Top-seven target now in place for Ulster's European Champions Cup hopes

​The URC has been allocated eight places in Europe’s premier tournament and normally finishing eighth would be enough to qualify - but the Sharks, who beat Gloucester to win the Challenge Cup at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium last night, have now claimed one of the spots.

The Durban-based side are currently 13th in the URC but qualify automatically for the Champions Cup after their success in the secondary competition.

The Sharks included Wenger Kok in their starting line up as they beat the Cherry and Whites by 36-22 in the Challenge Cup final. Winger Kok will join Ulster at the end of the season.

Ulster have played in the premier European tournament every year since its inception in 1995 and famously became the first Irish province to lift the trophy in 1999.

After last weekend’s last-gasp derby win over Leinster, Ulster will travel to Munster on the last weekend of the regular season in sixth place having already clinched their spot in the domestic quarter-finals. However, Richie Murphy’s side could be overhauled for the Champions Cup place.

Ulster need one match point at Thomond Park against the league leaders to guarantee a top-seven finish. A defeat with no match points would mean either one of Edinburgh or Benetton and the Lions could overtake Ulster.

The province are on 53 points, Edinburgh (seventh) and Benetton (eighth) both have 49 points and meet on the final day at the Stadio Monigo.

The Lions are ninth on 49 points and would need to win with a bonus point in Cape Town against the Stormers to have any chance of finishing above Ulster.

If the sides end up on the same number of league points Ulster would finish higher than the South Africans as they have won more games during the season.

Meanwhile, after agreeing terms with Hurricanes out half Aidan Morgan, Ulster will further strengthen their back line with the arrival of Irish U20s trio Jack Murphy, Wilhem De Klerk and Sam Berman.

Morgan, capped by the All Backs at U20 level, has signed a two-year contract and will arrive at the Kingspan Stadium in the summer as a replacement for Munster-bound Billy Burns.

Murphy, son of Ulster head coach Richie, will give the province another option at out half. The 19-year-old started all five of Ireland’s games in the U20s Six Nations Championship, kicking 52 points.

With Luke Marshall retiring and Will Addison moving on to pastures new, De Klerk offers an alternative at centre. Born in South Africa, his family moved to Ireland when he was 10 years old.

De Klerk, also 19, played all but nine minutes during the U20s’ Six Nations campaign, forming a formidable centre partnership with Hugo Gavin.

Both Murphy are De Klerk are likely to play their club rugby at Queen’s next season.

Predominantly a centre, Berman can also play at outhalf.