John Cooney is poised to make his 150th appearance for Ulster when they host Zebre in a crucial match. The team seeks to improve their position after struggling to stay within the top eight. Cooney's experience and skills will be vital for Ulster's success.
John Cooney is in line to make his 150th appearance for Ulster when they host Zebre on Sunday. Photograph: Ryan Byrne/InphoMaybe it is not the worst outcome to have Zebre at home nine days after hosting and dispatching a heavily diluted Exeter Chiefs in theSitting outside the top eight after nine rounds is no place for Richie Murphy’s squad to be, so a strong John Cooney will make his 150th appearance for the province when he starts ahead of Nathan Doak to link up with Jack Murphy at half-back.
The 34-year-old arrived from Connacht in the wake of Ruan Pienaar’s controversial departure in 2017 and, though he is widely rumoured to be moving on at season’s end, with France thought to be the likely destination, Cooney is still an integral part of the side both for his goal-kicking and his general play.
With only Rob Herring, Iain Henderson, Cormac Izuchukwu and development player James McNabney away with Ireland, the northern province – who crept into the last 16 of the Champions Cup to face Bordeaux-Beglès off the back of just one win – have the in-form Nick Timoney skippering them again in a decent-looking pack that includes David McCann, Scott Wilson, Kieran Treadwell and Tom Stewart, who starts for the first time in what has been an injury-marred season.
“There’s a break now and I think we have five games before we go back into Europe in April,” said assistant coach Dan Soper, who will move to become development and transition coach next season. “The Six Nations has traditionally been a period where we’ve done pretty well and though we’re sitting outside the top eight at the moment we have clear aspirations to be well in there and pushing towards the top of it.: S Moore; M Lowry, B Carson, J Postlethwaite, Z Ward; J Murphy, J Cooney; E O’Sullivan, T Stewart, S Wilson, H Sheridan, K Treadwell, L McLoughlin, N Timoney , D McCann. Replacements: J Andrew, C Reid, C Barrett, A O’Connor, Matty Rea, N Doak, J Flannery, R Lyttle.
ULSTER ZEBRA JOHN COONEY RUGBY PRO14
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