Wing Kok to leave Ulster at end of season

Wing Werner Kok and long-serving hooker John Andrew are two of 11 senior players who will leave Ulster at the end of the season.

Australia prop Angus Bell will return to the NSW Waratahs after his short-term deal to stay in Belfast comes to an end.

Forwards Matthew Dalton, Marcus Rea, Rory McGuire, Bryan O'Connor and Sean Reffell will leave the Affidea Stadium after the expiry of their contracts.

Experienced scrum-half Dave Shanahan will also leave the province, while Ben Moxham and James Humphreys will also depart.

Academy players Sam Berman, Wilhelm De Klerk, Ethan Graham, Lukas Kenny and Josh Stevens will also leave at the end of the season.

Ulster will look to secure a play-off place against Glasgow Warriors in their final game of the United Rugby Championship regular season on Friday before they take on Montpellier in the Challenge Cup final in Bilbao on 22 May.

"I'd like to thank the players who are moving on for their application and contributions to Ulster Rugby," said general manager Rory Best.

"I hope that supporters will join us on Friday night after full-time, as we celebrate their efforts and wish them well for the future."

South African wing Kok has been impressive for Ulster this season and has scored 12 tries in all competitions.

He joined Ulster in 2024 from the Sharks and has become a fan favourite with his energy and tries.

Andrew leaves Ulster with more than 130 appearances to his name since he made his senior debut in 2015 and he was a reliable deputy for the likes of Best, Rob Herring and Tom Stewart.

Scrum-half Shanahan will also leave Ulster with more than 100 appearances to his name since making his debut in 2013.

"I had the privilege of being teammates with both John and Dave, both of whom have made a big impact both on and off the pitch and have been valuable stalwarts of the senior squad," Best added.

"Both have made over 100 appearances in the jersey and have been fantastic team-mates, setting a high level of professionalism for others to follow."

Dalton's second spell at Ulster will come to an end while Moxham, another academy product, will also leave after he recovered from two ACL injuries.

Back row Rea, whose brother Matty left last season, will exit the club while Reffell, props McGuire and O'Connor and fly-half Humphreys - son of IRFU performance director David - will also depart after limited senior appearances.