James Hume comes into Ulster squad for Toulouse visit in Champions Cup
James Hume during an Ulster Rugby captain's run at the Kingspan Stadium in Belfast. Photo: Ramsey Cardy/Sportsfile
Ulster head coach Dan McFarland has made four changes to the side that beat Leinster last week as he prepares to take on Toulouse at Ravenhill this evening.
The sold-out Champions Cup contest sees the five-time winners tackle Ulster for a fifth time in the last three-and-a-half years.
Indeed, there is only one difference in the Ulster backline this time around from that which took on the French side when they were last here in April 2022.
Former RBAI schoolmates Mike Lowry and James Hume both come into the starting line-up after the win in the RDS.
Hume missed that game through injury but returns to the side in place of Luke Marshall, who had that key intercept late on in the No 13 jersey. Lowry, meanwhile, was a replacement in Dublin but comes in at full-back for what will be his third start of the campaign. As a result, Will Addison drops down to the bench.
Robert Baloucoune, Stuart McCloskey, Jacob Stockdale, Billy Burns and John Cooney all retain their places behind the pack.
With no Rob Herring in the match-day 23, Tom Stewart gets the start at hooker, joining Springbok Steven Kitshoff and Tom O’Toole in the home side’s front-row.
The second-row pairing of Iain Henderson and Kieran Treadwell is retained, but Dave Ewers takes the place of Matty Rea in the No 6 jersey.
Toulouse arrive with a host of stars, although out-half Romain Ntamack remains out injured.
Captain and talisman Antoine Dupont will lead the side out in what is one of the final games before the France sensation joins up with the national sevens team ahead of the Paris Olympics, with the likes of Thomas Ramos, Blair Kinghorn, Juan Cruz Mallia, Peato Mauvaka and Anthony Jelonch all also included in a powerful starting line-up.
Verdict: Toulouse
Ulster: M Lowry; R Baloucoune, J Hume, S McCloskey, J Stockdale; B Burns, J Cooney; S Kitshoff, T Stewart, T O’Toole; K Treadwell, I Henderson; D Ewers, S Reffell, N Timoney. Reps: J Andrew, A Warwick, M Moore, A O’Connor, M Rea, N Doak, L Marshall, W Addison.
Toulouse: B Kinghorn; JC Malia, D Delibes, P Ahki, M Lebel; T Ramos, A Dupont; C Baille, P Mauvaka, D Aldegheri; R Arnold, E Meafou; F Cros, A Jelonch, A Roumat. Reps: J Marchand, D Ainu’u, N Laulala, J Brennan, J Willis, P Graou, S Chocobares, S Bituniyata.
Ref: M Carley (England)
Ulster v Toulouse, Live, TNT Sport, 8.0
