Henderson absent again as Ulster side to face Northampton Saints is unveiled

Ulster head coach Dan McFarland.

ULSTER WILL AGAIN be without the services of captain Iain Henderson when they take on Northampton Saints tomorrow night [KO 8pm, BT Sport 2].

The Ireland international, who sustained a shoulder injury in the Six Nations win over England, is absent from the Ulster team unveiled by head coach Dan McFarland for this weekend’s European Challenge Cup quarter-final at Franklin’s Gardens.

McFarland has selected an unchanged starting XV from last weekend’s victory against Harlequins. There’s one change among the replacements, with Greg Jones coming in for the injured Cormac Izuchukwu.

Ulster:

15. Michael Lowry
14. Robert Baloucoune
13. James Hume
12. Stuart McCloskey
11. Jacob Stockdale
10. Billy Burns
9. John Cooney

1. Eric O’Sullivan
2. Rob Herring
3. Marty Moore
4. Alan O’Connor
5. Kieran Treadwell
6. Sean Reidy
7. Jordi Murphy (captain)
8. Nick Timoney

Replacements:

16. John Andrew
17. Andrew Warwick
18. Tom O’Toole
19. Matty Rea
20. Greg Jones
21. Alby Mathewson
22. Ian Madigan
23. Ethan McIlroy

Northampton Saints:

15. Tommy Freeman
14. Ollie Sleightholme
13. Rory Hutchinson
12. Piers Francis
11. Taqele Naiyaravoro
10. Dan Biggar
9. Alex Mitchell

1. Alex Waller (co-captain)
2. Sam Matavesi
3. Paul Hill
4. David Ribbans
5. Alex Coles
6. Nick Isiekwe
7. Lewis Ludlam (co-captain)
8. Teimana Harrison

16. Mike Haywood
17. Nick Auterac
18. Ehren Painter
19. Alex Moon
20. Tom Wood
21. Tom James
22. Ahsee Tuala
23. Fraser Dingwall

Murray Kinsella, Bernard Jackman and Gavan Casey look back on a mixed weekend in Europe for the provinces before previewing Exeter-Leinster and Wales-Ireland.