Ireland Rugby: ‘One-club guy’ Jacob Stockdale rejected French interest to stay with Ulster

Stockdale’s return to fitness comes at a time when fellow Irish internationals Stuart McCloskey and James Hume are also back after lengthy spells out.

McCloskey has been out with a hamstring injury suffered against Munster on 20 December, while his fellow centre Hume has yet to play competitively this season having sustained a serious knee injury against Cardiff last April.

“I feel the Queensland Reds game was good for a few of us who have been out to come back from long-term injuries,” Stockdale said.

“It was nice for me to get back on the pitch, but it was good to see Hume and Stu (McCloskey) back again.

“There were a few busted lungs out there the first few minutes, but it was good.”

The experienced trio are back to boost Ulster for their United Rugby Championship (URC) trip to Benetton on Saturday evening.

Richie Murphy’s side have fallen to ninth in the standings and are returning to league action for the first time since their home defeat to Zebre on 26 January.

While Ulster have won just five of 14 games in all competitions this season, Stockdale believes there have been valuable lessons for the less experienced members of the squad.

“I think it is a learning year for younger guys, but also it is an opportunity to perform. Every time you step on the pitch it is an opportunity to perform.

“For those younger guys that are playing every week it is a baptism of fire, but something you have to get up to speed with.

“I think there is an opportunity for us to do the basic things better and hopefully over the next couple of weeks we will start to see that happen.

“The young lads who have come in have been really good, they’re raw, they’ve a long way to go, but they’ve been pretty effective in their performances.”