\n<\/p>\n
Ulster hope to have hookers Tom Stewart and Rob Herring back in the “next couple weeks”.<\/b><\/p>\n
Neither of the Irish internationals have featured this season with Andy Farrell’s side set to face the All Blacks in Dublin on 8 November.<\/p>\n
Leinster pair Dan Sheehan and Ronan Kelleher are both set to miss that Aviva Stadium encounter and the return of either Stewart or Herring in time would represent a significant boost to the depth in the position. <\/p>\n
“The boys are in a good space, they’re both returning, both running,” said Ulster’s forwards coach Jimmy Duffy after the province’s 36-12 win over Ospreys on Friday night.<\/p>\n
“Tom scrummed with us last week and Rob is not far off as well. Hopefully we’ll get those guys back on the paddock in the next couple of weeks.”<\/p>\n
In the pair’s absence, young hooker James McCormick has appeared five times in the United Rugby Championship this season and scored his first pair of senior tries against the Ospreys.<\/p>\n
“He\u2019s been great,” added Duffy. <\/p>\n
“I worked with James with the under-20s back in 21-22 and he\u2019s been growing.<\/p>\n
“This was his fifth cap and he looked really good. He is maturing and he\u2019s got good people around him so it\u2019s encouraging to see him coming through.”<\/p>\n<\/div>\n