Ulster have been boosted by the return to fitness of experienced centre Luke Marshall who has missed the past 16 months with serious injury.
Marshall, whose recent career has been beset by injuries, was sidelined after damaging his knee in a league win over Scarlets in November 2020.
The 31-year-old, who has won 144 Ulster caps since making his debut in 2010, is part of Dan McFarland’s travelling party to face the Stormers and Bulls in South Africa.
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Ulster, who lie a point below Leinster at the top of the URC table, play the Stormers at the DHL Stadium on Saturday before playing the Bulls at Loftus Versfeld on Saturday, April 2.
In an official squad update, Ulster stated: “Luke Marshall has reintegrated into full team training and is available for selection again following his knee injury sustained in November 2020.”
Prop Tom O’Toole is also back after recovering from a hamstring injury suffered last month, but lock Sam Carter hasn’t travelled following a recent Covid-19 infection.
Ulster’s full travelling party to South Africa is as follows:
Forwards : Alan O’Connor, Andy Warwick, Bradley Roberts, Callum Reid, Duane Vermeulen, Eric O’Sullivan, Gareth Milasinovich, Greg Jones, Iain Henderson, Jordi Murphy, Kieran Treadwell, Marcus Rea, Marty Moore, Matty Rea, Mick Kearney, Nick Timoney, Rob Herring, Tom O’Toole, Tom Stewart.
Backs : Ben Moxham, Billy Burns, Craig Gilroy, Dave Shanahan, Ethan McIlroy, Ian Madigan, James Hume, John Cooney, Luke Marshall, Michael Lowry, Nathan Doak, Rob Lyttle, Stewart Moore, Stuart McCloskey.
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