Ulster Confirm McElroy Short-Term Signing And Squad For South Africa Trip

Ulster head coach Richie Murphy has announced a 30-player squad to travel to South Africa to play the Emirates Lions and the Vodacom Bulls over the next two weekends in the BKT United Rugby Championship.

Fresh from their dramatic late win at home to defending champions Glasgow Warriors, Ulster will face the Lions at Emirates Airline Park in round 2 on Saturday (kick-off 12.55pm local time/11.55am Irish time).

John Cooney has resumed full training and is part of the province’s travelling party, along with Stuart McCloskey, who last played when Ireland beat South Africa in Durban during their summer tour.

Murphy’s men will move on from Johannesburg to Pretoria for a third round clash with the Bulls, last season’s beaten finalists, at Loftus Versfeld Stadium on Saturday week (October 5) (kick-off 4pm local time/3pm Irish time).

Looking forward to his first away games as Ulster’s new assistant coach, Jimmy Duffy said: “Altitude is a big thing, they like to play and hurt you when you aren’t accurate.

“The Lions have a solid set-piece, dangerous counter-attacking threats, and we will have to be accurate and not give away silly opportunities.

“It’s a great test to travel and then play a team who won eight of their last 11 games last year. We are very aware of the threat the Bulls pose.”

Buoyed by how Ulster finished the Glasgow match with two tries in the last 12 minutes, hooker John Andrew commented: “There was a buzz but also probably a little bit of relief as well.

“I don’t think any of us thought that we played amazing, but we found a way to win and dug in for that last set at the line.

“When you win, it makes it easier coming in than if you didn’t get that try (from Dave Shanahan to win it), but we are under no illusions that we need to play better and improve but at the end of the day we won.

“We take a lot of confidence from winning ugly, but we know that going to South Africa generally these teams finish off pretty strong. They are used to the altitude, so hopefully we perform better so it’s not left as late!”

The squad’s latest addition is also on the plane to Johannesburg. Hooker Tadgh McElroy (27) has joined Ulster on a short-term injury cover basis.