In all, Ulster will have six players on the three-game tour, but one suspects the absence of Izuchukwu and Sheridan will be felt most keenly by the side who lack the same depth as Leinster and Munster.
Sheridan, who signed a two-year extension last week, made his debut for the province away to then European champions La Rochelle in 2023, impressing in how he faced up to that challenge and with the edge that he has brought to the team since.
Izuchukwu, a former Ireland Sevens player who arrived at Kingspan Stadium raw but with huge athletic potential, went from the fringes of the squad last spring to a senior Ireland call-up in the summer having been one of the prime beneficiaries of Murphy’s mid-season appointment.
The 24-year-old was not capped by Andy Farrell on that South African tour and Easterby has said they will look at him as more of a lock than a flanker as they aim “to grow his experience”.
There will certainly be some Ulster supporters feeling he would be better served doing so in competitive URC fixtures for his province and the staging of an Emerging Ireland tour in the opening weeks of a provincial season has again proven to be a divisive issue.
There is clearly a benefit to being exposed to the Irish coaching set-up and methods, while Jack Crowley, Joe McCarthy and Calvin Nash were all on the most recent trip two seasons ago before becoming key contributors for Andy Farrell’s side in the years since.
Former Ireland Under-20s coach Murphy also spoke of the “honour” of wearing a green jersey at any level.
“With some guys going to Emerging Ireland they’ll come back to us in a place where they are massively motivated to get a senior Ireland cap,” he said.
“They’ll also be given feedback on things they need to work on. What we hope is that reinforces the information we have already given them and it gives us an opportunity to have a look at other players.
“It is a funny time of the season but there’s a lot of positives as well.”