RUGBY: Tommy Bowe in potential Ulster return after injury

Sean Reidy is set to be sidelined for up to six weeks with a knee injury while Charles Piutau could be out for at least four weeks with a dislocated rib cartilage.

Added to those, young winger Rob Lyttle, who scored two tries in last week’s bonus point 59-10 win over Southern Kings in the Guinness PRO14 is out for between 4-6 weeks with what Ulster Rugby described as a “hamstring injury of significance.”

With a pivotal game this Friday night in Conference B of the PRO14 against Edinburgh, Ulster have to dig deep into the resources once again.

Third placed Ulster are five points ahead of the Scots and with the top two, Leinster and Scarlets also facing off this weekend - the outcome of both will have a huge bearing on who will be claiming the playoff spots for the Championship come May.

On the plus side, international wingers, Tommy Bowe and Andrew Trimble has recovered from injury and one, or both, will almost certainly start against Edinburgh while Pete Nelson (hamstring) has also returned to training.

Ulster assistant coach, Niall Malone, accepted the injury blows were significant as they moved through the remainder of the Six Nations series.

Piutau is due to leave Ulster to join Bristol at the end of the season, but he is almost certain to miss at least half of the remaining PRO14 games with the rib injury.

Malone said: “He’s dislocated a rib which can take up to four of five weeks or he could be ready in a week. It’s a very difficult one to put a time line on.

“We’re thinking four to five but it’s a case of how long is a piece of string. He could be feeling great in a week or he could be feeling bad for another month.

“He’ll play after the break, we’re pretty sure of that. We’re pretty certain he’ll be back for Cardiff,” added Malone. “Luckily what we have for this week, we still feel confident, but to lose three in the one go as we have is a blow no doubt.”