Ulster Academy players are proving their worth

It is a sign of the progress Ulster wants to make that this season’s crop of Abbey Insurance Ulster Academy players have crossed over the 50 caps appearances (in total).
Ulsters Angus KernohanUlsters Angus Kernohan
Ulsters Angus Kernohan

And that will inch closer to 60 tonight in Bridgend against Ospreys in the Guinness PRO14 after Michael Lowry, Angus Kernohan and Eric O’Sullivan start and James Hume gets the chance to come off the bench.

Ulster have been met with criticism in the past for the Academy not delivering in the same way as Leinster, where there is a conveyer belt of new talent wielded out on a regular basis.

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However, Academy manager Kieran Campbell and his team are now starting to see the rewards for their efforts.

Young prop, Eric O’Sullivan has started in 18 or Ulster’s 20 games this season, while Lowry and Robert Baloucoune have become regular names on Ulster team sheets.

Lowry gets a wonderful opportunity to start in his preferred outhalf role this evening, while O’Sullivan adds to his appearances.

Angus Kernohan, who has been in and out of the side in the past two seasons, also gets a further opportunity having been named on the wing to face Ospreys in place of Baloucoune.

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After the draw with Benetton over two weeks ago at Kingspan Stadium, Ulster are on the hunt for an away win as they look to press their case for a play-off place in the PRO14 Championship.

And Kernohan knows during Six Nations periods it is an opportunity for him and other up and coming young talent to press their cases further.

He suffered a hamstring tear in the away loss to Leinster which counted him out of the Ireland Under-2o squad, but he is now looking forward to getting another chance in the Ulster jersey.

He admits there is a bit of pressure on the younger guys to live up to the standards expected.

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“You’ve got to live up to the standard with being an Ulster rugby player.

“I’m not sure if pressure is the right word. Definitely, nervous about how you want to play but that’s a good thing because when you go out to play there it means you are on edge and ready for what’s about to happen.

“But yeah when you look at the guys who have pulled on the jersey before, we’ve grown up watching them since we were young boys so you want to go out there and give your absolute all and your absolute best,” he said.

In Conference B of the PRO14, Leinster are runaway leaders and should claim first spot.

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That leaves Ulster battling it out with Benetton, Edinburgh and Scarlets for two play-off places - and automatic qualification for next season’s European Cup.

There are only two points between second placed Benetton and fifth positioned Ulster.

It means there is little room for error with just seven matches remaining and Kernohan said: “If we can beat each team, we can control where we end up in the table. If we lose to a team, it’s then in their hands whether they finish on top of us or below us so each team we beat, it’s more in our control.

“So, I suppose that does come down to, if we win the next match it makes it easier for us to control.”

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Ulster were handed a boost in their bid with the return of Iain Henderson from injury to start in the second row against Ospreys, while John Cooney and Jordi Murphy have been released from the National squad.

It is a milestone night for Ulster centre Stuart McCloskey who makes his 100th appearance for the Province.

Meanwhile, Ospreys’ Dan Evans will also make his 1ooth appearance for the Welsh region.

Allen Clarke’s side have not had any Wales squad players released while centre Scott Williams has been ruled out of the tournament with a back injury - but Wales lock Bradley Davies returns after a four-month lay-off.

TONIGHT’S LINE-UPS:

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Ospreys: D Evans; Dirksen, Allen, Thomas-Wheeler, Morgan; S Davies (capt), Habberfield; Lay, Baldwin, Botha, Ashley, B Davies, Cracknell, S Cross, J King.

Replacements: Otten, Jenkins, Fia, Griffiths, McCusker, Aubrey, Price, Giles.

Ulster: P Nelson; A Kernohan, D Cave, S McCloskey, L Ludik; M Lowry, J Cooney; E O’Sullivan, R Herring, M Moore, A O’Connor (capt), I Henderson, C Ross, J Murphy, N Timoney.

Replacements: J Andrew, A Warwick, T O’Toole, K Treadwell, S Reidy, D Shanahan, J Hume, R Lyttle.