All posts by Edward

Competitive rugby is back at Affidea Stadium tonight. Ulster open the 2026/27 BKT United Rugby Championship season at home to Edinburgh, with kick-off in Belfast at 7.45pm BST.

Ulster v Edinburgh: matchday details

• Fixture: Ulster Rugby v Edinburgh Rugby
• Competition: BKT United Rugby Championship – Round 1
• Date: Friday 25 September 2026
• Kick-off: 7.45pm BST / UK-Ireland time
• Venue: Affidea Stadium, Belfast
• TV: Premier Sports

The league season starts here

Tonight is Ulster’s first competitive fixture of 2026/27 after the September warm-up programme. It is also a quick rematch with Edinburgh: Ulster won 28-26 at Hive Stadium in the pre-season meeting on 4 September, but Round 1 brings league points and a very different level of consequence.

What to watch tonight

The step up from pre-season: the warm-ups gave Ulster a chance to test combinations and new faces. Tonight is the first indication of how those combinations look when URC points are at stake.

Edinburgh’s new-look side: Edinburgh have named four starting debutants — Alec Hepburn, James Grayson, Kienan Higgins and Geordie Gwynn — while Magnus Bradbury and Matt Currie co-captain the visitors.

A home start: beginning the league campaign at Affidea Stadium gives Ulster the opportunity to put early points on the board before the Round 2 trip to Glasgow Warriors.

Watching on TV

The game is being shown live on Premier Sports. Kick-off is at 7.45pm BST.

Getting home from Affidea Stadium

Translink lists a special return service for the Ulster v Edinburgh fixture, with buses due to depart Affidea Stadium at 9.45pm. Supporters using the service should check their departure point with the driver when they arrive at the stadium.

Ulster v Edinburgh Match Hub

Our permanent Ulster v Edinburgh Match Hub has the core fixture information in one place. Team news, matchday coverage, the result and reaction can all sit around that hub without duplicating the main fixture page.

SUFTUM.

Michael Lowry will captain Ulster in Friday night’s United Rugby Championship opener against Edinburgh at Affidea Stadium, with Richie Murphy naming a starting XV containing five summer signings.

Eight players in the matchday 23 are in line to make their first competitive Ulster appearances, while James McNabney returns to competitive action at number eight after missing all of last season with a long-term knee injury.

Ulster v Edinburgh: match details

• Fixture: Ulster Rugby v Edinburgh Rugby
• Date: Friday 25 September 2026
• Kick-off: 7.45pm BST / UK-Ireland time
• Venue: Affidea Stadium, Belfast
• Competition: United Rugby Championship – Round 1
• TV / stream: Premier Sports and URC.tv

For the permanent fixture information and any late updates, see the Ulster v Edinburgh Match Hub.

Ulster team v Edinburgh

Eric O’Sullivan, James McCormick and Argentina international Eduardo Bello form the front row. Bello is one of the new arrivals making a first competitive start, with fellow summer signings Eli Snyman and Ben Donnell paired together in the second row.

David McCann starts at blindside flanker, Martin Moloney makes his competitive Ulster debut at openside and McNabney returns at number eight.

Conor McKee and Jack Murphy are the half-backs. Jamie Benson makes his competitive debut at inside centre alongside Ben Carson, while Aitzol Arenzana-King and Robert Baloucoune start on the wings. Lowry captains the side from full-back.

Starting XV

1. Eric O’Sullivan
2. James McCormick
3. Eduardo Bello
4. Eli Snyman
5. Ben Donnell
6. David McCann
7. Martin Moloney
8. James McNabney
9. Conor McKee
10. Jack Murphy
11. Aitzol Arenzana-King
12. Jamie Benson
13. Ben Carson
14. Robert Baloucoune
15. Michael Lowry (captain)

Replacements

16. Henry Walker
17. Tom McAllister
18. Keynan Knox
19. Harry Sheridan
20. James McKillop
21. Matthew Devine
22. Jake Flannery
23. Zac Ward

Five new signings start

Bello, Snyman, Donnell, Moloney and Benson are all handed their first competitive Ulster starts. It gives the opening league team a noticeably different look from last season, particularly in the tight five and midfield.

There is also experience around the new faces. Baloucoune returns to the starting side after his involvement with Ireland over the summer, while last season’s leading try scorer Zac Ward is among the replacements.

McNabney makes his competitive return

McNabney’s selection at number eight is another significant part of the team news. He missed the whole of last season after a serious knee injury and now returns for Ulster’s first competitive fixture of 2026/27.

Arenzana-King also keeps his place after an eye-catching pre-season in which he scored four tries across the Edinburgh and Ospreys warm-up matches.

What the bench looks like

Murphy has gone with a 5:3 split. Henry Walker, Tom McAllister, Keynan Knox, Harry Sheridan and James McKillop provide the forward cover, with Matthew Devine, Jake Flannery and Zac Ward covering the backs.

Walker, Knox and Devine are among the players who could make their competitive Ulster debuts if introduced.

Season starts under the lights in Belfast

Friday’s match is Ulster’s first league fixture of the new season and a quick competitive rematch with Edinburgh after the sides met in pre-season earlier this month. Kick-off is at 7.45pm at Affidea Stadium.

We’ll keep the Match Hub as the permanent home for fixture details, broadcast information and further match updates.