Ulster Rugby v Munster

A very happy new year to all of you attending today’s game after what I hope was an enjoyable Festive season for you and your loved ones. It’s been an incredible year for the Guinness PRO14 which was, naturally, headlined by our expansion into South Africa and the entrance of the Toyota Cheetahs and the Southern Kings. Of course, there were plenty of headlines to be pleased about such as our highest ever attendance at the last Guinness PRO12 Final, providing 26 players to the British & Irish Lions tour to New Zealand and leading the way in Positive Play statistics across Europe. Round 12 will provide another feast of derby action and while Christmas and New Year is a time for sharing with family and catching up with old friends – today’s teams will hardly be showing each other much love with local bragging rights and precious Championship points on offer! Our derby games are at the core of the Guinness PRO14’s tribal appeal because they showcase the passion of local rivalries and the intensity of competition as players look to catch the eye of their national coaches. To aid their cause our players will have their hands on a fresh batch of MATCH- XV balls from Gilbert that proudly bear the Guinness PRO14 logo. Gilbert returned to the Championship this season as our Official Match Ball partner and we have seen the average tries per game rise from 5.4 to 5.8 and our goal-kickers success rates have increased by over 7% which is bound to make their coaches very happy. Ticket sales are still going strong as we count down to the first-ever Guinness PRO14 Final at Dublin’s Aviva Stadium on May 26. Between Black Friday and Cyber Monday we’ve seen so many of you snap up tickets eager to witness history and no matter where you’re coming from you can rely on Gullivers Sports Travel to arrange tickets, hotels and flights as our Official Supporter Travel Partner for the Guinness PRO14 Final Series – see www.gulliverstravel.co.uk. We also have a host of ticket options available to cater for every kind of match- day experience and please don’t forget to take advantage of our Early Bird offers on www.ticketmaster.ie where prices start at €5 for children and €30 for adults. As we look towards 2018, I want to say a special thanks to everyone who supports our vibrant Championship, particularly our sponsors. Once again, Guinness have been terrific in their role as title sponsor while our Championship partners Macron, Gilbert and Specsavers play a key role in making the tournament what is week in, week out. Our appreciation also goes out to our broadcasters: Sky Sports, SuperSport, Eurosport, BBC Wales, BBC NI, BBC ALBA, TG4 and S4C who do such a good job by bringing the action into your homes when you can’t be at the stadium to witness it yourself. Finally, to our supporters, who continue to attend games in greater numbers to support your teams and the Championship. We will keep working hard to introduce new innovations to the Guinness PRO14 and ensure it continues to be provide the best rugby, the most internationals and best environment for our clubs to flourish. Wishing you and yours the very best for 2018, enjoy the game. Martin Anayi Chief Executive Officer