Ulster face nervous wait as Billy Burns undergoes scan

Ulster will soon learn the fate of fly-half Billy Burns after he picked up a shoulder injury against the Sharks on Saturday in the United Rugby Championship.

The Ireland international was replaced by Nathan Doak early in the second half of Ulster's 22-12 loss after injuring his shoulder. He will undergo a scan today in Cape Town to find out the extent of an injury that at first appeared quite severe.

The 29-year-old's participation against the Stormers in Cape Town on Saturday seems unlikely as they look to bounce back from the loss in Durban. They will be up against a Stormers side that posted a 43-21 win over Edinburgh over the weekend.

Burns is already in the final straight of his Ulster career, with a move to Munster agreed ahead of next season, and a severe injury may limit his participation in his final weeks at the Kingspan Stadium.

The fly-half is not the only casualty from the Sharks game though, with flanker Sean Reffell also set to undergo a scan for an ankle injury.

The loss to the Sharks, who had only previously won one URC game all season, was a setback in Ulster's hopes of making the top four this season, and the challenge only gets harder against the 2022 champions in Cape Town.