Archives: 4th September 2026

Ulster return to Affidea Stadium on Friday 11 September for a pre-season friendly against Ospreys, with kick-off at 7.45pm.

Ulster v Ospreys: fixture details

• Fixture: Ulster Rugby v Ospreys
• Date: Friday 11 September 2026
• Kick-off: 7.45pm UK/Ireland time
• Venue: Affidea Stadium, Belfast
• Competition: Pre-season friendly

Ulster’s next pre-season test

The Ospreys game follows Ulster’s trip to Edinburgh on 4 September and gives the province another important opportunity to build combinations and match sharpness before the competitive campaign begins.

For supporters, it is also the first home fixture in this short pre-season run. With the match at Affidea Stadium, the emphasis should be on how the squad develops from the Edinburgh outing and which combinations are beginning to settle ahead of the United Rugby Championship.

What to watch

Selection will be one of the main talking points. Pre-season gives the coaching staff room to balance established players, summer arrivals and Academy talent while managing minutes across the squad.

Rather than reading too much into the result, the more useful signs will be continuity, defensive organisation, set-piece progress and which players put themselves in contention for the opening competitive fixtures.

Latest team, TV and match information

The Match Hub on this page is the source for the latest confirmed fixture information. Team news, broadcast details and any important changes can be added there as they are confirmed, without changing this permanent fixture URL.

Tickets

Tickets are listed through Ulster Rugby’s ticketing channels for the home pre-season fixture at Affidea Stadium. Supporters should check the official club ticket route for the latest availability and matchday information.

What comes next?

Ulster’s first confirmed United Rugby Championship fixture is also at home, against Edinburgh on Friday 25 September. That makes the Ospreys game a useful final home-stage test before the league campaign gets under way.

Ulster are back in match action tonight, with Michael Lowry captaining a 27-player squad for the pre-season trip to Edinburgh Rugby at Hive Stadium.

Richie Murphy has mixed senior experience, Academy players and summer arrivals for the first warm-up fixture of the 2026/27 campaign. Scrum-half Matthew Devine and fly-half Jamie Benson will make their first appearances in an Ulster jersey, while several other new signings are set to feature from the bench.

Edinburgh v Ulster: match details

• Fixture: Edinburgh Rugby v Ulster Rugby
• Date: Friday 4 September 2026
• Kick-off: 7.45pm (UK/Ireland time)
• Venue: Hive Stadium, Edinburgh
• Competition: Scottish Building Society pre-season friendly
• TV: Premier Sports 2

For the wider fixture background, including the quick turnaround before the teams meet again in the URC, see our Edinburgh v Ulster pre-season fixture guide.

Ulster team v Edinburgh

Lowry starts at full-back and leads the side. Eric O’Sullivan, James McCormick and Academy tighthead Tom McAllister form the front row, with Harry Sheridan and Joe Hopes in the second row. James McKillop, Tom Brigg and David McCann make up the back row.

The new half-back pairing is one of the most interesting selections. Devine starts at scrum-half after joining from Connacht, with Benson at fly-half following his move from Harlequins. Daniel Hawkshaw starts at inside centre alongside Ben Carson, while Aitzol Arenzana-King and Chay Mullins are on the wings.

Ulster starting XV

1. Eric O’Sullivan
2. James McCormick
3. Tom McAllister
4. Harry Sheridan
5. Joe Hopes
6. James McKillop
7. Tom Brigg
8. David McCann
9. Matthew Devine
10. Jamie Benson
11. Aitzol Arenzana-King
12. Daniel Hawkshaw
13. Ben Carson
14. Chay Mullins
15. Michael Lowry (captain)

Ulster replacements

Henry Walker, Flynn Longstaff, Eduardo Bello, Ben Donnell, Eli Snyman, Martin Moloney, James McNabney, Clark Logan, Jake Flannery, Jonny Scott, Jed Findlay and Jack Murphy.

New faces get an early opportunity

Devine and Benson are not the only summer arrivals involved. Eduardo Bello, Eli Snyman, Ben Donnell and Martin Moloney are named among the replacements, giving Murphy the chance to spread minutes across a large squad.

There is also a welcome return to a matchday squad for James McNabney as he continues his comeback from a long-term ACL injury. With 12 replacements available, the emphasis is clearly on game time and combinations rather than treating this like a normal competitive matchday 23.

What to watch from Ulster tonight

The Devine-Benson partnership: two new half-backs starting together means supporters will get an immediate look at how they manage territory, tempo and Ulster’s attack.

Younger forwards under pressure: McAllister, McKillop and Brigg all start in a pack that will be tested by an Edinburgh side also using the night to assess combinations.

Competition in the back three: Arenzana-King and Mullins start on the wings with Lowry at full-back, offering pace and a chance for the newer faces to make an early impression.

Edinburgh will rotate heavily too

Edinburgh have named two XVs, with each unit expected to get around 40 minutes. New recruits Alec Hepburn, James Grayson and Geordie Gwynn are among the first-half starters, while Kienan Higgins is due to feature after the interval.

That makes tonight exactly what a useful pre-season game should be: plenty of changes, fresh combinations and an opportunity for both coaching teams to learn more before competitive rugby begins.

How to watch

Kick-off at Hive Stadium is 7.45pm and the match is being shown live on Premier Sports 2.

We will keep an eye on the key talking points from Edinburgh as Ulster’s 2026/27 preparations move up a level.