JOHN COONEY WILL make his 150th appearance for Ulster in Sunday’s URC clash with Zebre Parma at Kingspan Stadium (kick-off 5.30pm).
Now in his eighth season with the province, Cooney made his Ulster debut in September 2017 against the Cheetahs.
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Your Ulster side to take on @ZebreParma on Sunday evening 🦓
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Lorcan McLoughlin, the 22-year-old development forward, will make his first start for the province. A former Irish U20 Grand-Slam winner, this will be McLoughlin’s second senior appearance, having made his debut last season against the Lions.
With four Ulster players in Ireland camp ahead of the Six Nations, head coach Richie Murphy has made six changes to the starting lineup that recorded a bonus point win over Exeter Chiefs last weekend to secure a place in the Champions Cup knockout stages.
Cooney comes in to start at scrum-half, where he will link up with academy prospect Jack Murphy in a first start together for the half-back partnership.
Zac Ward is the only other change in the backline, returning on the left wing with Michael Lowry switching to the right. Stewart Moore starts at full-back.
The 22-year-old duo of Jude Postlethwaite and Ben Carson is retained in midfield, starting together for the fourth game in a row.
Up front, McLoughlin, Tom Stewart, Harry Sheridan and Kieran Treadwell are the changes in the pack.
Stewart will make his first start of the season at hooker, joining Eric O’Sullivan and Scott Wilson in the front row.
Sheridan is selected in the second row, where he is joined by Treadwell.
Nick Timoney will captain the side from openside flanker, with McLoughlin named at blindside and David McCann at No 8.
On the bench, John Andrew, Callum Reid, Corrie Barrett, Alan O’Connor and Matty Rea provide the forward replacements, with Nathan Doak, Jake Flannery and Rob Lyttle available as backline options.
Ulster:
15. Stewart Moore
14. Michael Lowry
13. Ben Carson
12. Jude Postlethwaite
11. Zac Ward
10. Jack Murphy
9. John Cooney
1. Eric O’Sullivan
2. Tom Stewart
3. Scott Wilson
4. Harry Sheridan
5. Kieran Treadwell
6. Lorcan McLoughlin
7. Nick Timoney (Capt)
8. David McCann
Replacements:
16. John Andrew
17. Callum Reid
18. Corrie Barrett
19. Alan O’Connor
20. Matty Rea
21. Nathan Doak
22. Jake Flannery
23. Rob Lyttle
Ref: Robbie Jenkinson (IRFU)
John Cooney has been a great favourite of the Ulster fans and undoubtedly in the early seasons with Ulster he was by far the best scrum half in Ireland.
@Keno: Disagree. The period you’re referring to Conor Murray was top notch. Lions & Irish managers thought so
@TL55: the period Cooney made the URC team of the season was it 4 years in a row, and nominated for European player of the year. If you remember it was when Murray had returned from injury and wasn’t playing well at all, the game seamed to have changed and no longer suited his style. Cooney was by far the best SH in Ireland and one if not the best in Europe. We kinda know why he wasnt getting picked for Ireland, but look forward to his Autobiography, and when not playing for Ireland wasnt going to be picked for the Lions, unless you really believe that Ali Price was a better SH?
@TL55: we’ll agree to disagree then.
@Kingshu: Cooney was great at running Ulster. Don’t think his talents would have translated to Ireland as the gaps he was phenomenally filling in for Ulster didn’t exist there.
@TL55: all down to Sexton and thats been well publicised. Trying to claim otherwise is fantasy
@Barry Moran: Guess we’ll never know. But he was outstanding while playing behind what was mostly a beaten pack, so can only surmise that with a pack on the front foot (like his competitors got to play with) he would have been even better, playing behind a beaten pack is on of the most difficult things for a SH. I think if given a real chance with Ireland he have shone, and easily picked uo more caps and been on a Lion. But we can only guess now.
@Kingshu: Agreed, many of us on here have been saying this for years. Cooney was the best SH on the island since he joined for Ulster, when he was effectively replacing Pienaar. He had big boots to fill and he did so brilliantly. We don’t truly know what happened in the Irish camp but it wasn’t based on merit. Still love to watch him play.
Good to see Tom Stewart get a start. Hopefully his injuries are behind him and plays a part during Ireland’s summer tour.
Congratulations John.
Treadwell & McLoughlin need to put in big shifts. Ulster pack must go for 80 mins as 50 mins isn’t long enough to win this game.
@Des Lamont: Zebre are second last in league and will have players away in Italian squad so this looks like a handy 5 points for Ulster imo.
@TL55: Think they’ve only lost four but that’s because most of the half decent players they had moved elsewhere. Too good for Munster though.