Speculative Starting 15 for Friday’s Home Game Facing Benetton Treviso

1. Andrew Warwick

2. Rob Herring

3. Marty Moore

4. Alan O’Connor (C)

5. Sam Carter

6. Greg Jones

7. Sean Reidy

8. Nick Timoney

9. Nathan Doak

10. Billy Burns

11. Jacob Stockdale (Ethan McIlroy if Stockdale unavailable)

12. Stewart Moore

13. James Hume

14. Craig Gilroy

15. Will Addison

Ulster this week will definitely feel the brunt of the injury list. There are two players being monitored for fitness:

Jacob Stockdale and Rob Lyttle.

Whilst the list of outright non-available players includes some of the big names we’d be wanting in a game against such a strong side:

Cormac Izuchukwu (knee), Luke Marshall (knee), Jack McGrath (hip), Iain Henderson (thumb), Kieran Treadwell (shoulder), John Cooney (hamstring), Rob Baloucoune (groin), Stuart McCloskey (hamstring) and Jordi Murphy.

If Ulster can weather this early storm of impactful injuries it will serve them very well later in the season with, now, more experienced young players in the back pocket. Also, I know in my last speculative 15 I said that Dan McFarland wouldn’t put out his full strength squad straight away. However, something tells me this week he’ll be looking to make a very strong start and will go with the muscle from the opening minute, however, that’s just a bit of a guess because of selection difficulties.