BKT-URC Ulster Rugby Match Day Programme v Cardiff

take midfield centre stage next year.
An outstanding product of Ballymena
Academy, a fulcrum of a successful Irish
Under 20s team, and capped first in 2014
at full international level.
The aggressive blond figure never shirked
a challenge, had a marvellous attacking
intelligence, and would have certainly added
hugely to his eleven Ireland appearances
were it not for an almost calamitous series
of injuries.
regretted Luke Marshall played more often,
although almost two hundred appearances
in the Ulster shirt constitutes no mean
achievement. One of the good guys.
He will want his province to kick on, starting
this evening, and look forward to the visit
of rivals Benetton next weekend with heads
held high and with the return to Kingspan
Stadium of the fans who want the future to
be as bright as the talent in the ranks.
been an exciting midfield partnership
for some years and if both are fit Stuart
McCloskey and James Hume will be aware
of their imagination and effective, physical
creativity. The home backline will hope to
flourish in front of the Kingspan faithful,
with Ethan McIlroy and Jacob Stockdale
in the ranks the evening promises some
attacking, energetic rugby.
Sherratt has been denied, through injury
and international calls, so many of his most
lustrous talent that it is impossible to be sure
who is available to him as Cardiff attempts
to climb into contention for a play-off spot.
Owen Lane, Aled Summerhill, Ellis Jenkins
are amongst those who could add real
thrust to that target.
But as the Head Coach reshapes his side for
a return to past, fast-fading glories he will
hope that recent woes in Ulster will offer
a real opportunity to register a win in the
URC for the first time in four months.
But Richie Murphy would appear to have
made a good impression in his first few
weeks in charge of the squad, and the mood
around Ravenhill Park has been reported as
definitely more confident and settled. That
has been aided by the arrival of interim
Chief Executive Hugh McCaughey, formerly
an important Health Trust boss and,
important to many, a man stepped in rugby,
whether it’ as a Senior Cup-lifting skipper
at Dungannon or as an early manager of
his Province’s professional team.
Both Murphy and McCaughey are interim
appointments, with the former hopeful of
securing a long-term role, and supporters
of Ulster, and the IRFU, will hope settled
management will be achieved as quickly as
commonsense allows.
There will be one player in the current squad
who will be looking on this evening with
understandably mixed feelings.
Centre Luke Marshall has announced
his retirement from the game and there
will be many who will regret he won’t
All-conquering Saracens targeted him a
decade ago but he pledged his future to
Ulster and there are carries, passes, tries and
tackles which will live long in the memories
of longstanding supporters.
He always presented a cheery front
despite the hurdles and challenges faced
over the years and many coaches have
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