Advertisement League of Ireland Horse Racing TV Listings GAA Fixtures The Video Review Sport meets news, current affairs, society & pop culture Rugby Weekly Extra Dive into all the news and analysis 3 times a week The Football Family Weekly insights from the week’s big talking points Advertisement More Stories Tom Stewart (file photo.)Ben Brady/INPHO Freeraised stakes Stewart: Ulster need three wins from three to guarantee URC knockouts Stewart has endured an injury-hit season but is targeting a trio of wins from Ulster’s testing run-in. 7.31am, 26 Apr 2025 Share options TOM STEWART HAS admitted that Ulster are facing what is already a version of knockout rugby as he feels they must aim to win all three remaining URC regular season games to break back into the top eight and secure a quarter-final spot. Richie Murphy’s 10th placed side host the Sharks this evening at the Kingspan Stadium for what is the province’s last home game on the fixture list before wrapping things up with difficult looking trips to Munster and Edinburgh. “Yeah, I think at this stage now it’s probably knockout rugby for us to be honest, we probably need to win all three of these games to guarantee getting through to the last eight,” said Stewart who benches for this evening’s encounter for what will only be his seventh game of an injury hit season. “So, it’s exciting coming into this stage of the season, this is what you do it for, to keep the season going as long as possible. Advertisement “We have some tough games (to come) but it’s nice to be at home this week and it’s nice to give some of those boys leaving at the end of the season a good sendoff (at home),” added the 24-year-old hooker with the long-serving John Cooney (who doesn’t feature tonight), Kieran Treadwell, Alan O’Connor, Andrew Warwick and Matty Rea all exiting at season’s end. For Stewart it has been hugely frustrating year due to the recurrence of an ankle issue which followed surgery and then a hamstring problem which has kept him largely sidelined. “I played in the (Queensland) Reds friendly (in February), and I felt fine, I had a bit of a tight back, and my hamstring was a little bit tight but nothing I hadn’t had before. “So, we got a scan on it, and it was a decent enough tear in my hamstring. “It was frustrating because I felt like I was maybe starting to get a bit of momentum, but that’s rugby.” Ulster will face a stern examination in all areas from the fourth-placed South Africans who have selected a virtually full-strength side, particularly at the scrum which has already seen the province under some pressure this season. “They have some big players in there,” admitted the twice-capped Ireland player who is set to make his 53rd appearance for Ulster this evening. “It’s a lot more power driven, and they want to go at you right from the start. “We just have to get our technical stuff right against them and that’s what we’re looking to do.” Michael Sadlier Viewcomments Send Tip or Correction Embed this post To embed this post, copy the code below on your site Email “Stewart: Ulster need three wins from three to guarantee URC knockouts”. 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