ULSTER WILL BE without Ireland internationals John Cooney and Jacob Stockdale for their final game of the 2020/21 season against Edinburgh in Murrayfield on Saturday.

Cooney remains sidelined with the neck injury he picked up in the Challenge Cup semi-final defeat to Leicester at the end of April, while Stockdale is dealing with a shoulder issue.

Both players will have hopes of recovering from their injuries in time to feature for Ireland in their two Tests in July, while Ulster loosehead prop Eric O’Sullivan – currently sidelined with a shoulder injury – is in the same boat.

Furthermore, Ulster boss Dan McFarland is without Ethan McIlroy [hip], Luke Marshall [knee], Jack McGrath [hip], and Cormac Izuchukwu [knee] for Saturday’s Rainbow Cup clash in Edinburgh.

Ulster also confirmed four positive cases of Covid-19 in their squad last week and an update today says that “a further nine players have been identified as close contacts from the confirmed cases and are also currently self-isolating.”

Ulster were scheduled to face Scarlets last weekend in Belfast but that game was cancelled due to the positive Covid cases in the northern province’s squad.

Edinburgh reported a positive Covid-19 result in their squad this week but the game against Ulster is still scheduled to go ahead.

McFarland’s men will be aiming to finish their season on a high after losing their three Rainbow Cup games so far.