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1 week ago | 
the42.ie | Michael Sadlier
WITH SO MUCH about this interprovincial for both teams’ URC play-off hopes, Nick Timoney is intent on embracing all aspects of the pressurised challenge in doing battle with Munster at Thomond Park.
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1 week ago | 
belfasttelegraph.co.uk | Michael Sadlier
So, it comes down to this then. A trip to hostile territory down Limerick way on Friday night with not exactly a prize on offer to the winner but at least a means of keeping the battle for top eight rumbling on towards next week’s final round. And for the loser?
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1 week ago | 
irishtimes.com | Michael Sadlier
Two rounds in the URC to go and the pressure is well and truly on, as should Ulster fail to win at Thomond Park against Munster on Friday night, that could well be the end of their playoff hopes. With Munster also sitting outside the top eight – they are ninth but on equal points with eighth-placed Benetton (41), while Ulster sit 12th on 38 points – there is plenty hinging on this interprovincial clash, which looks all set to be a full-on affair, top-heavy with a sense of jeopardy.
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2 weeks ago | 
belfasttelegraph.co.uk | Michael Sadlier
This has taken a while, and possibly with a twist or two along the way, but it seems that Les Kiss is the person front and centre of the succession plan for Joe Schmidt at the Wallabies.
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2 weeks ago | 
independent.ie | Michael Sadlier
‘It leaves us swimming upstream’ – everything at stake as Ulster face crunch showdown with MunsterJacob Stockdale had a fine game for Ulster despite their narrow defeat by the Sharks. Photo: Sam Barnes/SportsfileAnother quality game from Jacob Stockdale, yellow card aside, and yet it seemed best to start with this latest setback in Ulster’s hopes of collecting some knockout rugby in the URC.
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2 weeks ago | 
belfasttelegraph.co.uk | Michael Sadlier
On an evening which seemed to offer so much possibility, it was a crying shame that it had to end the way it did; the Sharks turning up their renowned power and Ulster’s lead crumbling away to dust. That 77th-minute penalty from Jordan Hendrikse felt like more than just a sharp punch to the guts as in the context of the table, the solitary point Ulster gleaned from a game they had led 19-0 might well prove to be the extinguishing of their Play-Off hopes.
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2 weeks ago | 
belfasttelegraph.co.uk | Michael Sadlier
With the crowd having pretty much dispersed, the PA blasted out the Rolling Stones anthem ‘You can’t always get what you want’ which, well, summed things up rather neatly. Ulster needed this result and, for a while, it looked as if they might well have nailed it, too, only for their 19-0 lead to be whittled away by a Sharks side who found themselves gaining traction in a game which seemed beyond them.
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2 weeks ago | 
belfasttelegraph.co.uk | Michael Sadlier
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2 weeks ago | 
independent.ie | Michael Sadlier
There was so much to admire from the way they had managed most of the first half, but following Nathan Doak’s try on the half hour, Richie Murphy’s men failed to score again as the star-laden Sharks racked up 22 without reply. The heat is on now with just two games remaining and Ulster located in 12th. In terms of positives, Jacob Stockdale had a terrific game at fullback but, essentially, Ulster ran out of steam against Siya Kolisi et al.
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2 weeks ago | 
irishtimes.com | Michael Sadlier
URC: Ulster 19 Sharks 22Ulster’s late season charge to reach the URC playoffs suffered what could be severe damage after losing control of their final regular season home game to the star-laden Sharks. The province had led 19-0 on the half-hour thanks to tries from Jack Murphy, Jude Postlethwaite and Nathan Doak and were still in front by 19-5 at the break only for the Sharks to gradually claw things back with Jordan Hendrikse’s 77th-minute penalty bringing them the four points.
