Ward among three Ulster players in Emerging Ireland team

Ireland Sevens star Zac Ward is one of three Ulster players named in the Emerging Ireland starting team to face the Pumas on Wednesday in the first game of their three-match tour to South Africa.

Harry Sheridan is selected in the second row and Cormac Izuchukwu in the back row for the encounter with the Currie Cup side in Bloemfontein.

Backs Jack Murphy and Jude Postlethwaite are named among the replacements for the match which has a 15:00 BST kick-off time.

Ward has impressed for Ireland's Sevens team and was one of the stand out players at the Paris Olympics.

The 25-year-old wing has been on trial with Ulster as he transitions back into the 15s game.

Captain and flanker Alex Kendellen is one of three former Ireland Under-20 skippers named in the squad, along with his Munster colleague Evan O'Connell and Leinster's Gus McCarthy, who are both on the bench.

Ben O'Connor is chosen at full-back, with Rob Russell and Ward on the wings and Sean O'Brien and Hugh Gavin in midfield.

Sam Prendergast and Matthew Devine make up the half-back partnership.

The front row comprises Mark Donnelly, Stephen Smyth and Jack Aungier, with Sheridan joined by Darragh Murray in the second row.

Leinster's James Culhane completes the back row.

Simon Easterby's side will also face Western Force on 6 October and The Cheetahs on 9 October as part of their tour.

Easterby commented: "The Pumas will present a real test, coming as it does in the first of three games in seven days. They’re a physical team who have come off a competitive Currie Cup campaign.

"The three games will ask different questions of the group and that is exactly the kind of environment we want to foster and to see how the players react to a pressurised and competitive environment.

"We will be managing our resources given the close proximity of the games and it’s a younger and less experienced group than the one that competed two years ago. But the talent, energy and enthusiasm of this group has been obvious over the course of the last six days."

Ireland: Ben O'Connor (Munster); Rob Russell (Leinster), Sean O'Brien (Munster), Hugh Gavin (Conancht), Zac Ward (Ulster/Ireland Sevens); Sam Prendergast (Leinster), Matthew Devine (Connacht); Mark Donnelly (Munster), Stephen Smyth (Leinster), Jack Aungier (Connacht); Harry Sheridan (Ulster), Darragh Murray (Connacht); Cormac Izuchukwu (Ulster), Alex Kendellen (capt) (Munster), James Culhane (Leinster).

Replacements: Gus McCarthy (Leinster), Alex Usanov (Leinster), Ronan Foxe (Munster), Evan O'Connell (Munster), Sean Jansen (Connacht), Ethan Coughlan (Munster), Jack Murphy (Ulster), Jude Postlethwaite (Ulster).