Ulster injury boost as Jordi Murphy returns for Dragons clash

He is now available for Sunday’s clash with the Dragons.

Murphy’s last game in an Ulster shirt was the Rainbow Cup defeat in Thomond Park against Munster at the start of last May.

Ulster forwards coach Roddy Grant feels having the former European Cup winner back on the pitch can help drive the team’s quest for silverware on two fronts.

“Jordi is back and has been declared fit for the weekend,” said Grant. “He has had a couple of niggles, it is like a lot of long-term injuries, you can get back from one and then something else will flare up or tweak just as you are getting used to loads and management again...it is a common picture.

“It’s good to have him back, he is looking good and feeling good and, hopefully, that is the injuries behind him now.

“Jordi on the pitch has an incredible work-rate, he is a skilful player, runs good lines and gets through a lot of work, both ball-carrying and tackling.

“He is good for the team, he plays with a lot of tempo and speed so he’ll help the team in that regard.

“Set-piece he is a really good lineout operator and we have certainly used him a lot and just his experience.

“Experience counts for a lot and his leadership, he speaks really well, he is always really calm and does really well in big games.

“So there is a lot of positives with him and a lot of strengths.”

With Nick Timoney released back to Ulster from the Ireland camp for Sunday’s trip to Rodney Parade, coach Dan McFarland could play him, Murphy and Duane Vermeulen in the back row together for the first time.

“You want all your players available to pick from,” said Grant. “The big element of a big row is the blend of it, with the way the game is now that is the way it is going.

“Ideally, you want your best players playing so that is one element of a blend.

“The other element is how they complement each other and you see that with all teams across the board, either international or club.

“Hopefully, we can get that combination together but obviously they haven’t played together.

“It would be exciting if they did and, if not, there are plenty of other combinations.”

As well as Timoney - Michael Lowry, Robert Baloucoune, James Hume, Tom O’Toole and Kieran Treadwell have also been released back to the province by Ireland’s Andy Farrell.

Only Iain Henderson and Rob Herring, who missed the first two rounds of the Six Nations due to calf injury, aren’t available to travel to Wales from the international contingent.

Grant is happy to have the six Irish players back as Ulster look to stay top of the league.

“That’s good for everyone, it’s good for competition, it’s good for the team,” said Grant. “They’ve been playing well, the guys who are in the Irish squad, they’ve been going well for Ulster.

“So they’re in good form themselves whether they’ve played for Ireland or not.

“They can’t control that.

“They can only control their performances for their team, which they’ve done really well.

“It’s good for them and good for us and, hopefully, that can continue.

“We don’t get them at the start of the week, we get them at the end of the week, so it’s not without its challenges...but they’ve done well so far.”

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