Ulster

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Ulster prop Eric O'Sullivan said that his side know that two wins in their final United Rugby Championship [URC] games "make our season look a lot different".

Richie Murphy's side have a Challenge Cup final against Montpellier to look forward to but successive defeats by Leinster and Munster have dropped Ulster from third to eighth in the URC with two games left.

Ulster face the top two in Stormers and Glasgow Warriors with O'Sullivan acknowledging that the importance of winning those games and reaching the play-offs is helping players to put their European final at the back of their minds.

"The fact the two games matter is a huge part of it, we know we need two wins," he told BBC Sport NI.

"Two wins makes our season looks a lot different. Knowing each game matters is really important and we have to out and get wins and it will prep us well for the final.

"If you can compete with the two top in the league you can compete with anyone and its two important games coming up before the final."

Stormers have won 12 of their 16 URC games this season and O'Sullivan expects they will come with their full cohort to ensure they secure top seeds and home advantage in the play-offs.

"We're expecting them to come here fully loaded. They have a lot to play for, home advantage would be huge for them," he added.

"You want to go up against the best teams with their full depth and hopefully we can get a good result.

The 30-year-old hopes his side can use the feel-good factor around the club to propel them to a big victory on Friday.

"I'm a confidence player and when things are going well its easy to snowball from that and I'm sure there are guys in the squad that feel the same.

"You have league leaders coming to town, you're going into another big physical match, so you have to be switched on and ready to go.

"Going into the game its good to have the confidence and the European win but you have to park that."

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Australian prop Angus Bell returns in one of five changes made by Richie Murphy for Ulster's United Rugby Championship game against the table-topping Stormers at Affidea Stadium on Friday (19:45 BST).

Bell missed the Challenge Cup semi-final victory over Exeter Chiefs with a foot injury but is passed fit to start on Friday and comes in for Sean Crean.

Jacob Stockdale (facial fracture), Stuart McCloskey (hamstring) and David McCann (knee) suffered injuries in the last four win and are out of the game in Belfast.

Werner Kok is restored to the starting line-up at right wing, with Zac Ward shifting to the left flank.

Jude Postlethwaite moves to inside centre and is partnered by Ethan McIlroy in midfield.

Tom Stewart drops to the bench to be replaced by James McCormick while Charlie Irvine comes into the second row with captain Iain Henderson.

Cormac Izuchukwu moves to blindside flanker as a result and he is joined in the back row by Nick Timoney and Juarno Augustus.

There is an unchanged half-back pairing of Nathan Doak and Jack Murphy while Scott Wilson returns from injury to take his place on the bench.

Ulster sit eighth in the URC table following back-to-back defeats by inter-provincial rivals Leinster and Munster.

Murphy's side will secure Champions Cup rugby for next season with a top-eight URC finish or by winning the Challenge Cup.

Ulster: Lowry; Kok; McIlroy, Postlethwaite; Z Ward; Murphy, Doak; Bell, McCormick, O'Toole, Henderson (capt), Irvine, Izuchukwu; Timoney, Augustus.

Replacements: Stewart, O'Sullivan, Wilson, Sheridan, B Ward, McKee, Flannery, De Klerk.

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Ethan McIlroy insists Ulster remain confident of securing a top-eight finish in the United Rugby Championship despite a recent downturn in results in the competition.

Successive defeats by Leinster and Munster have dropped Richie Murphy's side from third to eighth with two games left before the play-offs.

But while winning the European Challenge Cup final against Montpellier later this month would secure the province's return to the Investec Champions Cup, McIlroy says the players still believe they can compete for silverware on the domestic front.

"It's not really in our thoughts right now [not making the top eight]," said the 25-year-old back-three player.

"We all believe and we're all confident we can at least make the top eight if we put good performances out against the Stormers and Glasgow at home."

McIlroy, who missed the first half of this season with an anterior cruciate ligament injury he picked up against Leicester in January 2025, helped Ulster reach their first European final in 14 years after replacing Jacob Stockdale at half-time in the semi-final win over Exeter Chiefs.

And while the former Ireland Under-20 international said there was a great buzz in the dressing room after the Exeter game, he says the squad have their feet back on the ground as they prepare to welcome URC leaders Stormers to Affidea Stadium on Friday (19:45 BST).

"You have to come back right back down to Earth," he said.

"You're told pretty quickly that's where you need to be. You walk in on Monday, there's obviously still an excitement around the place and it's special, but there's no time to be living up in the clouds.

"It's the Stormers, who are top of the table, coming here and it's a pivotal game with where we are in the table, getting top eight is still a massive thing for us."

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Ulster have no interest in resting on their laurels after reaching the European Challenge Cup as they prepare to face United Rugby Championship leaders Stormers, says forwards coach Jimmy Duffy.

The Irish province beat Exeter Chiefs 29-12 in last weekend's semi-final to reach their first European decider since the 2012 Champions Cup.

But with home matches against the Stormers and second-placed Glasgow Warriors to come over the next 10 days, Duffy insists the squad are fully focused on securing a top-eight finish and passage into the URC play-offs.

"We enjoyed it, I suppose, for what it was, and then Sunday got into the review, Monday park it with the players, and then today we're all on to Stormers," said Duffy, who will leave Ulster at the end of the season.

"You can't sit back on your laurels too much at this point of the season.

"As I said to one of the boys earlier, the games come thick and fast, you've got between seven and 14 games, depending on how well you go in the competitions, so you don't really have time."

While Ulster have continued to deliver in Europe, their URC form has dipped with back-to-back defeats by Leinster and Munster.

And with Stuart McCloskey, Jacob Stockdale and David McCann added to the injury list, they must overcome a Stormers outfit which put 48 points on Glasgow last time out when the sides meet at Affidea Stadium on Friday (19:45 BST).

"They're top of the league as we stand and for very good reason," added Duffy.

"They've got a massive forward pack, real attacking threats across the backline, very physical, very smart rugby players, a lot of existing Springboks and guys who will be Springboks,

"It focuses the mind very, very quickly when you look at the quality of the opposition, so we are under no illusions it's going to be a huge task, especially after last weekend, to make sure everybody is physically and mentally ready to take on the challenge that's in front of us."

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Ireland internationals Jacob Stockdale and Stuart McCloskey have emerged as injury doubts for Ulster's European Challenge Cup final against Montpellier later this month.

Outside back Stockdale must visit a maxillo-facial surgeon for a facial fracture sustained in a collision with Immanuel Fey-Waboso in Ulster's semi-final win over Exeter Chiefs last weekend.

In-form centre McCloskey will have an MRI scan to determine the extent of the hamstring problem he picked up in the Chiefs game.

Back row David McCann also requires an MRI scan after sustaining a knee injury in the 29-12 win over the Prem side.

Ulster face Montpellier in Bilbao on 22 May as the Irish province chase their first piece of silverware in 20 years.

In more positive news, Ulster boss Richie Murphy's front-row options have been boosted with props Angus Bell and Scott Wilson and hooker Rob Herring returning to training this week before Friday's United Rugby Championship game against the table-topping Stormers at Affidea Stadium (19:45 BST).

Ulster sit eighth in the URC table following back-to-back defeats by inter-provincial rivals Leinster and Munster.

Murphy's side will secure Champions Cup rugby for next season with a top-eight URC finish or by winning the Challenge Cup.

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Ulster captain Iain Henderson said the province need their "full cohort" to compete in both the European Challenge Cup and United Rugby Championship.

Richie Murphy's side face Exeter Chiefs in a European semi-final at the Affidea Stadium on Saturday before URC games against top two Stormers and Glasgow Warriors as they aim to secure a top-eight finish and passage to the play-offs.

The province have been hit with a spate of injuries recently, which led to Murphy fielding a youthful side in a 41-14 defeat by Munster as he looks to balance the demands of challenging on both fronts.

With the likes of Nick Timoney, Tom O'Toole, James Hume, Bryn Ward and Jude Postlethwaite back in full training, Henderson hopes they can finish the season strongly and end their 20-year trophy drought in one or both competitions.

"In comparison to last year, we've had a more favourable injury run. We do need a full cohort with the games we have ahead to compete on both fronts," he told BBC Sport NI.

"We've got to concentrate this week on the Challenge Cup, that's the game right in front of us. To have a home knockout match is incredibly exciting and really important, so we're looking forward to it."

Henderson, who has been with Ulster since 2012, added that trying to bring silverware to the club hasn't been a "burden", but has been "frustrating" at times.

He is confident that the current crop of young players can deliver for Ulster and reach May's final in Bilbao if they approach the last four tie properly.

"These young lads have the bit between their teeth and want to see the club do well," he continue.

"You have to come into the game slightly differently and understand your European season will be over if you're not on the ball, there's an element of that.

"Knockout rugby brings a sense of excitement, so you have to play into those emotions but not let them overcome you. That's something our guys are all still learning."