Ulster suffer potential injury blow as Stuart McCloskey will 'probably not' be fit for European Challenge Cup final

McCloskey suffered the problem in Ulster’s semi final victory over the Exeter Chiefs last weekend.

“He has a serious hamstring injury,” stated head coach Richie Murphy.

"Is he a doubt for the final? Absolutely...he's a doubt for the final, does it look likely that he'll play? Probably not but we'll see where that ends up.”

The problems are mounting up for the Ulster coach ahead of Bilbao as Jacob Stockdale is also unlikely to feature against Montpellier and captain Iain Henderson could be facing a suspension after his 20-minute red card in the 38-38 draw with the Stormers at Ravenhill last night.

“Once you get a red card, you go to a judiciary, so, I suppose that's not in our hands now,” Murphy added.

“Initially, he clears straight through the ruck, but then ends up around the side, so again, we'll wait and see what happens in relation to that, but yeah, once you get a red card, you go through a process, so, we'll have to wait and see what happens.”

Murphy was frustrated that Ulster threw two points away at the end of the Stormers game, leading 38-31 in the final seconds when Leolin Zas was held up over the line.

However, a TMO review adjudged Nathan Doak made shoulder to head contact on the winger which stopped him scoring, meaning the South African’s were awarded a penalty try to tie the scores while Doak was sin binned.

Murphy reflected: “It's hard to sum it up, you look at the collision or the lack of collision, and you go, well, we can find at least another five occasions of that isn't looked at during the game so that's quite difficult to take.

“So, I suppose, is there head contact? Well, is it direct? You know, the referee has to make the decision in regard to that, but a very disappointing way to, I suppose, take a victory away, even if they had of scored a try, I suppose they have to kick the conversion, if you kick the conversion, you feel like they'd earned it.

“From our own point of view, we look at that last sort of two minutes or so from a defensive point of view and we didn't defend well enough, that's for sure but we've got a really big, strong physical attacking team coming at us as well over the 80 minutes.

“I thought the way we adapted to the things that went against us was really good...I thought we scored some brilliant tries as well.

“I thought the character that was shown within the team over the last couple of weeks has been really good, so, we need to take it on the chin and just get moving forward into the next one.”

Ulster’s URC play-off destiny is still in their hands as a bonus point win against Glasgow at home guarantees a top eight finish.

“Definitely five points against Glasgow will be a done deal, four points, very hard not to see us get in,” Murphy argued.

“Fifty points normally always gets in to the top eight. I think it was 48 last year that got in, so, to hit 50 points would have been a target that we would have had well back at the start of it. It has taken us until the second last game but that's where we are.

“We now need to have a look at our squad, see where our players are in relation to their energy levels and their readiness to attack that game next week.”