Ulster dealt blow with O'Toole ruled out for a month following groin surgery

Ulster have been hit with a big injury blow, after it was confirmed that Tom O'Toole has been ruled out for around a month with a groin issue.

The tighthead prop will have surgery this week on what the province say has been a "chronic" issue for the 25-year-old.

O'Toole was the first of the Irish World Cup squad to return to URC action at the weekend, and was named Player of the Match in Ulster's 26-19 win against the Bulls on Sunday, playing the full 80 minutes.

It leaves Ulster light on experience at tighthead in the coming weeks with O'Toole joining long-term absentee Marty Moore on the sidelines. Moore has been out since January with a knee injury.

Greg McGrath is now likely to start at tighthead in Saturday's game against his former side Connacht at the Sportsground, having joined from English Championship club Jersey Reds in the last month, with James French and Ben Griffin the two other options in the province's senior squad.

Kieran Treadwell will also miss this weekend's first Interpro of the season, with the second row suffering a hip injury in training last week.

Dan McFarland's side are likely to be without second row Cormac Izuchukwu and back row Dave Ewers for the trip to Galway, after both players suffered concussion in the win against the Bulls, and will now follow the return to play protocols.

Ulster won both regular-season meetings of the sides last term, but were defeated by Connacht in the URC quarter-finals at Kingspan Stadium back in May.

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