Ulster

Ulster lock Cormac Izuchukwu says “pride in the province” is what helps make Irish derbies special as the side prepare to take on Connacht this weekend.

Richie Murphy’s side travel to the Dexcom Stadium on Saturday (17:30 GMT) for what is their second of three games in a row against Irish rivals in the United Rugby Championship (URC).

The northern province are looking to bounce back following a narrow 24-20 loss against Leinster last time out.

The home side, meanwhile, come into the match off the back of a loss comprehensive reverse against Dragons.

“Connacht away, Leinster away and Munster at home, they are special,” Izuchukwu told BBC Sport NI.

“There is something about them, they are class and class to play in.

“For me it is having pride in the province, going down there and showing what we are about.”

Izuchukwu, who hasn’t played since early October because of a recurring foot injury followed by an illness last week, has just signed a new two-year contract to keep him at Ulster until the summer of 2028.

The 25-year-old second row added that he has “grown as a person and a player” since joining the Ulster academy in 2020.

“It has been on my mind for a while now, so really happy to get it done and to get back to playing rugby,” Izuchukwu continued.

“I came here back in 2020, I didn’t have many options, and they gave me a chance. I came here, have made friends and have grown as a person and a player.

“I have made great memories here and, for me, with how the club is growing I am so happy to be here.”

Australia prop Angus Bell will make his first Ulster start in Friday’s United Rugby Championship game against Leinster at Aviva Stadium (19:45 GMT).

Short-term signing Bell, who came off the bench in the Challenge Cup fixtures against Racing 92 and Cardiff, starts at loose-head with Ireland internationals Tom O’Toole and Tom Stewart completing the front row.

Centre Stuart McCloskey returns from the groin injury he sustained on Ireland duty last month. He is joined in midfield by Jude Postlethwaite, who missed last weekend’s defeat by Cardiff because of concussion.

Ulster head coach Richie Murphy has recalled several players after rotating his squad for the Cardiff game, with Nick Timoney and Juarno Augustus returning to the back row.

Jacob Stockdale is restored at full-back, while Rob Baloucoune – who has scored five tries this season – returns to the right wing. The first-choice half-back pairing of Nathan Doak and Jack Murphy are also recalled.

Ethan McIlroy is set for his first appearance since January from the bench after recovering from a knee injury.

Ireland forward James Ryan will earn his 100th Leinster cap in Friday’s interprovincial derby.

URC holders Leinster will be captained by Jack Conan, who came through graduated return to play protocols, with Caelan Doris not named in the squad.

Leinster head coach Leo Cullen has changed his front row after last weekend’s Investec Champions Cup win at Leicester, with Jack Boyle, Rabah Slimani and Gus McCarthy named to start.

New Zealand international Rieko Ioane will play his first URC game after a couple of Champions Cup appearances, while Sam Prendergast is restored at fly-half after Harry Byrne was preferred for the Leicester game.

Ulster have won four out of five URC games this season while Leinster have three wins and three defeats from six. Leinster won both meetings last season, including a comprehensive 41-17 win at Aviva Stadium in April.

Leinster: Frawley; Kenny, Ioane, Tector, Lowe; Prendergast, McGrath; Boyle, G McCarthy, Slimani, Deeny, Ryan, Soroka, Penny, Conan (capt).

Replacements: Sheehan, P McCarthy, Furlong, J McCarthy, Deegan, Gunne, Byrne, Moloney.

Ulster: Stockdale; Baloucoune, Postlethwaite, McCloskey, Kok; Murphy, Doak; Bell, Stewart, O’Toole, Sheridan, Irvine, McCann, Timoney (capt), Augustus.

Replacements: Andrew, Crean, Wilson, Hopes, B Ward, McKee, Flannery, McIlroy.

The seemingly unlikely comeback at the end of regulation came after a dramatic second-half that had begun with Scotstown leading 0-6 to 0-1.

Kilcoo were playing into the considerable wind in the first half with the conditions hampering their attacking efforts.

Despite a sizeable edge in possession through the opening period, there were just five minutes until the break before they registered their sole score of the first half.

The point was provided by Eugene Branagan, but even the wavering trajectory of the ball as it bisected the posts was evidence of the difficulties endured by the Down side’s players when shooting into the swirling breeze.

By that stage, Beggan had already kicked the first pair of two-pointers among his tally and there seemed only one winner when his side’s lead was stretched to eight midway through the second half.

But, having struggled to find their range with the wind at their backs in the early stages of the second half, Kilcoo belatedly mastered the conditions to reel Scotstown in.

Devlin finally got his side off the mark in the second half with a two-pointer 13 minutes after the restart, with the forward adding a further three points as the Down champions cut the deficit to only a point in the closing stages.

A drilled effort from Kieran Hughes was matched by Tommy Mallen from just inside the arc, before Beggan stepped up with another two-pointer to give his side that seemingly crucial three-point cushion heading into injury time.

But his Kilcoo counterpart Niall Kane answered in kind with the clock already well in the red.

Rather than mere consolation, Kilcoo regained possession with the three minutes of indicated added time already up and Callum Rogers gathered and spun brilliantly to send the game into extra time.

Rather than be flattened by letting the long-sought title slip from their grasp, Scotstown lifted themselves from the floor in extra-time with Beggan kicking two frees and a 45, in addition to three points from Conor McCarthy, to end their 36-year wait.