Ulster Select Herring As Stand-In Captain

Ulster hooker Rob Herring has been named as the province’s captain during the Rugby World Cup period.

Rob Herring, who has won 70 caps for Ulster, will deputise for club captain Rory Best who will be away with Ireland.

The 25-year-old Herring has been at Ulster since the summer of 2012. He made his debut against the Ospreys in September of that year and in his three seasons at the province has become a senior player within the squad.

His excellent form for Ulster saw him called up to the international side and he won his first senior cap for Ireland in June 2014, coming off the bench in a tour match against Argentina.

Confirming the appointment, Ulster head coach Neil Doak said: “Rob is a quality player who has grown in stature over the past three seasons. His work on the pitch is second to none. He gives everything for Ulster and he will bring that passion and excitement to the captaincy role.”

Herring commented: “It is a massive honour to captain Ulster. It’s a privilege to lead the guys out for a game, especially at Kingspan Stadium. I know that the role is only temporary but I will enjoy the increased responsibility.

“There are lots of players in our team who have leadership qualities and that makes being captain easier. I am just massively focused on playing well for Ulster, leading by example and getting the season off to a successful start.”