ULSTER WILL BE without several injured players as well as their World Cup contingent for Saturday’s URC opener against Zebre Parma.

Ireland squad members Iain Henderson, Rob Herring, Stuart McCloskey and Tom O’Toole will take several weeks off as part of the IRFU’s player-management programme, while marquee signing Steven Kitshoff has a World Cup semi-final to look forward to with South Africa who face England on Saturday.

John Cooney, Alan O’Connor, Luke Marshall, Eric O’Sullivan, Sean Reffell, Greg Jones and James McCormick are among the injuries, while Marty Moore remains unavailable as he continues to rehab a knee injury he sustained against Munster on New Year’s Day.

Previous Ireland centre Marshall is following return-to-play protocols after a recent concussion, and scrum-half Cooney is ruled out with a calf issue.

Second row O’Connor and flanker Reffell both have ankle injuries, while all three of O’Sullivan, Jones, and McCormick will miss Saturday’s game in Parma with shoulder issues.

Zebre lost all 18 of their URC games last season and had five players in Italy’s World Cup squad: Danilo Fischetti, David Sisi, Alessandro Fusco, Pierre Bruno and Lorenzo Pani.

It’s unclear as to whether any of their internationals will be available to face Ulster this weekend.