Ulster Rugby vs Cardiff Blues

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1 ULSTERRUGBY
PRESIDENT’S
WELCOME
IRFU
ULSTER BRANCH
Kingspan Stadium,
85 Ravenhill Park,
Belfast, BT6 0DG
T // +44 (0)28 9049 3222
ulsterrugby.com
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
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)
It gives me great pleasure to welcome you here to
Kingspan Stadium for this Guinness PRO12 match
against Cardiff Blues.