All you need to know including TV details for Munster Rugby's New Year's URC clash with Ulster

MUNSTER Rugby will seek to get back to winning ways in the United Rugby Chamionship this Friday night, January 2, when travelling to Belfast to face interprovincial rivals Ulster at the Affidea Stadium.

The game which gets underway at 7.45pm is live on Premier Sports 1 TV.

Munster will be looking to get their URC campaign back on track following their frustrating 8-13 home defeat to Leinster in their December 27 derby clash at a sold-out Thomond Park.

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Clayton McMillan's Munster side currently sit in third place in the URC table, three points behind leaders, the DHL Stormers, although the South African side have a game in hand on the 2023 winners.

Munster are three points clear of Friday's opponents Ulster, who do have a game in hand on McMillan's charges.

Pre-match Stats:

Munster have lost two of their last three BKT URC matches, both at Thomond Park, after opening the campaign with five successive victories.

Munster are unbeaten in their last four away games in the Championship since their 21-26 reversal at Cardiff in April.

Munster completed a season’s double over Ulster during the 2024/25 season whilst Ulster’s last victory in the series came in November 2023.

Munster have won on three of their last five visits to Affidea Stadium.

Ulster’s last four BKT United Rugby Championship matches have been evenly split with two wins and two defeats.

Ulster have won all three Championship matches they have played at Affidea Stadium this season
and have not won four in a row at the stadium since October 2024.

Line-Ups:

ULSTER RUGBY: Jacob Stockdale, Werner Kok, James Hume, Stuart McCloskey, Zac Ward, Jack Murphy, Nathan Doak, Angus Bell, Tom Stewart, Tom O’Toole, Iain Henderson (Capt), Joe Hopes, Cormac Izuchukwu, Nick Timoney, Bryn Ward. Replacements: Rob Herring, Eric O’Sullivan, Scott Wilson, Harry Sheridan, David McCann, Conor McKee, Jake Flannery, Jude Postlethwaite.

MUNSTER RUGBY: Mike Haley, Calvin Nash, Dan Kelly, Alex Nankivell, Thaakir Abrahams, JJ Hanrahan, Paddy Patterson, Josh Wycherley, Diarmuid Barron (Capt), Michael Ala’alatoa, Jean Kleyn, Fineen Wycherley, Tom Ahern, John Hodnett, Alex Kendellen. Replacements: Lee Barron, Jeremy Loughman, Conor Bartley, Jack O’Donoghue, Brian Gleeson, Ethan Coughlan, Tony Butler, Seán O’Brien.

REFEREE: Mike Adamson (Scotland)