Ulster Rugby vs Cardiff Blues

IRFU ULSTER BRANCH

PRESIDENT’S WELCOME

OFFICERS John Kinnear // President Bobby Stewart // Senior Vice President John McKibbin // Junior Vice President John McKibbin // Honorary Secretary Michael Boyd // Honorary Treasurer Denis Gardiner // Competitions Secretary EXECUTIVE TEAM Shane Logan // Chief Executive Chris Webster // Domestic Rugby Manager Audrey Robinson // Financial Controller Fiona Hampton // Head of Sales & Marketing

It gives me great pleasure to welcome you here to Kingspan Stadium for this Guinness PRO12 match against Cardiff Blues.

I would particularly like to welcome the officials, players and supporters who have made the trip from the Welsh capital. You are all very welcome in Belfast. It has been just under three weeks since our last Guinness PRO12 match and exactly a month since our last home game in the competition. Despite a disappointing defeat to Newport Gwent Dragons in the previous round, Ulster remain in second position. A win tonight, especially with Leinster hosting Glasgow Warriors at the RDS would be a significant boost to Ulster’s play-off hopes. It is a good time to be an Irish rugby fan. Huge congratulations must go to the Ireland players and coaching staff who won the RBS 6 Nations in such dramatic style last Saturday. It was certainly a dramatic afternoon of rugby and it was excellent to see our own Jared Payne go over for such a crucial try. Congratulations to him and to our other representatives in the side; Rory Best, Tommy Bowe and Iain Henderson. With a World Cup just a few months away it is exciting to see Ireland being so successful. A word of congratulations must also go to the Ireland Women’s team. A second RBS 6 Nations in three years is an excellent achievement and they should be hugely proud of beating Scotland so comfortably to lift the trophy.

While there has been no senior rugby at Kingspan Stadium in recent weeks, I have been fortunate to watch some fantastic schools’ rugby, here at the home of rugby in Ulster. RBAI claimed the Danske Bank Schools’ Cup after beating Wallace High School 14 points to 10 on Saint Patrick’s Day. Their performance was first-rate and they defeated a spirited Wallace side who performed admirably and made it an excellent contest. Congratulations too to RBAI’s Medallion side who claimed the Medallion Shield and to Ballymena Academy who won the Subsidiary Shield. Well done to Enniskillen Collegiate for their victory over Victoria College to lift the Girls Schools’ Cup and to Dromore High School who beat Ballyclare Secondary School to win the High Schools’ Trophy. Finally, it is great to see Paddy Jackson and Stuart Olding recovered and back in the Ulster starting XV this evening. Hopefully, now that they are fit they will be able to play a full role in Ulster’s pursuit of the Guinness PRO12 title. As always thank you for you support and Stand up for the Ulstermen. Yours in Rugby, John Kinnear // President IRFU (Ulster Branch)

Kingspan Stadium, 85 Ravenhill Park, Belfast, BT6 0DG T // +44 (0)28 9049 3222 ulsterrugby.com

1

www. ulster rugby.com

ULSTER RUGBY