As John Cooney prepares to end his stay at Ulster, Murphy confirms that Robert Baloucoune is close to a return to action.

This is always a slightly off-kilter time of the rugby season for provincial ... before the play-offs instead of the 18 they do now, for the last time Ulster shipped eight defeats.

"I arrived in Belfast eight years ago as a 20-year-old with a chance to represent Ulster and a dream of playing international rugby," he said. "I never knew when I arrived how much playing for ...

Nathan Doak converted skipper Alan O'Connor's 79th-minute try as Ulster boosted their United Rugby Championship play ... Lloyd putting them back ahead at 18-16. But Ulster had the advantage ...