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Zac Ward. James Crombie/INPHO

Ireland Sevens star to make debut as Ulster face Bordeaux-Bègles with Joey Carbery at 10

Zac Ward to start on the left wing for northern province.

ZAC WARD MAKES his senior debut for Ulster as they face a Bordeaux-Bègles side with Joey Carbery at out-half at Kingspan Stadium in the Champions Cup on Saturday (KO 3.15pm, Premier Sports).

Ward, who joined the Ulster squad this season after playing for Ireland Sevens at the Olympics, starts on the left wing, and joins Cormac Izuchukwu, Aidan Morgan, Jude Postlethwaite and Werner Kok in making a first Champions Cup appearance at Kingspan Stadium.

Head coach Richie Murphy has opted for a fully changed pack from the side that started away to Toulouse in the opening round last weekend, with seven Ireland internationals named among the starting forward unit.

Hooker Rob Herring makes his first Ulster start of the campaign and he is joined in the front row by loosehead prop, Eric O’Sullivan, and tighthead, Tom O’Toole.

In the second row, Iain Henderson, captains the side on the occasion of his 50th European appearance for Ulster, and is partnered by Kieran Treadwell.

Izuchukwu starts at blindside flanker, with Nick Timoney openside. David McCann returns to the matchday XV at No 8.

The half-back partnership of scrum-half, Nathan Doak, and fly-half, Morgan, is retained.

The midfield sees one change from last week, with outside centre Jude Postlethwaite coming in to join Stuart McCloskey.

In the back three, Ward starts on the left wing, with Kok taking the right wing berth and Michael Lowry at full-back.

Academy utility back, Rory Telfer, is also in line for his senior debut off the bench, while it would also be a maiden Champions Cup appearance for fly-half James Humphreys, if he is called upon. 

Dave Shanahan is the other backline option, with John Andrew, Andrew Warwick, Scott Wilson, Harry Sheridan and Marcus Rea providing the forward reinforcements.

 

Ulster 

15. Michael Lowry

14. Werner Kok

13. Jude Postlethwaite

12. Stuart McCloskey

11. Zac Ward

10. Aidan Morgan

9. Nathan Doak 

 

1. Eric O’Sullivan 

2. Rob Herring 

3. Tom O’Toole 

4. Iain Henderson 

5. Kieran Treadwell 

6. Cormac Izuchukwu 

7. Nick Timoney 

8. David McCann

 

Replacements:

16. John Andrew

17. Andrew Warwick 

18. Scott Wilson 

19. Harry Sheridan

20. Marcus Rea

21. Dave Shanahan 

22. James Humphreys

23. Rory Telfer

 

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    Mute Des Lamont
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    Dec 13th 2024, 2:16 PM

    Regardless of which wing he ends up on, Zac Ward will have his hands full with the two best wingers in European rugby, Bialle-Barrie & Peynaud. Good luck with that!

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    Mute Stuart
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    Dec 13th 2024, 3:24 PM

    @Des Lamont: he’s some player that bialle-Barrie, can move that boy ….their scrum half is excellent too

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    Mute Shanie
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    Dec 13th 2024, 1:58 PM

    Ulster will wn

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    Mute Shanie
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    Dec 13th 2024, 1:58 PM

    @Shanie: WIN

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    Mute Ronnie C
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    Dec 13th 2024, 7:03 PM

    @Shanie: Someday eventually yes :P

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    Mute Shanie
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    Dec 14th 2024, 5:23 AM

    @Ronnie C: ouch

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    Mute Des Lamont
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    Dec 13th 2024, 2:09 PM

    Would also have liked to see Harry Sheridan start beside Hendo in the row, to give Ulster more carrying power. Ulster’s best chances are to get and keep possession as much as possible, and that means forwards carrying lots of ball.

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    Mute Kingshu
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    Dec 13th 2024, 2:45 PM

    @Des Lamont: think hes been kept on bench to provide that when the other forwards may be tiring, he’ll provide more of an impact that way than Threadwell would if he came of the best, should now start and finish with strong carriers

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    Mute Des Lamont
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    Dec 13th 2024, 2:06 PM

    That selection is real proof that letting go of Billy Burns, for a relatively unproven New Zealander, was ill-judged and poorly timed.

    Although it might go against the grain, Dave Humphries & Richie Murphy need to get Harry Byrne up north as soon as possible.

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    Mute scott casey
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    Dec 13th 2024, 2:11 PM

    @Des Lamont: I was listening to ferris on a podcast and he was talking about how difficult it can be to get lads from munster, leinster and connacht to go up north as they don’t get the same tax break on retirement. However ud hope someone like Harry byrne has aspirations to be a starter and to move to ulster or eng/france and actually play week in week out and see how actually good he is

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    Mute Kingshu
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    Dec 13th 2024, 2:33 PM

    @scott casey: Yeah Ulster have to pay players a higher wage to offset the tax rebate players would recieve in other provinces from the goverment, also have to pay £800,000 tax on tickets sales the others don’t. The clubs in the 3 southern counties have revieved more funding from goverment that all the NI ones combined over 5 years. Ulster finances are tight, but they also have more costs to pay out than the other 3 currently, on players, Tax and to the club game.

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    Mute Si
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    Dec 13th 2024, 2:46 PM

    @Des Lamont: young James Humphries is a better bet than Morgan of what I’ve seen of him this season.

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    Mute Kingshu
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    Dec 13th 2024, 2:51 PM

    @Des Lamont: As for Harry Byrne, I’d rather stick with what we have, Murphy I think will be very good, and Morgan I think is developing JH has been better than expected. Chance for Frawley or H Byrne to move was the summer, they have missed out on that opportunity and I think Ulster have moved on also and are going to build with the 3 we have.

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    Mute Michael Corkery
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    Dec 13th 2024, 3:08 PM

    @Kingshu: ye need to campaign harder for a United Ireland up there – then ye’ll be treated the same . :)

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    Mute Michael Corkery
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    Dec 13th 2024, 3:15 PM

    @Kingshu: agrée on Byrne. He has made it obvious he was prepared to sit on his arse, play the odd URC game for Leinster rather than go anywhere else in Ireland. How could you be counting on him to give his all when the chips on down if he was at Ulster. Frawley different kettle of fish, he’s played plenty but just not in his preferred position. I think any of the other 3 provinces would be very happy to have him.

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    Mute Paul Ennis
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    Dec 13th 2024, 3:50 PM

    @Des Lamont: You have Jack Murphy and James Humphries who both have real potential. Harry (I hate to say) is a busted flush. He has slipped out of contention at Leinster and cannot even get ahead of his brother on the bench. He definitely has the talent but his issue over the years at Leinster has been his head and he always seems to take set backs very badly, even if it is mid game. His head drops too quickly. How would that work at Ulster where set backs will be more likely in the short term at least? I wouldn’t want to see the progress of Jack and James halted at this stage either. Looks like Ross is leaving Leinster at the end of the season. Harry can provide adequate back up to Prendergast and Frawley next year.

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    Mute Paul Ennis
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    Dec 13th 2024, 3:52 PM

    @Michael Corkery: Ah now… there are enough trolls in these comment sections without bringing politics into it!!

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    Mute Kingshu
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    Dec 13th 2024, 3:55 PM

    @Michael Corkery: UI is coming, just not soon enough for Ulster to free up an extra £2m odd to invest in the squad a season. Frawley if moved next season would be 28, which for someone who has played so little at OH would be very late, and why I though last summer was his last chance and would be too late after that. Really depends on how much gametime he gets at OH, if not getting much, has he left it to late to move? If getting more games this season he’s even less likely to want to move than last summer.

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    Mute Michael Corkery
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    Dec 13th 2024, 4:07 PM

    @Kingshu: points taken. But I was speaking more about how attractive a proposition Frawley would be if he said tomorrow he wanted to leave Leinster because he felt he wasn’t getting a fair shot at OH. My bet is at least Ulster and Connacht would be calling his agent immediately saying no guarantee but you’ll get a very fair shot at it. Even Munster would try and entice him I reckon with promise of more games at 10. I’d say H Byrne has probably burnt bridges with any suitors at this stage and would be better off trying his luck in France.

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    Mute scott casey
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    Dec 13th 2024, 4:53 PM

    @Kingshu: as a munster fan I didn’t realise the ticket tax and lack of governmental funding. I know the irish government are not going to pay anything but I think a special dispensation should be made by the irfu where they give extra funding to ulster to make it more equitable. End of the day if irfu give extra funding to ulster so they have more money to invest in underage pathways and coaching then Ulster and in turn the Irish team will benefit in the long term. I keep saying it, the Irish team are not going to win the world cup with only one successful province

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    Mute TL55
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    Dec 13th 2024, 5:51 PM

    @scott casey: Could Ulster Rugby set up a company down south and pay players wages through it thereby allowing them avail of the more favourable tax and retirement benefits that apply here.

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    Mute Kingshu
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    Dec 13th 2024, 5:57 PM

    @scott casey: yeah if intrested you can read the appliction if search for Written evidence Ulster Rugby, relating to the funding and delivery of public services
    Highlights, Rugby enjoys a greater level of support from the Irish Government five of nine border county clubs from Donegal, Cavan and Monaghan received almost €250k between them from the most recent Sports Capital Programme, This amounts to more than the 42 NI-based clubs have received from the equivalent funder in the past five years. Republic of Ireland do not pay VAT on ticket sales, Ulster Rugby has an annual bill of approx. £750,000Sportsperson Relief Tax. The outworking’s of this mean that Ulster Rugby is at a competitive disadvantage in attracting players from ROI, and so has had to offer additional money to compensate .

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    Mute Rab McCracken
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    Dec 13th 2024, 7:28 PM

    @TL55: Donegal, Monaghan or Cavan?

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    Mute scott casey
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    Dec 13th 2024, 2:08 PM

    Interested to see how Ward goes against some serious opposition wingers. He has a unique skill set that no other winger in ire has. If he can get his defensive positioning and reading of the game sorted he could be a very good player

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    Mute Justin Robinson
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    Dec 13th 2024, 2:16 PM

    @scott casey: It’s certainly a baptism of fire which one could see coming after the injuries last week. Just Ulster’s luck that it wasn’t the sacrificial forwards that got beaten up in Toulouse but the backs they’re already running dangerously low on.

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    Mute scott casey
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    Dec 13th 2024, 2:23 PM

    @Justin Robinson: if the starting pack gains parity and u don’t get any backline injuries early in the game, I think u lads have a chance. If all else fails then send big stu down joey channel all day

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    Mute Justin Robinson
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    Dec 13th 2024, 2:31 PM

    @scott casey: I’m not unhappy that JC has been picked instead of Jalibert – I reckon Big Stu will be licking his lips already!

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    Mute Michael Corkery
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    Dec 13th 2024, 3:04 PM

    @Justin Robinson: neither Jalbert or Carbery or good defenders so not sure that will make much difference. Somebody else will have to make the tackle

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    Mute Justin Robinson
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    Dec 13th 2024, 4:55 PM

    @Michael Corkery: Sure but Jalibert is a international standard 10 and JC isn’t.

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    Mute Michael Corkery
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    Dec 13th 2024, 5:17 PM

    @Justin Robinson: disagree totally. Carbery proved on several occasions that he could play intl rugby. If he could only stop getting injured but that’s another story. Jalibert also intl. level but he actually gets a lot of criticism in France – poor defense and game management.

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    Mute Tom Reilly
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    Dec 13th 2024, 1:56 PM

    That’s a strong Ulster side, pack especially.

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    Mute Si
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    Dec 13th 2024, 1:57 PM

    @Tom Reilly: excited to see Ward go, pack is as good as we can pick currently

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    Mute Shane Flanagan
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    Dec 13th 2024, 2:38 PM

    Where is Balacoune? Injured?

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    Mute Kingshu
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    Dec 13th 2024, 2:43 PM

    @Shane Flanagan: has been all season

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    Mute Justin Robinson
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    Dec 13th 2024, 2:50 PM

    @Shane Flanagan: According to the Squad Updates, RB has been missing due to hamstring and, more recently, calf issues.

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    Mute Mike. D
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    Dec 13th 2024, 3:09 PM

    Werner Kock looked bad last week, missed tackles and caught out of position a few times.

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    Mute Conor
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    Dec 13th 2024, 3:52 PM

    @Mike. D: big smiles and handshakes with the opposition the second the final whistle was blown. I know a lot of these guys are mates, but if my team got annihilated by nearly 60 points in a European match and one of your bigger signings is all smiles, would be fairly pişşed off.

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    Mute Michael Corkery
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    Dec 13th 2024, 4:34 PM

    @Conor: I think the attitude overall – squad and management was wrong last week. Seemed they’d already factored in a very heavy loss

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    Mute TL55
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    Dec 13th 2024, 6:27 PM

    @Mike. D: He wasn’t alone and in fairness Ulster were up against an exceptional team, away from home and well short of the 23 due to injuries.

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    Mute Max
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    Dec 13th 2024, 3:08 PM

    Was wondering about him

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