Ulster Rugby: Murphy suffering wing ‘shortage’ for Toulouse trip after three more injuries in Leinster loss

Ulster head coach Richie Murphy admitted his side will need “to come up with a solution” to select a back-three for their Champions Cup opener against holders Toulouse next week.

Jacob Stockdale suffered a “significant” hamstring injury on Ireland duty last weekend, Robert Baloucoune is yet to play this season, and Aaron Sexton has departed to seek a career in the NFL.

Then, in their 27-20 loss to Leinster on Friday night, the northern province were forced into playing four different players on the left wing over the course of 80 minutes.

South African Werner Kok started in the number 11 jersey but failed a head injury assessment [HIA], while his replacement Ben Moxham left the field looking in some distress with a knee injury.

That saw scrum-half John Cooney pressed into emergency action on the wing and, after he hobbled off late on, back-row Nick Timoney filled in to finish the game.

Travelling to the Stade Ernest-Wallon next week, Murphy is short of options.

“Disappointing obviously and the problem now is we’ve got a shortage around our back-three,” said the head coach of the injuries.

“We’re going to have to come up with a solution and see what that looks like next week.”

On Stockdale’s injury sustained against Fiji last week, Murphy said the winger would be out for a “good few weeks”.

“Don’t know how long he’s going to be out for at the moment but it’s not a short-term thing,” he added.

“I don’t know how long it is, but I know it’s not a case of getting him back in a week or two.

“He’s had a significant hamstring injury and it’s a matter probably of a good few weeks but I haven’t heard an actual time on that yet.”