Duane to lead Ulster charge against Bulls

The Blue Bulls will take on Ulster tomorrow in the United Rugby Championship.

March 24, 2023
SA Rugby Mag 1 minute read
Duane Vermeulen and Ulster lineup. Photo: @UlsterRugby/Twitter

Springbok No 8 Duane Vermeulen will skipper Ulster in the Vodacom United Rugby Championship clash against the Vodacom Bulls in Belfast on Saturday.

Vermeulen, who led the Ulstermen to a 31-24 bonus-point win against the Sharks in Durban on 25 February, completes a strong back row alongside Ireland international Nick Timony and 22-year-old Dave McCann.

Leading the front row against the SA opposition, Andy Warwick starts at loosehead prop and is joined by Tom Stewart at hooker, who is back after being part of Ireland’s Six Nations-winning training squad. They will be packing down with Jeff Toomaga-Allen at loosehead prop.

Kieran Treadwell, who featured for Ireland in the Grand Slam win against England, is back starting in the second row alongside experienced Wallaby Sam Carter.

Nathan Doak keeps the No 9 jersey after a Player of the Match performance against Cardiff before a two-week break in the URC, where he scored a try and slotted six out of six conversions. Billy Burns joins him at flyhalf.

Stewart Moore and James Hume keep their places in Ulster’s centre positions, while the back three sees a welcome return for winger Rob Baloucoune, who hasn’t featured for Ulster since early January. He is joined by Jacob Stockdale and fullback Mike Lowry.

Head coach Dan McFarland has opted for a six-two split on the bench with John Andrew, Eric O’Sullivan, Gareth Milasinovich, Alan O’Connor, Harry Sheridan and Marcus Rea named as forward options, and John Cooney and Jude Postlethwaite covering the backline.

Read original story on www.sarugbymag.co.za

At Caxton, we employ humans to generate daily fresh news, not AI intervention. Happy reading!
March 24, 2023
SA Rugby Mag 1 minute read

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Andrea van Wyk

Caxton’s Digital Editorial Manager. I am a journalist and editor with experience spanning over a decade having worked for major local and national news publications across the country and as a correspondent in the Netherlands. I write about most topics with a special interest in politics, crime, human interest and conservation.
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