Ulster Rugby v Munster

PRESIDENT’S WELCOME

We extend a special welcome to the Munster officers, management, supporters and players. We hope you all have a very enjoyable experience here in Ulster. The holiday period is a feast of rugby for followers of the game, with Interprovincial derbies high up on the wish list. With today’s game sandwiched in between away derbies against Connacht and Leinster, before we get back into the final pool stage games of the Champions Cup, it is a challenging and potentially season-defining period for the teams involved. Meetings of Ulster and Munster are always fiercely contested affairs, and with both teams seeking to push towards the Championship playoffs, we expect today’s game to be every bit as tough. In recent weeks we saw Ulster record crucial back-to-back wins over Harlequins in the Champions Cup to keep us in the hunt for a place in the quarter-finals. It is also encouraging to see the other three Irish Provinces performing well in their respective European competitions. The Ulster A team, sponsored by CD Group, also recorded a December double over Hartpury to stay on top of their pool in the British & Irish Cup. We wish them well in their final two pool games in the coming weeks. The Ulster clubs are continuing to challenge well in the Ulster Bank All Ireland League, with six of the twelve teams from the Province occupying top four spots. The All Ireland League returns this coming weekend, and as always we would encourage you to get out and support your local club. Finally, I would like to take this opportunity to thank all our supporters for your support throughout 2017, and wish you a very happy, peaceful and successful 2018. SUFTUM! Graffin Parke President IRFU (Ulster Branch) As President of the IRFU Ulster Branch, it gives me great pleasure to welcome you all to Kingspan Stadium for this evening’s Guinness PRO14 Round 12 game against Munster. PRESIDENT’S WELCOME

IRFU ULSTER BRANCH 2017/18 OFFICERS Graffin Parke President Stephen Elliott Senior Vice President Gary Leslie Junior Vice President Denis Gardiner Honorary Secretary Michael Boyd Honorary Treasurer Greg Irwin Competitions Secretary EXECUTIVE TEAM Shane Logan Chief Executive Chris Webster Domestic Rugby Manager Audrey Robinson Financial Controller Fiona Hampton Head of Sales & Marketing Les Kiss

Director of Rugby Bryn Cunningham Operations Director

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

3

www. ULSTERRUGBY .com