Ulster Rugby v Benetton Rugby

OFFICIAL MATCH DAY PROGRAMME £3

VBENETTONRUGBY FRIDAY 25TH JANUARY 2019 KINGSPAN STADIUM, BELFAST KICK OFF 7.35PM

Welcome back to Kingspan Stadium, the home of Ulster Rugby, where the Ulster squad welcome Benetton as we return to Guinness PRO14 action. After a fantastic comeback victory away to Leicester in the Champions Cup last weekend, the Ulstermen will look to carry that momentum forward into the league campaign.

Tonight’s fixture is pivotal in the make-up of Conference B, as a win would see Ulster leapfrog Benetton, who currently lie two points ahead in third place. Depending on results elsewhere, Ulster could rise as high as second in the conference, making for a crunch encounter this evening. Benetton have been in excellent form, with four wins on the bounce, meaning only a flawless performance from Ulster will be enough to come out on top. With a vocal Kingspan Stadium crowd, it promises to be a fierce encounter to look forward to. As ever, I encourage the Kingspan faithful to give the Benetton squad and travelling supporters a very warm welcome. Finally, on behalf of Kingspan, I would like to wish the Ulster Rugby squad and management team the very best this evening as they continue to give their all in every facet of the game. To Ulster’s committed fans, enjoy the game, lead the way and help ensure that this is an evening to remember at Kingspan Stadium.

IN THIS ISSUE...

TODAY'S MASCOTS

2 3 5 8 11

8

PRESIDENT’S WELCOME GUINNESS PRO14 WELCOME INTERVIEW: DAVID SHANAHAN DANSKE BANK SCHOOLS' CUP

ROUND 3 PREVIEW Q&A: MARTY MOORE

13

45

STATISTICAL PREVIEW

16 19 21

ACADEMY SQUAD

LEICESTER FAN GALLERY ULSTER SQUAD PROFILES

24 28 29

ULSTER TEAM

BENETTON TEAM

BENETTON SQUAD PROFILES 30 STAFF PROFILE: STEPHANIE INGRAM 35 CLUB FOCUS: DROMORE RFC 39 GUEST ARTICLE: ROD NAWN 40

REFEREE Q&A: TIM McLENNAN INTERVIEW: ROB HERRING

43 45 47

URSC UPDATE

49

VIEW FROM THE CAVE: ADAM McBURNEY SUBWAY HALF TIME TEAMS STADIUM INFORMATION 53 2018/19 COMPETITION STANDINGS 54 FIXTURES 55 SPONSORS AND PARTNERS 56 49 51

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TODAY’S MASCOTS

SAM DOUGLAS (8) FROM BALLYNAHINCH

JACK BACON (12) FROM GREENISLAND

Sam attends Ballynahinch Primary School and enjoys playing mini rugby for Ballynahinch Rugby Club. Sam loves to watch Ulster play, but when he is not doing that, he loves to go mountain biking. His favourite player is Jacob Stockdale as he thinks he is the best and he also went to the same Primary School. When Sam is older he would like to be a builder.

Jack plays rugby for his school, Belfast Royal Academy, and also for Cooke RFC. His other interests include golf, cricket, swimming and Fortnite. Jack’s favourite player is John Cooney, as he wants to be a scrum half and he is learning through watching him play. When he is older, Jack would like to play for Ulster and Ireland.

REMAINING HOME FIXTURES

SAT 27 APR 5.15PM

SAT 23 MAR 5.30PM

SAT 23 FEB 7.35PM

ULSTERRUGBY.COM /BUYTICKETS

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PRESIDENT’S WELCOME On behalf of Ulster Rugby, I would like to welcome everyone to Kingspan Stadium for this evening’s Guinness PRO14 match against Benetton Rugby. We welcome the officials, players, staff and supporters to Belfast and hope that you enjoy your visit.

IRFU ULSTER BRANCH 2018/19 OFFICERS Stephen Elliott President Gary Leslie Senior Vice President Philip Gregg Junior Vice President Denis Gardiner Honorary Secretary Michael Boyd Honorary Treasurer Greg Irwin Competitions Secretary EXECUTIVE TEAM Jonny Petrie Chief Executive Officer Dan McFarland Head Coach Bryn Cunningham Operations Director Chris Webster Head of Rugby Development Audrey Robinson Head of Finance & Operations Fiona Hampton Head of Sales & Marketing

Since our last league game we have recorded two magnificent wins in the Heineken Champions Cup to qualify for the knockout stages for the first time since 2014. I would like to thank the supporters who created such a tremendous atmosphere in the stadium for the Racing 92 match. There is no doubt it encouraged the team to put on a great performance and contributed enormously to the win. Beating a top French team is always special and it was particularly appropriate as we had most of the players and support staff from the 1999 European Cup winning team as our guests for the day. I know that they enjoyed the occasion and let’s hope we don’t have to wait as long again for something to celebrate. The victory last week in Leicester, following a second half comeback, confirmed us as runners-up in the group, securing an away quarter final against Leinster. We look forward to that and congratulations to the four Irish provinces on qualifying from their groups in Europe. Again, thanks to the many fans who travelled to Leicester for their vocal support. We now resume the PRO14 campaign, with crucial points at stake as we strive towards a play-off place and qualification for the Champions Cup next season. It will not be easy without the players in the Irish squad and with the injury list increasing. However, the European matches have given everyone confidence and there will also be more chances for our younger players to step up and show what they can do. Benetton

are a much improved team this season and will provide a stern challenge this evening. Next Saturday sees the start of the Six Nations Championship with Ireland hosting England at the Aviva Stadium. Congratulations to all the Ulster players selected in the squad and commiserations to those who just missed out. This is a massive opening game and we wish the team well over the next number of weeks. Tomorrow sees the third round of the Danske Bank Ulster Schools’ Cup and the second round of the other schools’ competitions. Good luck to all those playing tomorrow. The top seeded schools join the competition after today and there will be great anticipation for the draw, which takes place on Monday. The All Ireland League has resumed after the Christmas break and best wishes to the Ulster clubs as the competition reaches the vital stage when promotion and relegation will be decided. The same applies to the Kukri Ulster Championship Divisions 1 & 2 where a number of teams remain in contention for honours. It all makes for tense and exciting matches and, for those of you who are not attached to clubs, why not go along and enjoy what the local game has to offer. Thank you all for your continued support and I hope you enjoy the evening. Stephen Elliott President, IRFU Ulster Branch

Kingspan Stadium, 134 Mount Merrion Avenue Belfast, BT6 0FT T +44 (0)28 9049 3222 ulsterrugby.com

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As the Guinness PRO14 kicks back into gear this weekend in Ireland, Scotland, South Africa and Wales, it is great to see the Championship in such a healthy position. With Europe’s pool stages complete, we are immensely proud to see five of our clubs in the draw for the Champions Cup Quarter-Finals and to have Connacht in the Challenge Cup knock-outs, too. It is the first time since 2012 that we have had so many teams in the knock-out stages of the Champions Cup and that is reflective of not only the talent on the pitch but the coaching teams and the structures of the clubs off it. To see two Scottish clubs in the Quarter-Finals is a terrific achievement and a sure sign of where the game in Scotland is at. The national team and the clubs are performing consistently under the direction of Scottish Rugby and in particular the work that has been going on at Edinburgh under Richard Cockerill has added to the strength of their professional game. In Ireland, Leinster and Munster continue to roll as they have in previous years and now Ulster have returned to the knock-outs as they regain their momentum under Dan McFarland this season, and you wouldn’t bet against them reaching the Guinness PRO14 Final Series either. It’s also rewarding to see Connacht reach the Quarter-Finals in the Challenge Cup because of the positive rugby Andy Friend has them playing, and a very honourable mention for Benetton Rugby. Although they didn’t reach the knock-outs, they came close on 20 points and also scored wins over Harlequins, Grenoble and Agen so there is certainly something sparking in Treviso right now. Naturally, a lot of debate has been sparked about which competition rules the roost when it comes to club rugby in the northern hemisphere with many differing opinions. To have five teams from the Guinness PRO14 present is a great accomplishment, as is our win ratio against teams from outside of our Championship over the past number of seasons. But it is important to understand that the Guinness PRO14 is a very different proposition to the domestic tournaments in England and France. For starters, those leagues are based upon private ownership; in our Championship we are led more by the unions who are shareholders in the tournament. Our metrics for success include performances in Europe and also how our shareholder unions perform in the Test arena, the exciting brand of rugby we produce in the Guinness PRO14 and the litany of Next Generation talent that so quickly establishes brand new stars of the world game. The talent of coaching in the Guinness PRO14 is also at an extremely high level with many coaches stepping up to take roles at international level based of their work in our Championship. That relies on technical expertise, shrewd recruitment and the ability to accelerate young players into front-line talent all while getting the best out their international stars. On these fronts we are delivering and that drive interest in the tournament through sponsorship and commercial activity which is already evidenced by our record broadcast deals that came into effect this season. As the games kick-off this weekend I want all supporters to know that the Guinness PRO14 is going from strength-to-strength and that the Championship has not yet reached the peak. It is an exciting journey and one that we know you will be on every step of the way. With upwards of 10 teams still in contention for the knock-out stages, the Guinness PRO14 Final is coming up into view at Celtic Park on May 25. Without even making a tackle you can guarantee your place by going direct to bit.ly/glasgow2019 to get your tickets. The Guinness PRO14 Final has become a great event for supporters of all our clubs and if you fancy treating yourself, or perhaps surprising that passionate rugby fan in your life, then a trip to Celtic Park on May 25 should do the trick! Enjoy the game, Martin Anayi Chief Executive Officer

DAVID SHANAHAN: THIS WEEK IS SERIOUSLY IMPORTANT FOR STAYING UP THERE

Ulster’s free-scoring scrum-half is reveling in an unprecedented amount of game-time – and insists all eyes are now on a big push in the Guinness PRO14…

As half a dozen Ulster regulars pack their bags for Six Nations duty with Ireland in February and March, it should come as some comfort to fans that the team’s most prolific Guinness PRO14 try-scorer this term is going nowhere. With five league tries to his name, David Shanahan – who is also leading the way in clean

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breaks (14) and try assists (3) in the league – is enjoying his best season to date at Kingspan Stadium – and insists there’s more to come. “Once you get a bit of game time you go from strength to strength,” he explains. “I’m getting to play consistently now, and although I haven’t scored in a few weeks, I had a good strike rate at the start of the season, and it’s something I’ve been working on this year with (Assistant Coach) Dwayne Peel.” Shanahan’s statistics are all the more remarkable given he is not consistently first-choice in his position, although with 725 minutes of game time amassed to date this term, it’s clear he is making the most of every opportunity – even several last-minute call-ups. “When I was younger, I’d play 20 minutes off the bench, and then if you didn’t rip it up, you might not play again for ages. But now, you can go out and try things and it’s fine if you make a mistake, because you can back it up with something good after. “This season, there have been three games where I’ve come on after 20 minutes because John Cooney has had to go off. Then for the two Racing games I wasn’t named but came in late so I have to be ready at all times now. So I prepare as if I’m going to start even if I’m on the bench.” The secret, he says, behind his prolific scoring rate – second only to Jacob Stockdale with PRO14 and Heineken Champions Cup records combined – is staying alert at all times.

“The important thing is just not switching off,” he reveals. “When you have guys like Will Addison, Stu (McCloskey) and (Darren) Cave, you always expect them to make a line break, so you just get up on their shoulder, and I’ve been lucky enough with a few tries like that.” With Cooney, his main rival for the number nine shirt, very much in Joe Schmidt’s Six Nations plans, the 25-year-old Dubliner will be pivotal in the five upcoming PRO14 clashes before the European quarter-final at Leinster at the end of March. “We’re under no illusion about how important this next block of games is,” he maintains. “If you look at the table we’re fifth, but only two points off second place and Benetton, who we’re playing this weekend. “So this week is seriously important for staying up there. We didn’t play our best against Leicester or in the last two PRO14 games before the European games, so when the Irish guys are away it’s important for the other guys to stand up and not let the standard drop.” Fixtures away to Ospreys and Dragons, and at home to Zebre and the Southern Kings await, but Shanahan will be taking nothing for granted against tonight’s opposition. He concludes, “We went out there a few months ago and I reckon it’s one of the toughest games we’ve had this year in terms of physicality. They’re a big side that holds the ball for long periods of time, so we’re going to have to play our brand of rugby and move the ball about well.”

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The GUINNESS word and associated logos are trade marks © Guinness & Co.2015.

DANSKE BANK ULSTER SCHOOLS’ CUP ROUND 3 PREVIEW

Last season, John McKee led Campbell College to a 19-13 final victory over The Royal School Armagh, securing a first title since 2011 for Campbell, and their 24th outright competition success. First won by The Royal School Armagh back in 1876, the Schools’ Cup has been competed for every year since, with 17 different schools having collected the famous cup, while Methodist College sit on top of the roll of honour with 35 outright titles. The 2018/19 Danske Bank Ulster Schools’ Cup continues this Saturday 26th January, with sixteen teams in action in Round 3 of the famous competition.

2018/19 DANSKE BANK ULSTER SCHOOLS’ CUP

ROUND 4 Saturday 9th February 2019

ROUND 1 Saturday 15th December 2018

The eight winners from Round 3 will be joined in the Round 4 draw by: Ballymena Academy, Campbell College, Enniskillen Royal Grammar School, Methodist College Belfast, Royal Belfast Academical Institution, Royal School Armagh, Sullivan Upper School and Wallace High School. The Round 4 draw will take place on Monday 28th January at 10am, and will be streamed live on the Ulster Rugby Facebook page. QUARTER-FINALS Saturday 23rd February 2019 SEMI-FINALS Tuesday 5th March 2019, 2.30pm at Kingspan Stadium Wednesday 6th March 2019, 2.30pm at Kingspan Stadium FINAL Monday 18th March 2019, 3.00pm at Kingspan Stadium

Antrim Grammar 10-24 Carrickfergus Grammar Strabane Academy 21-17 Wellington College ROUND 2 Saturday 12th January 2019 Limavady Grammar 20-27 Larne Grammar Grosvenor Grammar 14-22 Friends’ School Cambridge House 11-10 Banbridge Academy Lurgan College 13-8 Foyle College Dromore HS 8-10 Regent House Carrickfergus Grammar 3-55 Down HS Belfast HS 45-12 Strabane Academy ROUND 3 Saturday 26th January 2019 Friends’ School v Ballyclare HS Omagh Academy v Down HS Coleraine Grammar v Dalriada School Regent House v Bangor Grammar Lurgan College v Cambridge House Royal School Dungannon v Larne Grammar Rainey Endowed School v Portadown College Belfast Royal Academy v Belfast HS.

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Q&A M A R T Y M O O R E

Favourite rugby memory? 6 Nations Super Saturday 2015 Favourite place to eat in Belfast? Established Coffee TV programme you can’t miss? Power The first music album you ever bought? Backstreet Boys… (I was 8!) The last movie you watched? Den of Thieves Favourite thing about playing for Ulster? The supporters If you could swap places with a celebrity for a day who would it be and why? Anthony Kiedis - to try out life as a rock star for a day If you could have dinner with anyone (dead or alive) who would it be and why? Johnny Cash - Amazing life stories Favourite post-match meal? Pizza Goal for this season? Play as much rugby as possible The key to success is… Perseverance

BROWN SAUCE / RED SAUCE SUN / SNOW SING / DANCE NIGHT OWL / EARLY BIRD COFFEE / TEA FORWARDS / BACKS FACEBOOK / TWITTER SNAPCHAT / INSTAGRAM HORROR MOVIE / COMEDY DINE IN / DELIVERY

QUICKFIRE

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ULSTER V BENETTON RUGBY STATISTICAL PREVIEW

Ulster are on a high after two wins from two in the Heineken Champions Cup secured a Quarter-Final berth but domestically, they have lost two in a row in the Guinness PRO14. By contrast, Benetton have won five in a row in the Championship and are chasing a third away win on the spin – a feat never before achieved by the club. They will have to do it the hard way in Belfast though where Dan McFarland’s side seldom lose – only Connacht have won here since last February. WHAT’S AT STAKE?

CURRENT STANDINGS

LAST TIME

5 3

15 10

03.11.18 STADIO MONIGO

HEAD TO HEAD

ULSTER RUGBY PRO14 FORM GUIDE

BENETTON RUGBY PRO14 FORM GUIDE

17 15

17 1 15 1

PLAYED

WIN

DRAW LOST

WIN

DRAW LOST

WINS

1 1

LOSSES

LAST 3 MATCHES

LAST 3 MATCHES

DRAWS

PREVIOUS MEETINGS

ULSTER SCORERS

BENETTON SCORERS

DATE VENUE

U B

Rob Herring T Billy Burns C/P Sean Reidy T

Tommaso Allan C/P Hame Faiva T

03.11.18 Stadio Monigo

15 10

John Cooney C/2P Christian Leali'ifano C/P Tommy Bowe T Andrew Trimble T

Tommaso Allan C/4P Marty Banks P Robert Barbieri T

24.11.17 Kingspan Stadium 23 22

Jacob Stockdale T John Cooney 3C Andrew Trimble 2T Sean Reidy T Charles Piutau T Jared Payne T Ruan Pienaar 2C

Federico Ruzza T Ian McKinley T/2C

09.09.17 Stadio Monigo

21 14

Ian McKinley C Filo Paulo T

03.03.17 Stadio Monigo

19 7

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DID YOU KNOW?

» » Ulster Rugby have won their last two matches, both in the Heineken Champions Cup, but in the Guinness PRO14 they have lost their last two fixtures, both on the road at Connacht and at Leinster. » » Ulster’s only defeat at Kingspan Stadium since February in any competition was 15-22 to Connacht in Round 6 of the Guinness PRO14. » » Benetton Rugby have lost only once in their last eight matches: 9-20 away to Harlequins in Round 4 of the European Challenge Cup. » » The Italians have won their last two away games in the Guinness PRO14. They have never before won three in a row on the road in the same season in the Championship. » » The two sides have met on 23 previous occasions in all tournaments, with Benetton gaining a solitary victory by becoming the only Italian side ever to have beaten Ulster in Belfast, in October 2011

CHAMPIONSHIP STATISTICS

TRY SCORER

DEFENDERS BEATEN

1

SIBHALE MAXWANE (CHEETAHS) 9

1

DUHANVANDERMERWE (EDINBURGH) 50

DAVID SHANAHAN

5

MARCELL COETZEE

27

EPALAHAME FAIVA

4

MONTY IOANE

22

POINTS SCORER

OFFLOADS

1

1

SAM DAVIES (OSPREYS)

121

TOM FARRELL (CONNACHT)

22

JOHN COONEY

62

STUART McCLOSKEY

13

TOMMASO ALLAN

67

ILIESA RATUVA

16

CARRIES

TACKLES

1

1

BILL MATA (EDINBURGH)

168

JOSH TURNBULL (CARDIFF BLUES) 155

MARCELL COETZEE

143

MARCELL COETZEE

139

ABRAHAM STEYN

87

SEBASTIAN NEGRI

99

METRES GAINED

TURNOVERS WON

1

1

MALCOLM JAER (CHEETAHS)

821

OLLY ROBINSON (CARDIFF BLUES) 19

HENRY SPEIGHT

570

MARCELL COETZEE

17

ILIESA RATUVA

503

MARCO BARBINI

10

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Year 2 Back Three 19.08.97 193cm 89kg Ballymena

STEWART MOORE MARCUS REA JAMES HUME AZUR ALLISON Year 1 Centre 08.08.99 183cm 91kg Malone Year 3 Back Row 08.09.97 189cm 105cm Ballymena Year 2 Centre 07.09.98 184cm 95kg Banbridge Year 1 Back Row 19.04.99 192cm 99kg Ballymena

Year 3 Hooker 10.02.95

AARON HALL MATTHEW DALTON JACK REGAN Year 3 Back Row 26.06.98 193cm 98kg Ballynahinch Year 2 Flanker 16.11.98 197cm 112kg Malone Year 2 2nd Row 09.05.97

Year 2 Scrum Half 12.09.99 174cm 85kg Malone GRAHAM CURTIS ERIC O’SULLIVAN IWAN HUGHES Year 2 Prop 30.11.95 186cm 115kg Banbridge Year 1 Back Three 06.04.99 173cm 77kg Ballynahinch

DAVID McCANN ZACK McCALL JOE DUNLEAVY MATTHEW AGNEW Year 1 Back Row 13.06.00 190cm 94kg Banbridge 180cm 100kg Ballynahinch Year 2 Flanker         22.12.98 190cm 101kg Malone Year 1 Back Row 20.11.98 180cm 95kg Malone

ROBERT BALOUCOUNE MICHAEL LOWRY BRUCE HOUSTON Year 2 Fly Half 20.08.98 170cm 81kg Banbridge Year 1 Fly Half 16.08.99 192cm 92kg Ballymena

197cm 112kg Ballynahinch

ABBEY INSURANCE ULSTER RUGBY ACADEMY SQUAD 2018/19

Year 1 Wing 02.03.99 181cm 94kg Queen's

PROUDLY SPONSORED BY

ANGUS KERNOHAN

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LEICESTER FAN GALLERY

"Hello there. I'm a member of the Leicester Tigers Rock Band and, on behalf of the band, we would like to send our love and best wishes to all those wonderful Ulster supporters who attended our concert after the match on Saturday, who made the evening special. We can't wait to have you guys back again at Welford Road, but next time, please let us win, it would mean such a lot to our players! All the best in the rest of the competition. STAND UP FOR THE ULSTER MEN! (We always have problems remembering the words to that song!) Lots of love to you all, Pete Farnell"

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C

M

Y

CM

MY

CY

CMY

K

WILL ADDISON Utility Back 20.08.1992 186cm 94kg 11 Ireland 3

Hooker 26.05.1993

Hooker 15.08.1982 180cm 106kg 218 Ireland 113

BILLY BURNS Outhalf

RORY BEST

13.06.1994 185cm 85kg 16 —

JOHN ANDREW

181cm 104kg 49 —

DARREN CAVE Centre

Utility Back 03.02.1994 183cm 90kg 4 —

JOHN COONEY Scrumhalf 01.05.1990 178cm 87kg 37 Ireland 4

Back Row 08.05.1991 192cm 114kg 22 S Africa 28

05.04.1987 183cm 96kg 219 Ireland 11

DAVID BUSBY

MARCELL COETZEE

ULSTER SQUAD 2018/19

ANGUS CURTIS Centre 26.03.1998 178cm 90kg 7 —

IAIN HENDERSON Second Row 21.02.1992

Prop 05.07.1988 180cm 117kg 77 —

CRAIG GILROY Wing

11.03.1991 183cm 91kg 168 Ireland 10

199cm 117kg 100 Ireland 42

WIEHAHN HERBST

ROB HERRING Hooker

ROSS KANE Prop

Back Row 13.01.1996

Utility Back 08.10.1986 182cm 90kg 86 —

LOUIS LUDIK

GREG JONES

27.04.1990 185cm 102kg 156 Ireland 7

14.10.1994 179cm 116kg 34 —

196cm 106kg 9 —

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ROB LYTTLE Wing

Centre 03.03.1991 181cm 97kg 119 Ireland 11

Hooker 05.09.1996

KYLE McCALL Prop

28.01.1997 174cm 83kg 15 —

02.01.1992 176cm 108kg 52 —

182cm 102kg 12 —

LUKE MARSHALL

ADAM McBURNEY

ULSTER SQUAD 2018/19

Outhalf 13.03.1997 179cm 85kg 22 —

Prop 01.03.1991 178cm 119kg 12 Ireland 10

Centre 06.08.1992

Second Row 19.06.1995

MARTY MOORE

194cm 108kg 98 Ireland 3

191cm 103kg 1 —

JOHNNY McPHILLIPS

STUART McCLOSKEY

CALEB MONTGOMERY

Back Row 22.04.1991 188cm 105kg 11 Ireland 26

IAN NAGLE Lock

Full Back 05.10.1992 180cm 87kg 55 —

ALAN O’CONNOR Second Row 10.09.1992

17.10.1988 201cm 114kg 5 —

JORDI MURPHY

PETER NELSON

197cm 114kg 78 —

Back Row 21.09.1993 193cm 114kg 23 —

TOM O'TOOLE Prop

JACK OWENS Wing

Prop 05.10.1993 183cm 118kg 1 —

MATTY REA

23.09.1998 185cm 113kg 16 —

04.10.1995 188cm 94kg 1 —

TOMMY O’HAGAN

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Back Row 10.05.1989

Back Row 14.06.1989

Scrumhalf 20.06.1993 174cm 90kg 35 —

Scrumhalf 20.02.1998 174cm 77kg 9 —

CLIVE ROSS

SEAN REIDY

182cm 103kg 97 Ireland 2

192cm 110kg 65 —

JONNY STEWART

DAVE SHANAHAN

ULSTER SQUAD 2018/19

Utility Back 03.04.1996 191cm 103kg 51 Ireland 14

Second Row 21.11.1995

Second Row 06.11.1995

NICK TIMONEY Back Row 01.08.1995 190cm 113kg 40 —

201cm 115kg

198cm 118kg 62 Ireland 3

ALEX THOMPSON

JACOB STOCKDALE

KIERAN TREADWELL

— —

Keep up to date with the latest player profiles, career stats and squad news at ulsterrugby.com

Prop 12.03.1991

179cm 112kg 110 —

ANDREW WARWICK

UlsterRugby

GET SOCIAL. FOLLOW US.

OfficialUlsterRugby

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15

1

MICHAEL LOWRY

ANDREW WARWICK

14

2

ROBERT BALOUCOUNE

ROB HERRING

13

3

MARTY MOORE

JAMES HUME

12

4

ALAN O’CONNOR (C)

STUART McCLOSKEY

ULSTER RUBGY

11

5

LOUIS LUDIK

KIERAN TREADWELL

6

10

IAN NAGLE

BILLY BURNS

7

9

NICK TIMONEY

DAVID SHANAHAN

REPLACEMENTS 16 17 18 19 J ANDREW W HERBST T O'TOOLE M DALTON

20 21 22 23

C ROSS J STEWART D CAVE R LYTTLE

8

GREG JONES

TODAY’S OFFICIALS

REFEREE NIGEL OWENS WFU ASSISTANT REFEREES ANDREW BRACE IRFU | RHYS JONES IRFU TMO BRIAN MACNEICE IRFU CITING COMMISSIONER WAYNE SHERIDAN IRFU

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15

1

LUCA SPERANDIO

NICOLA QUAGLIO

2

14

ILIESA RATUVA

EPALAHAME FAIVA

BENETTON RUGBY

3

13

TOMMASO IANNONE

MARCO RICCIONI

4

12

IRNE HERBST

MARCO ZANON

5

11

MONTY IOANE

FEDERICO RUZZA

6

10

MARCO LAZZARONI

IAN McKINLEY (C)

7

9

DEWALDT DUVENAGE

MICHELE LAMARO

REPLACEMENTS 16 17 18 19 T BARAVALLE C TRAORE S FERRARI M FUSER

20 21 22 23

G PETTINELLI M BARBINI

8

E GORI I BREX

TOA HALAFIHI

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Fly Half 26.04.93 185cm 87kg

Prop 19.07.94 185cm 118kg

Hooker 14.12.90 183cm 102kg

Back Row 05.06.84

185cm 112kg

DERRICK APPIAH

TOMMASO ALLAN

ROBERT BARBIERI

TOMAS BARAVALLE

Back Row 16.10.90

Centre 12.12.90

Hooker 19.04.91 180cm 87kg

Centre 06.05.92 188cm 96kg

LUCA BIGI

IGNACIO BREX

191cm 102kg

188cm 100kg

MARCO BARBINI

TOMMASO BENVENUTI

DEAN BUDD Lock

Prop 13.03.86

Prop 18.03.89

Scrumhalf 20.04.90 180cm 87kg

31.07.86 196cm 108kg

183cm 120kg

193cm 125kg

GIORGIO BRONZINI

ALBERTO DE MARCHI

GIUSEPPE DI STEFANO

BENETTON RUGBY SQUAD 2018/19

Wing 14.06.93 188cm 98kg

HAME FAIVA Hooker 09.05.94

Prop 28.03.94

Lock 09.03.91

MARCO FUSER

183cm 108kg

183cm 120kg

198cm 120kg

SIMONE FERRARI

ANGELO ESPOSITO

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ORNEL GEGA Hooker 24.03.90 180cm 105kg

Scrumhalf 05.03.90 180cm 86kg

TOA HALAFIHI Flanker 27.11.93

Fullback 11.02.87 183cm 90kg

EDOARDO GORI

191cm 102kg

JAYDEN HAYWARD

BENETTON RUGBY SQUAD 2018/19

IRNE HERBST Lock

Centre 16.09.90 180cm 83kg

Wing 30.10.94 180cm 95kg

Back Row 03.06.98

04.05.93 201cm 120kg

MONTY IOANE

188cm 103kg

MICHELE LAMARO

TOMMASO IANNONE

Back Row 15.08.88

IAN McKINLEY Flyhalf 04.12.89 183cm 88kg

Hooker 22.08.96 185c, 105kg

Back Row 18.05.95

NASI MANU

191cm 118kg

191cm 110kg

ENGJEL MAKELARA

MARCO LAZZARONI

LUCA MORISI Centre

Lock 30.06.94

Prop 14.07.94 178cm 116kg

Back Row 13.03.96

22.02.91 185cm 96kg

196cm 108kg

193cm 108kg

SEBASTIAN NEGRI

TIZIANO PASQUALI

GIOVANNI PETTINELLI

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Prop 09.03.91

Wing 27.06.90

Prop 19.10.97

Flyhalf 05.01.98 180cm 86kg

ILIESA RATUVA

ANTONIO RIZZI

185cm 110kg

185cm 100kg

185cm 124kg

MARCO RICCIONI

NICOLA QUAGLIO

Lock 04.08.94

Centre 26.11.86

Back Row 02.05.92

Wing 28.01.96 188cm 93kg

198cm 108kg

191cm 101kg

193cm 110kg

ABRAHAM STEYN

ALBERTO SGARBI

FEDERICO RUZZA

LUCA SPERANDIO

Scrumhalf 23.09.87 180cm 88kg

Prop 10.04.94 180cm 115kg

Prop 09.04.89

Back Row 31.01.84

TITO TEBALDI

FEDERICO ZANI

CHERIF TRAORE

175cm 115kg

193cm 106kg

ALESSANDRO ZANNI

BENETTON RUGBY SQUAD 2018/19

Keep up to date with the latest player profiles, career stats and squad news at benettonrugby.it

Centre 03.10.97 185cm 96kg

MARCO ZANON

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STAFF PROFILE

NAME: STEPHANIE INGRAM ROLE: ACADEMY PERFORMANCE NUTRITIONIST

Describe your role within Ulster Rugby? I develop, deliver and monitor player centred nutritional interventions, aimed at maximising training adaptation, maximising performance, supporting health and wellbeing¸ minimising injury risk and accelerating return to play following injury. This may include overall dietary assessment, nutrient timing, hydration habits, weight management/body composition and supplement use. I monitor supplement use to ensure safe and effective application in line with IRFU policy and contribute to the individual player performance review process. Describe your career / employment history? I completed a BSc Hons in Sport Science followed by a Masters in Sports and Exercise Nutrition. Following graduation, I worked as a Sport Nutritionist with the Dairy Council for Northern Ireland, developing sports nutrition education material for GCSE and A-Level PE students as well as teams and individual athletes. I have also provided consultancy for a variety of sporting teams and am a part time lecturer on both the Undergraduate Sports Science degree and Masters Sports Nutrition degree at Ulster University. Favourite thing about your job? Collaborating with the wider Athletic Development team and seeing a player achieve their goals.

What do you enjoy most about working for Ulster Rugby? The people I work with. I am lucky to work in an exciting, progressive and supportive environment – that is a direct result of the people; players and support staff alike, I am fortunate to work alongside . What is your biggest achievement to date? Seeing players come through the high-performance pathway, being contracted with the Academy and being capped at Senior Provincial and International level. What is the most challenging aspect of your role? A player not achieving their true potential. What are your plans/goals for the upcoming season? Continue to support player development throughout the high-performance pathway with more Age- Grade players getting capped at National level and more Academy players achieving senior caps than previous seasons. Who is your favourite Ulster player? Rob Herring

To get in touch with Stephanie, email stephanie.ingram@ulsterrugby.com

UlsterRugby

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FOCUS CLUB

D R O M O R E R F C

How many teams do you field? 3 Adult and a full set of mini teams Most successful achievement? Winning Junior Cup, Towns Cup and League in 1938/1939 season Proudest moment? Winning Millar McCall Wylie Junior Cup this season Tell us something unique that not everyone knows about the club? Players from Dromore RFC formed a breakaway unit in 1954 and started a new club in the heart of County Down that is now known as Ballynahinch RFC. They still share to this day our club motto ‘Virtus Vires Velocitas’. Email address: harrymaguire@btinternet.com Website: www.pitchero.com/clubs/ dromorerugbyfootballclub DromoreRFC @DromoreRFC

Who is your President? Stephen McQuaid Head Coach? Jonny Cullen 1st XV Captain? Adam Macgregor Number of members? 450 including mini section 3 players to watch? Andrew ‘Junior’ Graham, Kyle ‘Copey’ Copeland and Connor ‘Beefer’ Mulholland Glasgow 7s and was escorted from the ground by police after showing members of a local scout troop how to light a fire in a rubbish bin Hardest trainer? Brian McClearn - 10 stone weakling to 14 stone try scoring sensation Club’s unsung hero and why? Kenny Allen – general handyman who just gets things done What is your Club song? Keep the Blue Flag Flying High What is your Club logo and what does it represent? The club logo is the symbol of Dromore Cathedral, which is a Falcon Longest serving member? Jim Carlisle Who is the ‘Club Clown’ and why? Jonny McNeill – dressed as a clown at

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R O D N A W N

What a fortnight it has been for Ulster fans, a quarter-final spot in Europe in March confirmed – and in some style.

ULSTER’S LEAGUE NOW TAKES PRIO

and Scarlets, the quartet separated by just two points. Edinburgh’s dramatic improvement under Richard Cockerill, and Benetton’s transformation under Kieran Crowley into a team to be reckoned with constitute the surprises of the season, but if McFarland’s squad is truly made of the ‘right stuff’, the target must be to bring the momentum from Europe into the crucial closing weeks of the PRO14. The festive period produced just one win from three Inter-Pro outings, and no matter what explanations are offered up in terms of player availability, they cannot allow themselves to be reprised as we anticipate the Guinness Six Nations and the absence of several big-name players on international duty. So we may pine for a team sheet featuring Best, Stockdale, Murphy, Addison and Cooney but the reality is that it is to the depth and quality of McFarland’s squad that supporters must look and lend their weight. This Head Coach has been unafraid to thrust the relatively untried into the fire of PRO14 and European competition, and Robert Baloucoune and Michael Lowry are just two youngsters to have played their parts in recent European adventures. Spare a thought – if not for too long! – for Benetton which contributed no fewer than 19 players to this week’s Italy training

The glamour of the Heineken Champions Cup is unique, and success in the competition has so many happy echoes, but Dan McFarland, his coaches and his players have perhaps provided really convincing evidence that this is an Ulster squad with enduring competitive and winning instincts. The glory trail to Dublin and the clash with Leinster is something to savour, certainly, but it must be set aside now – and especially this evening. The staple diet of the Guinness PRO14 is one on which supporters and players thrive. It offers the opportunity of ‘domestic’ league success and the path to those end-of-May play-offs and silverware. The Champions Cup has already guaranteed top-level rugby into the Spring, and it’s been a while since Ulster has been able to say that. The side has flattered only to deceive too often in the PRO14 and its previous incarnations, and if truth be told there is a considerable challenge to be faced down if a place is to be earned in those play-offs as one of the six best teams from the competition’s two-Conference structure. In Ulster’s division, runaway leaders Leinster have surely made sure of a PRO14 semi-final, so fifth-placed Ulster knows that it is in a battle for second spot – and a place in next year’s Champions Cup – with Edinburgh, this evening’s Italian visitors

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SSAULT

ITY

camp, and Crowley is depending on the largesse of national coach Conor O’Shea to discover if he has enough firepower to add to the scalp of Glasgow taken just three weeks ago. Dean Budd, Justin Hayward, Tomasso Allan, Ian McKinlay, Braam Steyn, Titi Tebaldi and Alessandro Zanzini, Ilieasa Ratuva, Edoarda Gori and Marco Fuser have been crucial to the club’s emergence to near-parity with the best of the PRO14. O’Shea immerses himself in the development of Benetton and Zebre, and Italian rugby may still select from too shallow a pool but it is one which is making a splash – particularly in Conference B. Before the glitter of that Champions Cup trip to Leinster in March, Ulster will be ambitious, because that is when it thrives, when the Ospreys and Zebre appear in February, and when the Dragons and Southern Kings complete the PRO14 phase immediately before that Aviva Stadium quarter-final. Dan McFarland’s mantra of fighting for every inch in every game has never been more prescient. Success on two fronts would surely mark a watershed in fortunes and indicate concrete promise for the future. PRO14 mediocrity is not an option. Ulster wants and demands more days at the exciting top table of knockout rugby. Bring it on!

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More info at www.ulsterrugbyshop.com

Q&A REFEREE Why did you decide to take up the whistle? I had finished playing and had coached mini and school rugby and I was interested in staying involved in rugby in some capacity. A friend, Ken Spence, (who was an AIL referee and is now an IRFU referee coach) encouraged m e to take the step to take the referee course. Another friend, Davey Boyd, refereed for years and I enjoyed listening to him over the odd pint or two... normally when he was complaining about the loosehead’s scrummaging! What is the biggest thing you have learned since you started refereeing? For me I learned I needed to prepare as well as possible to get the maximum enjoyment out of refereeing. I never realised how much was involved and how enjoyable it would be. What was the process like to become a referee? The process was seamless and very well organised by John Crothers (USRFR). I attended a one day course in August 2016 and by November I was able to referee my first match. John ensured I was ready and had all the help needed before my first match. What is your training regime like? I try to get a decent preseason starting in June and finishing in mid-September. This involves 3 sessions a week with a mix of interval training and one gym session. It is really important for me to have a good preseason as it makes a big difference for me to get in the right positions on the pitch. From October I will be doing more matches and I tend to taper my training to shorter sprint interval sessions. What is your favourite thing about refereeing? I just love the buzz of 2.30pm on a Saturday afternoon waiting for the teams to come out of the changing room. It really is the next best thing to actually playing with the added benefit of not being tackled. I would highly recommend it. Also, being able to eat what you want after the match is a definite advantage! What is the most memorable game you have refereed so far? This is only my third season but I really enjoyed an opportunity to referee at Kingspan last season for The High Schools Cup Final. I also had a great time refereeing at a warmup tournament for the Ladies World Cup at Malone RFC last year.

T I M M c L E N N A N

What is your pre-match routine like? It can vary but normally involves coffee and sugar! Most importantly, I will prepare a plan for my match and make sure I am in plenty of time. Once at the ground I like to meet the coaches, do a good warmup prior to the match and get a chat to both sets of front rows and the captains. Being punctual is key for me so I have plenty of time and I am not rushing. What is your ambition as a referee? Quite simply – I want to fulfil my potential as a referee and give it my best shot. If you prepare well and perform you do get the opportunities. I took up refereeing in my forties but I have had loads of opportunity to progress! What one law would you like to change or introduce? I would limit the amount of kicking especially when teams are not kicking to touch. Perhaps allow the defending teams to mark kicks they field in the field of play and so discourage the low-risk kick chase game that has become so popular for teams. Who is your favourite referee and why? Alain Roland was always my favourite ref. He communicated well and kept himself very fit, allowing him to get in to great positions to make the correct decisions. It helped he was very quick as well! Nigel Owens is not bad either! What could make you improve as a referee? Scrum management is key for any ref especially in the adult game. However, staying calm when things get tight is probably the key area I am looking to improve. The calmer you are it really helps with your control and overall performance and decision making. What advice would you give to someone thinking about taking up refereeing? Please give it a go! If you have played the game then use that experience to good effect... honestly you will love it even the banter from the coaches becomes fun! To find out more about refereeing in Ulster, visit www.ulsterrugby.com/referees or email Richard Kerr, Provincial Referee Development Manager, on richard.kerr@irfu.ie

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ROB HERRING: LECIESTER VICTORY A ‘MASSIVE TESTAMENT TO THE CHARACTER OF THE SQUAD’ Hooker Rob Herring may have played only 15 minutes of Ulster’s final pool game against Leicester Tigers last Saturday – but it’s an experience he’s not likely to forget in a hurry.

some victories, we can go into the quarter-final and then the last three PRO14 games with confidence.” “PRO14 is our bread and butter, and it’s actually the younger boys who are saying we have to step up now and make sure the level is the same. That’s brilliant because they understand how important this game is and what it means to wear the jersey.”

The Cape Town native, a 65th minute replacement for flanker Sean Reidy who succumbed to a hand injury, found himself far from his natural habitat in the front row, and playing not one – but three – unfamiliar positions. “I was at Number 8 in the defensive scrum, six in attacking lineouts and seven in defensive lineouts so it’s all a bit of a blur really,” he recalls. “Every lineout I had to ask the boys what I needed to do, but outside of the set-piece you just nail one of the players and try to make the impact that way.” “We’ve been close to the quarter-finals the last couple of years, so to get over the line this time and not rely on other teams’ results was massive. The pool we got this year was tough and we didn’t win any games by massive margins, but five victories is big.” “When we put it all out there and come together as a squad, we can be formidable.” With the Heineken Champions Cup now in abeyance until the final weekend of March, Herring insists the team are fully focused on climbing the Conference B table in the Guinness PRO14 – and believes the absence of key players due to the Six Nations will not prove as great an obstacle as in previous years. “There will be a few changes with boys going off for international duty, so now a few other boys will get the opportunity. I think while maybe in the past there would have been a dip in performance, with the culture we have now, there’s an expectation on the guys coming in. Now we talk about not just holding the jersey from someone, but taking the jersey and making it your own.” “In past years we’ve waited for the last four or five games and we’ve had to win all of those,” he explains. “We have five games coming up before the quarter-final, starting with Benetton, so during this block of games if we can get

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ULSTER RUGBY SUPPORTERS CLUB (URSC) NEWS

JOIN THE URSC TODAY! 1043 ALREADY HAVE.

We are delighted to welcome Pier Maria Vecchiato, Chair of the Benetton Rugby Supporters Club, Sebastiano Rizzo and 30 fellow Benetton fans who have travelled from Italy for tonight's match. We are delighted to see you all and hope you enjoy your weekend in Belfast. Incidentally, a visit to Treviso for the Benetton match is a must do for all Ulster supporters. Treviso is a charming, characterful walled town... and only a very short train journey away from Venice. The rugby club shop in the bowels of the stadium is an Aladdin's cave of Benetton Rugby gear and seriously good prices. Get it in your diary for next season! WELCOME TO OUR FRIENDS FROM BENETTON RUGBY!

Membership costs £12 for adults, £6 for juniors or £30 for a family. You will find full details on how to join at membership.ursc.co In this season’s membership pack you will find:

» » A membership card » » a members’ badge » » a car sticker » » and a drawstring gym bag

EUROPEAN ODYSSEY

After those two great wins at home to Racing 92 and at Leicester, we can all look forward to a European Cup quarter final at the Aviva Stadium at the end of March. URSC will be running buses to the match for members and non members. Details to follow.

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There are not many men who can claim to have captained Ulster at Kingspan Stadium against international opposition. Adam McBurney is one of these men, having lead Ulster into battle versus Rugby World Cup bound Uruguay, at the age of only 22. ADAM McBURNEY VIEW FROM THE CAVE

“It worked out well though from a rugby development point of view because in what would have been my Upper 6th Year, I was allowed to play senior rugby at Ballymena (he had turned 18 that September) and play Ireland U20s a year early. I wouldn’t have been able to if I was playing in the Schools’ Cup.” He fondly recalls playing alongside James Ryan, Andrew Porter, Max Deegan and our very own Jacob Stockdale in an Ireland U20 team which reached the World Championship Final in 2016, beating New Zealand along the way. It wasn’t long after this he was catching the eye of the senior Ulster management in training. Ulster Defence Coach Jared Payne named him ‘McGregor’ after one Conor, highly appropriate given Adam’s ability to start a fight in an empty house. Coming into the 18/19 season, his expectations weren’t too high: “No hooker ever seems to have a bad game but thankfully Dan gave me a shot at the start of the year to show what I can do. We’ve got two Ireland internationals in Rory (Best) and Rob (Herring), and John (Andrew) is a great player as well so there’s loads of talent there. I try to learn from those boys in training, then when you get the opportunity it’s about always having to play well because it’s so competitive.”

A product of the club game, McBurney learned his trade at Randalstown RFC where he was spotted and selected for Ulster U16… “When I was about 7, my uncle suggested to my mum that I should go down to Ballymena Rugby Club to play. I wasn’t able to get in there as they had too many numbers, so I went to Randalstown and played there until I was about to turn 18.” McBurney left Ballee High School after his GCSEs and turned down the opportunity to complete his A Levels and compete in the Danske Bank Schools’ Cup. Instead, he chose to study at Belfast Met and continue his rugby at Randalstown and with Ireland U18s. “When I was picked up by the Ulster Academy from the Ireland U18s, we agreed I needed to play senior rugby so I had to move on from Randalstown to Ballymena. Randalstown was massive for me as a player, but more so as a person; there were some hard times off the pitch and they always stuck by me. The support I’ve received from everyone there, even since I moved away, is something that’s very special.” In the 2015/16 season, McBurney juggled completing his B-Techs at Belfast Met, Ulster Academy training, playing senior rugby at Ballymena, representing Ireland U20s, all the while working at the Tullyglass Hotel in Ballymena.

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