

The 26-year-old damaged his knee against Cardiff in April having been plagued by injuries in recent seasons.

"It's flat-out," he told BBC Radio Ulster's Sportsound of his recovery.

"Mentally challenging but I'm loving every bit of it. It's a completely different challenge to get back."

While needing to make sure he is "100% ready to go" before getting back on the pitch, Hume is expecting to return before the spring.

"I'm hoping to be back in early February but it's not set in stone," he added.

"It'll just be whenever I'm fully 100% ready to go. It's going as good as it can be so far."

Ulster secured their second win of the United Rugby Championship season against Connacht at Kingspan Stadium on Saturday night with Hume "excited" by the performances of Richie Murphy's young side.

"This is the most different I've felt from season to season with so many senior lads going and new, young faces given more responsibility, coming up and finding their voice."

"It's great to see so many young lads getting involved in that process early on.

"Everyone should be excited to see what they've got in the future."