Ulster are consigned to the belief they will not be getting anyone released from the Ireland squad this week ahead of their visit to Glasgow Warriors in the PRO12.
The Province are currently missing 19 players - 10 on the injury list - and nine at the Irish training camp.
While Rory Best, Craig Gilroy, Declan Fitzpatrick, Luke Marshall, Tom Court and Lewis Stevenson could possibly likely to feature in Ireland’s matchday 23 against Scotland on Sunday, and the outside chance of Paddy Jackson joining them Darren Cave and Iain Henderson would probably miss out on game time over the weekend in spite of Declan Kidney naming his Ireland team on Wednesday.
Ulster assistant coach, Neil Doak, said yesterday the way the fixtures fell over the weekend with the club playing on Friday in Glasgow and Ireland in Murrayfield on Sunday, they did not expect to have any of the players currently training with Ireland on their travels to face second placed Glasgow.
“We have a large number of injuries and Ireland have an injury profile as well, so it has a knock-on effect.
“We just have to get on with it and we have faith in the players that we have available.
“Everyone of them has played at some stage this season, they train every week so they are confident about what they do and how they have to do it.”
Hooker, Nigel Brady and outhalf, Niall O’Connor, were recalled to a provisional 25-man panel named yesterday. Both had appeared to be out of favour since the turn of the year.
Paul Marshall is also recalled having been rotated last week, Ulster naming all three scrumhalves in their panel of 11 backs.
On the injury front there was some relief for Ulster with centre Paddy Wallace and lock, Dan Tuohy, both returning having missed the 26-3 win over Zebre last weekend.
Academy players Alan O’Connor, James Simpson, Conor Joyce are also included along with Ali Birch, Ricky Lutton, Andrew Warwick and Neil Walsh, who made his debut against the Italians last week.
ULSTER SQUAD -
Forwards: Rob Herring, Nigel Brady, Ricky Lutton, Callum Black, Andrew Warwick, John Afoa, Neil McComb, Alan O’Connor, James Simpson, Dan Tuohy, Mike McComish, Conor Joyce, Ali Birch, Robbie Diack.
Backs: Ruan Pienaar, Paul Marshall, Michael Heaney, Niall O’Connor, Stuart Olding, Paddy Wallace, Michael Allen, Andrew Trimble, Chris Cochrane, Neil Walsh, Ricky Andrew.
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