The fallout from last weekend’s interprovincial win over Connacht has certainly lingered for Ulster as they gather themselves to host the Ospreys on Friday (7.35pm).
Skipper Iain Henderson failed a head injury assessment after an early collision and looks set to be sidelined for this week as he is undergoing return-to-play protocols. Head coach Richie Murphy also has problems in midfield, where Stewart Moore and Jude Postlethwaite, the starting centres against Connacht, have their own injury concerns stemming from last Saturday evening.
Moore shipped a sternoclavicular joint injury and is already ruled out for this week while Postlethwaite picked up a shoulder problem and his availability is under assessment. The same is the case with Stuart McCloskey, who is still rehabbing the knee and ankle knocks he picked up in South Africa.
It essentially means that should Postlethwaite and McCloskey fail to make it — James Hume is a long-term absentee — Ben Carson will be the only recognised centre in the senior squad available to Murphy.
In the back three, Ethan McIlroy is nursing an ankle injury he sustained in the bruising affair with Connacht and his availability is also being monitored.
Also of concern for both Ulster and Ireland — the latter due to the doubts over Rónan Kelleher and the already-known absence of Dan Sheehan — is that there is still no sign of Rob Herring, or indeed Tom Stewart.
Neither has featured for Ulster this season as Herring rehabs a calf problem and Stewart recovers from an ankle injury.
“Rob is week-to-week,” said Ulster assistant coach Dan Soper. “The progress for him has been pretty frustrating and slow. “It won’t be this week for him, certainly.”
And as for next week against Cardiff, he added: “It would be a long shot. There are weeks where he makes good progress and there are other weeks where he plateaus, so we’ll see how he is at the end of this week. Tom’s a wee way away, he’s December, Christmas time.”
While Robert Baloucoune’s troublesome hamstring keeps him out of consideration again, Ulster will at least be able to deploy the returning players from Emerging Ireland.
Cormac Izuchukwu, Harry Sheridan, Scott Wilson and Zac Ward are all expected to be available and feature against the Ospreys as Ulster attempt to make it three home wins from three in the United Rugby Championship.
“They’ve come back with a real confidence,” said Soper. “It was an opportunity for the national coaches to have a look at them and give some feedback, and that’s good for us that a different group of coaches have looked at those guys and fed back to us what they think.
“We’ll collaborate with them and ultimately try and help the individuals get better. They’ve enjoyed their time away and the experience.
“They’re all chomping at the bit to get back into our side and get started again, which is a positive.”
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