Ulster

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Ulster's James McNabney says he is determined to show the Ireland coaches "what I'm all about" as he joins up with the national squad before next month's Nations Championship games.

Uncapped back row McNabney - who stands 6ft 5ins - is one of nine Ulster players in Andy Farrell's 36-man squad for the upcoming home Tests with Argentina, Fiji and South Africa.

The 23-year-old, usually deployed at blind-side flanker or number eight, is hoping to make his international debut after a serious knee injury forced him to miss last year's summer Tests against Georgia and Portugal.

"Yeah, I've been in camp before, I really enjoyed it," said McNabney, who Ireland head coach Andy Farrell described as "some specimen of a man" after announcing his squad last week.

"Hopefully my experience is the same and look to push on and get as much exposure and show the coaches what I'm all about."

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After an anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injury that forced him to miss the entire 2025-26 season, McNabney has made appearances off the bench in Ulster's last three United Rugby Championship fixtures after starting the season opener against Edinburgh.

He replaced Juarno Augustus in the 64th minute of Saturday's 34-26 loss to the Bulls in Pretoria and hopes the stern examination at altitude will benefit him heading into Ireland camp.

"It's a good test at altitude, temperature, the massive humans we were up against," added the Ballymena-born forward, who helped the Ireland under-20s win a Six Nations Grand Slam in 2022.

"It was good. I would like more minutes. I only got 20 minutes at the end but you've just got to take what you're given and try to raise it."

McNabney joins eight Ulster team-mates in Ireland camp: fellow uncapped player Jamie Benson as well as Tom O'Toole, Tom Stewart, Nick Timoney, Nathan Doak, Stuart McCloskey, Jacob Stockdale and Robert Baloucoune.

Shorn of their internationals, Ulster face the Stormers in Cape Town on Saturday (12:45 GMT).

Richie Murphy's side, still without a URC win this season after two defeats and two draws, reported no fresh injury concerns before the Stormers fixture, while Tom Brigg, Sam Crean, Jed Findlay, Rob Herring, James Hume, Martin Moloney and Zac Ward have joined the squad in Cape Town.

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Eight of the nine Ulster players called up by Andy Farrell for Ireland's Nations Championship fixtures next month have been selected to feature for the province against the Bulls on Saturday.

The United Rugby Championship fixture in Pretoria [12:45 BST kick-off] is the first of two Richie Murphy's side will play in South Africa, with the Stormers in Cape Town to come on 31 October.

Ulster's international contingent will not be expected to feature in that concluding game of the tour, but Tom O'Toole, Tom Stewart and Nick Timoney all start up front this weekend, with Stuart McCloksey, Jamie Benson, Nathan Doak and Jacob Stockdale getting the nod in the back-line.

Uncapped back row James McNabney, who will hope to make a Test bow next month, is among the replacements, with wing Robert Baloucoune the only one of the province's Test call-ups not to feature in Saturday's 23.

Seemingly included in Farrell's squad as a fly-half option, Benson reverts back to outside centre having worn 10 in the win against Zebre in the Challenge Cup last time out.

The versatile Mike Lowry will play left wing for the first time since January 2025, with Murphy opting for a 6:2 split on the bench.

Ulster are searching for a first win of the league season having drawn two and lost one in the competition so far in the 2026-27 campaign.

Ulster: Stockdale; Mullins, Benson, McCloskey, Lowry; Murphy, Doak; O'Toole, Stewart (capt), Knox; Donnell, Izuchukwu; McCann, Timoney, Augustus.

Replacements: Walker, O'Sullivan, Wilson, Snyman, McNabney, Devine, Flannery, McKillop

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An Ireland XV selection will meet Fiji A in Cork on 20 November with Ulster attack coach Mark Sexton leading the panel.

It will be the first of three confirmed fixtures for Ireland's second-string outfit this season with games against Chile in Belfast on 12 February and England A in Exeter eight days later.

The Ireland Rugby Football Union [IRFU] said the series forms part of a "renewed focus on developing emerging talent", as well as providing players on the international radar with "valuable match minutes in green".

Sexton will be joined on the coaching ticket by Munster duo Jimmy Duffy and Jared Payne, as well as IRFU performance pathway scrum coach Seamus Toomey.

"These fixtures help bridge the gap between provincial rugby and the senior international squad, allowing players to test themselves against quality opposition while gaining valuable experience in a national team environment," said the IRFU's performance director David Humphreys.

"They also give us an opportunity to assess players, build relationships and develop greater depth across the player pool.

"Matches such as the upcoming one against Fiji 'A' in Cork are a valuable part of that process, challenging players in different ways and helping to ensure we continue to develop a strong group of players capable of competing in green at international level."

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Ulster winger Zac Ward is a doubt for Saturday's United Rugby Championship fixture with the Bulls in Pretoria.

Ward injured his ankle in Saturday's Challenge Cup victory over Zebre in Parma having started the match on the left wing.

Ireland internationals Stuart McCloskey and Nick Timoney missed the win in Italy, but Ulster hope both will be available for selection to face the Bulls, who are coming off a 56-20 Champions Cup win over Stade Francais.

Forward Ben Donnell, back-three player Ethan McIlroy and second row Eli Snyman will be monitored throughout the week after resuming training.

Ulster are still without Eduardo Bello, Iain Henderson, Rob Herring, James Hume, Charlie Irvine, Aitzol Arenzana-King, Stewart Moore, Jude Postlethwaite, Callum Reid and Bryn Ward.

Richie Murphy's side face the Bulls at Loftus Versfeld Stadium (12:45 BST) before travelling to Cape Town, where they will take on the Stormers on 31 October (12:45 GMT).

Ulster sit 11th in the URC table after two draws and a defeat from their opening three games.

The Bulls, beaten finalists last season, and Stormers lie third and fourth in the standings having both won two out of three.

Ulster beat the Bulls 28-7 in Belfast last season and drew 38-38 with the Stormers. Last year's South African trip yielded a 34-26 win over the Sharks in Durban and 49-31 defeat by the Lions in Johannesburg.

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Four players have emerged as doubts for Ulster's Challenge Cup opener against Zebre in Parma on Saturday.

Prop Eduardo Bell, who did not feature in Saturday's United Rugby Championship draw with Munster, may not be risked after picking up a hamstring injury in training.

Second row Ben Donnell, full-back Ethan McIlroy and hooker Tom Stewart all sustained unspecified knocks in the Munster game.

Eli Snyman, who started alongside Donnell at lock on Saturday, is ruled out with a concussion.

On a more positive note, full-back Michael Lowry has returned to full team training after suffering a concussion in the opening URC loss to Edinburgh on 25 September.

After a defeat and two draws in the URC, Ulster are hunting a first win of the season against Zebre before travelling to South Africa for league games against the Bulls and Stormers.

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Ulster hooker Tom Stewart admits "I don't think I've come to the party well enough" and says the squad must have "honest conversations" after an underwhelming start to the season.

Successive draws with Glasgow and Munster after a loss to Edinburgh leaves Ulster winless in the United Rugby Championship before starting their Challenge Cup campaign away to Zebre next week.

Head coach Richie Murphy said he was "bitterly disappointed" after his side were forced to fight back for a 26-26 draw with Munster, while Stewart questioned his own contributions to the game in Belfast.

"From a personal point of view, I'm not happy with my performances about it. I don't think I've come to the party well enough, I don't know if it's my preparation or the mental side to the game," said Stewart, who captained Ulster against Glasgow and Munster in the injured Iain Henderson's absence.

"It's something I really need to have a look at and plan better or whatever it is, but I need to start understanding why that is the case."

Stewart, who marked his seventh Ireland cap with a try against Japan over the summer, added: "From my own point of view, I need to properly watch back my intent in some of the collisions and my actual process around what I'm doing.

"Then I think we need to have some honest conversations this week within ourselves, with the team, players and coaches to see where we're at."

Ulster travel to Zebre on Saturday (15:15 BST) before travelling to South Africa for difficult URC assignments against the Bulls and Stormers.

For Stewart, Ulster "can't shy away" from the shortcomings in their performances as they strive to kick-start their season.

"It's hard, when you have a game like that you don't want to watch it back," added the 25-year-old.

"You don't want to review yourself properly, you don't want to look at the hard stuff, the nitty-gritty that you haven't done well, but that's where you find the fixes, the learnings.

"The hardest stuff you watch will be the most impactful stuff going forward."