Ireland call-ups leave Ulster without nine players after winless URC start

Ulster have lost nine players to Ireland duty after opening their United Rugby Championship campaign without a win in four matches. Head coach Richie Murphy said the number of call-ups exceeded his expectations, according to BBC Sport, while welcoming the opportunity for his players to represent Ireland ahead of November's Nations Championship fixtures.

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The absent backs are Stuart McCloskey, Jacob Stockdale, Robert Baloucoune, Nathan Doak and Jamie Benson. Forwards Tom O'Toole, Tom Stewart, James McNabney and Nick Timoney have also joined the Ireland squad. Murphy acknowledged that the departures put pressure on Ulster's available group during their trip to South Africa, where they have already lost to the Bulls.

Benson and McNabney have received their first Ireland call-ups. Benson, 24, joined Ulster from Harlequins in the summer and has played at fly-half and in both centre positions. The Irish-qualified former England Under-20 international can also cover full-back. Murphy praised his contribution, adaptability and emerging leadership, saying Ireland had recognised the value of those qualities.

McNabney's selection follows his recovery from an anterior cruciate ligament injury that kept him out for a year. Murphy said the back-row forward was still settling back into playing but that his attributes were evident. The two newcomers are part of a substantial Ulster contingent selected by Ireland head coach Andy Farrell.

The international departures come after a league sequence comprising defeats against Edinburgh and the Bulls, with draws against Glasgow and Munster between them. Despite that record, Ulster sit only one point outside the play-off positions. They have also recorded a victory in another competition, beating Zebre in their opening Challenge Cup match, BBC Sport reported.

Murphy identified poor starts and inconsistent execution as problems behind the league results. Ulster have repeatedly conceded early leads before recovering without completing a winning comeback. He said improvements at the breakdown and in passing could help turn competitive performances into victories. Rather than make wholesale changes to his approach, Murphy said he would maintain the team's process, arguing that Ulster had shown strong attacking and defensive rugby but had not sustained it consistently.