Ulster Rugby vs Exeter Chiefs

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CONTENTS

PRESIDENT’S WELCOME

3 4 5 7

EPCR WELCOME

HEINEKEN WELCOME KINGSPAN WELCOME TONIGHT’S MACOTS 9 SHANE LOGAN DISCUSSES 10 CLUB NEWS 13 BIG OPPORTUNITIES IN THE YEARS AHEAD 15 TOP EUROPEAN MOMENTS 16 TACKLE YOUR FEELINGS 19 ROBBIE DIACK Q&A 21 ULSTER SQUAD PROFILES 24 ULSTER TEAM 28 DOUBLE SIDED POSTER 29 EXETER CHIEFS TEAM 33 EXETER CHIEFS SQUAD PROFILES 34 ULSTER NAMES POEM 39 TOP EUROPEAN MOMENTS 40 ROD NAWN GUEST ARTICLE 44 CENTRA HALF TIME RUGBY 47 URSC CLUB NEWS 49 OUR CLUB NEWS 53 ULSTER RUGBY VALUES 55 STADIUM INFORMATION 57 MATCH PREVIEW 58 FIXTURES 59 THANK YOU 60

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PRESIDENT’S WELCOME

PRESIDENT’S WELCOME

Before looking ahead to tonight’s game, Ulster Rugby was saddened and shocked, as were all rugby people in Ireland, at the sudden death of Munster Head Coach Anthony Foley in Paris last weekend. Anthony Foley had an iconic status in Ireland and Munster Rugby and his loss at the young age of 42 is very hard to take in. The deepest sympathies of Ulster Rugby go to his wife Olive, sons Tony and Dan and the family circle as well as to the Munster Squad and all our colleagues in the Munster Branch. Tonight’s opponents are Exeter Chiefs and I extend a warm welcome to their team, coaches, Directors and supporters. In particular, I would like to welcome their Chairman and CEO Tony Rowe. In addition to the excellent hospitality we received when we played Exeter in a pre-season friendly in August, I had the privilege of viewing the “Shrouds of the Somme” exhibition with Tony at Sandy Park before the game. This was a moving experience which commemorated the 3237 men from the Ulster Division and the Devonshire Regiment who died on the first day of the Battle of the Somme in July 1916. Exeter Chiefs are to be congratulated on this commemorative project. I would also like to welcome the 29 Exeter supporters who have undertaken a European Cycle Challenge by cycling to Kingspan Stadium from Exeter in order to raise money for charity. This trip has taken them 5 days and they have covered over 440 miles plus a ferry trip. Both sides did not get the start they wanted in the first round of European games last weekend and a win in tonight’s game is crucial to both sides. Elsewhere, Ulster are sitting at the top of the Guinness PRO12 League with 5 wins from 6 and Les Kiss, the coaches and the players are to be congratulated for this, particularly given the injury list we have had this season. Following on from the Ulster U19s Inter-provincial success, congratulations must also go to the Ulster U18 Girls team who, in the first year of competition at this level, won their 3 games against the other Provinces and the Girls U18 Inter-pro title – very well done. Both U19 and U18 Girls teams will have the opportunity of parading their trophies at an Ulster game in the near future. On the domestic rugby front, it is good to see that the number of cancelled matches are down on the same period last season. We are now through to the Semi-final stage of the First Trust Senior Cup where Banbridge will play Ballynahinch and Belfast Harlequins will play Armagh. All four clubs are to be congratulated on getting to this stage of the competition. Finally, I hope everyone enjoys the game tonight as well as the facilities at Kingspan Stadium and remember - “Stand Up For The Ulstermen”. John McKibbin President IRFU (Ulster Branch) It gives me great pleasure as President of the IRFU Ulster Branch to welcome everyone to Kingspan Stadium for this evening’s Round 2 match in the European Champions Cup.

IRFU ULSTER BRANCH 2016/17 OFFICERS John McKibbin President Graffin Parke Senior Vice President Stephen Elliott 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

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

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WELCOME MESSAGE FROM EPCR

EPCR WELCOME

It is with great unity that the European rugby family convenes for Round 2 of the European Rugby Champions Cup and Challenge Cup this weekend. Across all of our matches, a minute of silence or applause will be observed in memory of the late Anthony Foley, who passed away last weekend in Paris. The reaction of the world – not just from the rugby community – shows the scale of his achievements with both Munster Rugby and Ireland, and impresses upon us what an impact he made as both a player and a coach. His name is synonymous with Munster’s success in the European Cup and his legacy long-lasting. Our thoughts and prayers at this time are with his family and friends. We thank you for joining us in commemorating the life of Anthony Foley this weekend and hope that in his honour, we will see some top class rugby in the tournament he graced so well.

Simon Halliday EPCR Chairman

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LEADING THE FIELD

Hello and welcome to Kingspan Stadium, the home of Ulster Rugby. We are delighted to host another exciting fixture this evening as we welcome the return of the European Rugby Champions Cup to Belfast and tonight’s opposition Exeter Chiefs. Tonight’s fixture against Exeter Chiefs is sure to be a hotly contested affair with both sides looking to improve on last weekend’s results in the opening round of the competition. Ulster suffered a 25-19 pre-season friendly defeat at the hands of Exeter but with European points at stake we can expect two very different sides to take to the field tonight. I would like to welcome the Exeter squad and travelling supporters to Kingspan Stadium this evening. The Kingspan has become known for its warm welcome and I have no doubt that that reputation will be built upon after tonight’s match. On behalf of Kingspan, I would like to wish the squad and management of Ulster Rugby every success this evening. Enjoy the game, lead the way and help ensure this is another Kingspan Stadium night to remember.

Pat Freeman Divisional Managing Director

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TONIGHT’S MASCOTS

MATTHEW McGREEVY (10) Matthew is from Newtownabbey and attends Whiteabbey Primary School. He plays mini rugby at Academy RFC and also enjoys football, running and cycling. Matthew’s favourite player is Craig Gilroy because he brings a lot to the team and scores fantastic tries. When he grows up Matthew would like to play fullback for Ulster. ELLEN BRADY (12) Ellen has a condition called Cornelia de Lange Syndrome. It’s quite rare in Northern Ireland, affecting about 20 children. She is non-verbal and communicates using Makaton, which is a sign language for children. Ellen lives at home with her two brothers who are big rugby fans and is here representing them today as they are both too old to be mascots! She attends Rathore Special Care School in Newry and enjoys playing with her friends, playing on her iPad and going on holidays.

MASCOTS

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SHANE LOGAN DISCUSSES

Ulster Rugby Chief Executive, Shane Logan, discusses some of the current talking points of rugby within the Province…

Improvements since 2010… Thanks to funding from the NI Executive, we now have a stadium that has given us the infrastructure to host big matches and have large attendances which are necessary to be competitive. The stadium facilities for training, strength and condition, and medical provision are right up there. We have moved from the lower end of the rankings of professional teams in Europe towards the top end, but we still have a long way to go. I think our coaching is excellent and is improving all the time. I think our succession planning, by way of developing strength-in-depth, is also continually developing. We have heavily increased our investment into our Academy and sub- Academy and that is starting to come through. So I think the main pillars of the professional game are in place. I think the next phase needs to We are owned by our clubs and schools, we are not privately owned, so we exist to serve the grassroots game. The club game has grown moderately over the last 5 or 6 years, but not enough. We have helped to install over 20 new community gyms in places across the Province, including many existing rugby clubs and rugby-playing schools. There is considerable funding being attracted to some clubs but that needs to be a focus over the next 5 or 10 years to ensure sustainable growth. As a senior Ulster side we are only allowed five players who are not qualified to play for Ireland and so we have to generate the overwhelming bulk of players ourselves. For the future of the senior team and for what we’re about, which is clubs and schools, we’ve got to improve. The quest for silverware… In the 2012/13 season we led the league for 16 weeks out of 22, we earned the right to have a home final but because the stadium was being redeveloped and we had to play away in Leinster be investment into clubs and schools. Growth needed in the club game…

and lost narrowly. Losing away to Glasgow the season before last, where we would have had a home final, was very difficult to take. So I think we have come agonisingly close and if we can get some good fortune and the bounce of a ball to go our way, we will be there or thereabouts this season. We have got to keep growing and building for the future and if you can continue to improve and learn faster than the opposition, trophies will come. The 2023 Rugby World Cup bid… The Rugby World Cup Bid Board has been in place for two years now. From an Ulster perspective, David Dobbin, Mike Thompson and Dame Mary Peters and myself sit on it and we have been working to understand what World Rugby want and to understand the learnings from the World Cup in England last year. We must ensure that our offering is better than our two main rivals - France and South Africa. We have a joint all-Ireland bid but in this jurisdiction we are working closely with the government to ensure the bricks and mortar exceed expectation, including Casement Park, and training bases. World Rugby have issued their specification for stadiums, we can at the minute meet their demands, assuming Casement is up and running a Tier 1 international can be held in a stadium with a capacity of 30,000. In a few months they will issue the requirements of the training bases and we will work with the NI Executive here to deliver top quality facilities. The work is ongoing - the decision will be made in November 2017, and if we’re successful, that is when the real work will begin to ensure we can deliver a World Cup that is the best ever. The Ulster Rugby brand… Our merchandise sales are very strong, our sponsorship income is right up there when compared to other teams in the UK and Ireland, and we have high attendances throughout the season. It’s because people want to support, invest in, and be associated with the Ulster Rugby cause.

SHANE LOGAN

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We are not perfect; we have a huge distance to go to reach the soccer industry in England, for example. However, the league is doing positive things to deliver strong television revenues, and the PRO12 teams continue to collaborate and share ideas in order to innovate and move forward together. Over the next two to four years, I can only see greater momentum. Ruan Pienaar’s departure… We are very disappointed to lose Ruan and he is disappointed to be leaving. He is an excellent player, an excellent individual, and who knows, maybe one day we will see him back. We have an excellent relationship with the IRFU and I don’t think the Ruan situation in any way damages that. There will always be decisions that you aren’t happy with or don’t agree with, and this would be one of them, but we respect our governing body. In the past, their decisions to protect international rugby have been good. Inclusivity… In the last few years we have had 20,000 young people complete rugby programmes of 6 to 8 weeks and we are continuing to do that work. There is so much potential out there; there are 2.1 million people in the nine counties of Ulster and we want to bring what’s good about rugby to all of them. We want as many people as possible to benefit from the social aspect of rugby, as well as the physical and mental health benefits that it brings. We are increasingly strong in both female and disability rugby and it’s important that that continues to develop. We won

the first ever Girls U18 Inter-provincial Championship last month, which is extremely encouraging. We are hosting the final stages of the Women’s Rugby World Cup 2017 in Belfast next summer. We now have nine clubs in Ulster with disability rugby sections and we held the Wooden Spoon Disability Festival in 2014 which was the largest event of its kind to

be held in Europe and was a great success. So we are a game for everybody and we don’t want to leave anyone out.

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FIRST TRUST SENIOR CUP SEMI-FINAL DRAW

The draw for the First Trust Senior Cup semi-finals was conducted by First Trust representative James Beattie and IRFU (Ulster Branch) President John McKibbin

at Kingspan Stadium this week. In the first semi-final reigning champions

Both semi-finals are due to be played on or before Saturday 19th November, with the final to be played on 15th December at Kingspan Stadium. Speaking at the draw, James Beattie, First Trust Bank representative, commented: “We’re proud of our long association with the Senior Cup. It’s always great to see the competition it generates amongst the teams. Best of luck to those clubs through to the semi-finals and we look forward to another exciting final in December.” IRFU Ulster Branch President John McKibbin also commented: “I would congratulate all four clubs on reaching the semi-finals and I am sure they will be giving their all to try and get back here to Kingspan Stadium in December. I thank First Trust Bank for their continued support of the Senior Cup, a competition with a rich history and one that is of huge significance in the domestic rugby calendar.”

CLUB NEWS

Ballynahinch will face a tough away trip to County Down neighbours Banbridge. The ‘Hinch will be hoping to continue their quest for three-in-a-row Senior Cup successes, while Banbridge will have their sights set on collecting a maiden Senior Cup in what is the club’s 90th anniversary year. In the second semi-final Armagh will travel to Deramore Park buoyed by earlier round wins over Ballymena and Dungannon, while Belfast Harlequins will be hoping that home advantage will help them secure their place in the Kingspan Stadium decider. First Trust Senior Cup Semi-Final 1: Banbridge v Ballynahinch First Trust Senior Cup Semi-Final 2: Belfast Harlequins v Armagh

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Alastair Ross MLA, Chair of the All Party Assembly Group on Rugby, hosted a Breakfast Briefing Reception in Parliament Buildings on Tuesday morning to provide an update on its progress over the past five years. ALL PARTY ASSEMBLY GROUP ON RUGBY

Ulster Rugby Chief Executive, Shane Logan, highlighted the valuable contribution made by the All Party Group to date, and discussed its importance for the continued growth of rugby in Ulster, including the hosting of the Women’s Rugby World Cup in Belfast next August and the potential benefits of Ireland hosting the 2023 Rugby World Cup. The event at Stormont was attended by 17 MLAs, in addition to First Minister, Arlene Foster, and Ulster Rugby players Chris Henry, Darren Cave and Stuart McCloskey. Speaking at the briefing, Alastair Ross MLA said, “It is vitally important to work in partnership and hopefully the All Party Group will continue to play a positive role in developing the game of rugby across Ulster. “We also recognise that sporting organisations are often better placed than statutory agencies to deliver important programmes in the community and Ulster Rugby has successfully done just that with many Department for Communities’ social strategies. “The ambition is to get more people playing rugby. We want to help Ulster Rugby to grow the game in non-traditional areas, to grow female and disability rugby, and to support clubs and schools in terms of improving their infrastructure. “We want to make sure there is adequate investment in terms of grassroots rugby and we need to make sure the levels of investment in rugby are at the same levels as football and GAA. “It is important to help the professional game in Ulster to be competitive and we have been

delighted to see the progress the senior Ulster side has made over the past five or six years. “We have successfully supported bids for Kingspan Stadium to host the 2015 PRO12 Final and the 2017 Women’s Rugby World Cup. It is also important to acknowledge that the current bid for the 2023 Rugby World Cup is another massive opportunity for us in many ways.” Shane Logan said he was delighted with the impact the All Party Working Group has made to date and is excited about what it can deliver for rugby in the future. “The Working Group, chaired by Alastair, has helped us to deliver on practical issues and has allowed us to make an impact both within the community and in the professional game. “Over the past few years, with the support of the Northern Ireland Executive, we have had 20,000 people from some of the most deprived backgrounds taking part in rugby programmes. Female rugby and disability rugby have grown significantly in that time also, and we have a world class facility at Kingspan Stadium, which the entire community can benefit from. “While there is still a long way to go, particularly to ensure that our clubs receive greater investment in their facilities, it’s reassuring to know that the All Party Working Group is committed to helping us achieve this. The opportunities around the Rugby World Cup events in 2017 and 2023 are huge, and it’s important that we capitalise on these.”

BIG OPPORTUNITIES IN THE YEARS AHEAD

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TOP EUROPEAN MOMENTS ANDREW TRIMBLE

MUNSTER (AWAY) QUARTER-FINAL 2012 The first time we became real contenders. Thomond Park has traditionally been one of the hardest places to go in Europe and get a win. The fact that it was an interprovincial rival just made the day that little bit sweeter.

MONTPELLIER (AWAY) 2013

We went with one game plan but when the game started we changed our approach and got a lot of success. We showed how tactically switched on we were and produced a clinical display of how to win on the road in Europe.

TOP EUROPEAN MOMENTS

TOULOUSE (HOME) 2006

This was my second season with Ulster and having won the league the previous year we stepped up and dominated one of the best sides in Europe the day after my 22nd birthday. It was a beautiful Saturday afternoon to remember in Belfast.

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TOP EUROPEAN MOMENTS RUAN PIENAAR

MUNSTER (AWAY) QUARTER-FINAL 2012 Munster away in the quarter final in 2012, because we have never beaten them at Thomond Park we were the underdogs and the guys really performed unbelievably well to win that game! EDINBURGH (AWAY) SEMI-FINAL 2012 The semi final against Edinburgh at the Aviva was amazing. Just so see how many people travelled to Dublin to watch the game from Belfast. The bus trip to the pitch was incredible and the atmosphere in the stadium was brilliant! TOULOUSE (HOME) DECEMBER 2015 Toulouse last year was pretty good! Such a tough team to play against, they are giants in European rugby, and to have played so well and beat them convincingly was a massive win for us!

TOP EUROPEAN MOMENTS

TOP EUROPEAN MOMENTS CRAIG GILROY

CASTRES (AWAY) JANUARY 2013 Castres away was a great memory for me because it was our first official win in France, I really enjoyed the game too because I played 15 and got lots of ball! MUNSTER (AWAY) QUARTER FINAL 2012 Munster in the quarter final of the Heineken Cup was a huge memory for me, the whole day was an emotional rollercoaster! We were the underdogs going down to Thomand Park but we came out on top and it was nice to cross the white wash too. I remember Ian Humphreys slotted an unbelievable drop goal from about 40m out and to see the joy on my mum and dad’s face after was amazing. LEICESTER (HOME) JANUARY 2012 My top memory was beating Leicester at home 41-7 in 2012, I was only 20 at the time and new to European rugby. It was a great night for the players, coaches and fans!

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TACKLE YOUR FEELINGS

On Tuesday 4th October at Kingspan Stadium the Irish Rugby Union Players Association (IRUPA) hosted a panel discussion as part of their Tackle Your Feelings campaign which aims to break down the stigma around mental wellbeing.

The campaign features professional rugby players leading by example, talking about personal challenges they faced off the pitch and how they overcame them. Tommy Bowe was the Ulster representative on the panel discussion where he was joined by Ireland Women’s player Hannah Tyrell who, as a Tackle Your Feelings Ambassador, has spoken to groups across Ireland about her story. Tommy Bowe, who is often considered the poster boy of Irish Rugby, spoke openly and honestly and gave his reasons for lending support to the campaign, “I had heard about the campaign and watched some really powerful stories on the TYF website and I think the message IRUPA are trying to get across is that the campaign is for everybody, it is encouraging people to tackle these problems at an early stage and not let them get to a stage where you really need to seek professional help. I think mental health has become a huge area of concern, especially in sport. It has always been something that has been a part of sport and now it is becoming a talking point, people are actually able to open up and talk about it and we are trying to lose that stigma of not being able to express how you are feeling. As a professional sports person you go through good days and bad days and for me personally I have gone through 12 months out being injured, at times questioning if I will ever make it back onto the pitch. I have gone through good days where things progress really well then all of a sudden you have to take two steps back and it is hard to try and keep going but I have found that having coping mechanisms really helps. The ability to talk to people you trust and also setting yourself small goals to get yourself to the main

goal can really help and I just wanted to try and pass the message on.” Tommy, like the other professional players who are fronting up the campaign recognises that society has to break down the stigmas around mental wellbeing and encourage young people to talk, he offers this advice to young people who may be struggling, “Go back to your strengths, if you are a young guy coming up through the ranks who feels like they have the world at their feet, there will be times when you get knocked down, and when that does happen it is a case of going back to your strengths, go back to what you are good at and build your confidence back up and try to put a smile on your face.” Tommy showed a serious side during the panel discussions but let us into a secret weapon he has for times when he is needing a boost, “I try to walk round with a smile on my face, I might have a million things going on in the back of my head, but I think if you smile and your quite upbeat it can bring out positive feelings and it can help the people around you as well.” The campaign is specifically aimed at maximising mental wellbeing rather than resolving mental illness. Just like physical health, emotional health can be improved by tackling pressures before they reach crisis stage. The Tackle Your Feelings campaign has an excellent website which hosts a number of practical resources to help people tackle their own feelings as well as Ambassador videos which give a real insight into the challenges that even our top rugby players face. For more information please visit www.tackleyourfeelings.com

IRUPA

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P R O U D T O S P O N S O R

BUYAMATCHPROGRAMMEATANY HOMEGAMEANDCHECKYOUR EXCLUSIVE CODE TOSEE IF YOU’REAWINNER! Simply enter your code at our official programme stand or online at winit.ulsterrugbydigital.com #URinittowinit

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*Terms & Conditions apply: One entry per person, per programme. You must be 16 years or over to enter. You must enter a valid email address to receive your prize and by entering your information you are agreeing to receiving promotions from Ulster Rugby and our sponsors. Ulster Rugby reserve the right to remove this competition at any point without prior notice.

ROBBIE DIACK Q&A

NICK NAME? Rob Dog FAVOURITE SUBJECT AT SCHOOL? Geography

IF YOU COULD BE A PROFESSIONAL IN ANOTHER SPORT, WHAT WOULD IT BE? Golf, long career and not too physical MOST EXCITING THING YOU HAVE DONE? Travelled over Kenya in a bush plane FAVOURITE HOLIDAY DESTINATION? New York and the bush in South Africa MOST EXPENSIVE ITEM YOU HAVE BOUGHT? My wife’s engagement ring! HOW DO YOU RELAX ON YOUR DOWN TIME? Cooking, spending time with my family and taking the dog for a walk FAVOURITE MOVIE OF ALL TIME? Last of the Mohicans IF A FILM WAS MADE ABOUT YOUR LIFE, WHO WOULD YOU LIKE TO PLAY YOU? David Hasselhoff, apparently I look like him! IF YOU WERE STRANDED ON A DESSERT ISLAND, WHICH PLAYER WOULD YOU LEAST LIKE TO BE STRANDED WITH? Paul Marshall, he wouldn’t keep quiet DO YOU HAVE ANY PETS? Harper, a really playful hound who is also a great guard dog WHAT ARE YOUR LEAST AND MOST FAVOURITE TRAINING ELEMENTS? Least: Fitness in pre-season Most: Gym, being fit and strong helps you enjoy rugby WHAT DO YOU LOVE MOST ABOUT PLAYING FOR ULSTER? The support we get at Kingspan Stadium on match nights IF YOU WEREN’T A PROFESSIONAL RUGBY PLAYER, WHAT WOULD YOU BE DOING AS A PROFESSION? I would be making wine with my Ballybosch partner, Ruan Pienaar IF YOU COULD INVITE ANY FAMOUS PERSON ROUND FOR TEA WHO WOULD IT BE AND WHAT WOULD YOU MAKE THEM? Madiba, we would have a braai (South African BBQ)

TO FIND OUT MORE ABOUT ROBBIE FOLLOW HIM ON TWITTER @ROBBIE_DIACK

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TISSOTwatches.COM TISSOT, INNOVATORS BY TRADITION

MARK BEST

JOHN ANDREW

RODNEY AH YOU

Centre 01.04.94 182cm 94kg

Hooker 26.05.93 181cm 101kg

Prop 27.10.88

187cm 129kg

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17 —

6 3

TOMMY BOWE

CALLUM BLACK

RORY BEST

Wing 22.02.84 190cm 100kg 137 67 Flanker 08.05.91 191cm 112kg — SA 28 Back Row 27.01.95 190cm 108kg 1 —

Prop 25.02.86 180cm 116kg 113 — Centre 05.04.87 184cm 95kg 183 11

Hooker 15.08.82

178cm 106kg 188 97

PETER BROWNE 2nd Row 25.10.87 201cm 116kg

DARREN CAVE

MARCELL COETZEE

19 —

ROBBIE DIACK

JOHN DONNAN 2nd Row 16.02.93 197cm 115kg

LORCAN DOW

No. 8 12.11.85 195cm 110kg 180 2

— —

ULSTER SQUAD 2016/17 24 CRAIG GILROY Wing 11.03.91 183cm 90kg 137 8 WIEHAHN HERBST Prop 07.05.88 180cm 120kg 39 — IAIN HENDERSON 2nd Row 21.02.92 199cm 117kg 63 23 ROB HERRING Hooker 27.04.90 185cm 102kg 103 1

CHRIS HENRY

Back Row 17.10.84

191cm 105kg 150 24

BRETT HERRON

Fly half 13.11.95 184cm 92kg 3 —

www. ULSTERRUGBY .com

PADDY JACKSON

ROSS KANE

CONOR JOYCE

Out half 05.01.92 180cm 87kg 110 16

Prop 26.02.86 182cm 114kg 52 — Prop 14.10.94 180.5cm 116kg 7 —

Back Row 05.07.93

192cm 106kg 4 —

LOUIS LUDIK Full back 10.08.86 182cm 92kg 45 —

ANGUS LLOYD

RICKY LUTTON

Scrum half 02.10.92 175cm 80kg 1 — Prop 01.02.92 177cm 111kg 29 — Centre 03.03.91 181cm 97kg 6 — Back Row 07.04.90 193cm 108kg 2 —

ULSTER SQUAD 2016/17

ROB LYTTLE

LUKE MARSHALL

PAUL MARSHALL

Centre 03.03.91 181cm 97kg 87 8 Centre 06.08.92 193cm 113kg 46 1

Scrum half 26.07.85 172cm 80kg 178 3

KYLE McCALL

STUART McCLOSKEY

JOHNNY McPHILLIPS

Out half 13.04.97 179cm 80kg

— —

STEPHEN MULHOLLAND

JONNY MURPHY

PETER NELSON Full back 05.10.92 180cm 88kg

Hooker 02.06.92

178cm 106kg 1 —

31 —

STUART OLDING

ALAN O’CONNOR 2nd Row 10.09.92 197cm 114kg 30 —

JARED PAYNE Full back 13.10.85 186cm 97kg

Centre 11.03.93 178cm 93kg 53 4

72 16

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MATTHEW REA 2nd Row 21.09.93 193cm 110kg

RUAN PIENAAR

CHARLES PIUTAU

Scrum half 10.03.84 187cm 90kg 124 SA 88

Back Row 14.06.89 193cm 105kg 36 — Utility back 31.10.91 183cm 102kg 4 NZ 16

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CLIVE ROSS

DAVE SHANAHAN

SEAN REIDY

Scrum half 20.06.93 174cm 90kg 8 —

Back Row 05.10.89

ULSTER SQUAD 2016/17

182cm 105kg 38 1

JOHNNY SIMPSON

JACOB STOCKDALE

KIERAN TREADWELL 2nd Row 11.06.95 198cm 121kg 3 —

Prop 19.08.90 184cm 110kg

Wing 04.03.96 195cm 96kg 8 —

— —

DAN TUOHY 2nd Row 18.06.85 197cm 115kg 134 11

FRANCO VAN DER MERWE 2nd Row 15.03.83 198cm 117kg 59 SA 1

ANDREW TRIMBLE

Wing 20.10.84 185cm 97kg 207 66 Prop 12.03.91 179cm 110kg 53 —

ANDY WARWICK

ROGER WILSON

SAM WINDSOR

Fly half 07.12.87 185cm 94 kg 2 —

Back Row 21.09.81 190cm 106kg 213 1

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1

JARED PAYNE

KYLE McCALL

14

2

RORY BEST

ANDREW TRIMBLE (C)

13

3

RODNEY AH YOU

LUKE MARSHALL

12

4

PETER BROWNE

STUART OLDING

ULSTER RUBGY

11

5

FRANCO VAN DER MERWE

CHARLES PIUTAU

6

10

IAIN HENDERSON

PADDY JACKSON

7

9

SEAN REIDY

RUAN PIENAAR

REPLACEMENTS 16 17 18 19 R HERRING A WARWICK R KANE A O’CONNOR

20 21 22 23

C ROSS P MARSHALL C GILROY T BOWE

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ROGER WILSON

E JARED

PAYNE

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1

MORAY LOW

LACHLAN TURNER

14

2

OLLY WOODBURN

JACK YEANDLE

EXETER CHIEFS

13

3

HARRY WILLIAMS

OLLIE DEVOTO

12

4

GEOFF PARLING

SAM HILL

11

5

DAMIAN WELCH

IAN WHITTEN

6

10

KAI HORSTMANN

GARETH STEENSON (C)

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9

JULIAN SALVI

DAVE LEWIS

REPLACEMENTS 16 17 18 19 E TAIONE C RIMMER G HOLMES M LEES

20 21 22 23

D DENNIS J MAUNDER H SLADE M BODILLY

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THOMAS WALDROM

TODAY’S OFFICIALS REFEREE ALEXANDRE RUIZ FRA ASSISTANT REFEREE’S THOMAS CHARABAS FRA | CÉDRIC CLAVÉ FRA CITING COMMISSIONER JEAN-CLAUDE LEGENDRE FRA TMO ERIC BRIQUET CAMPIN FRA

MAX BODILLY

OLLIE ATKINS

DON ARMAND

Full-Back 09.09.1994 185cm 86kg

Lock 12.08.1988 200cm 118kg

Back-Row 23.09.1988 191cm 115kg

WILL CHUDLEY

MICHELE CAMPAGNARO

JOSH CAULFIELD

Scrum-Half 17.03.1988 175cm 80kg

Centre 13.03.1993 184cm 94kg

Lock 09.06.1997 194cm 116kg

LUKE COWAN-DICKIE

HARRISON CULLY

PAUL DAVIS

Hooker 20.06.1993 185cm 110kg

Winger 03.02.1997 185cm 90kg

Hooker 10.02.1994 188cm 119kg

EXETER CHIEFS DAVE DENNIS

PHIL DOLLMAN

OLLIE DEVOTO

Lock 10.01.1986 192cm 113kg

Centre 15.05.1985 183cm 90kg

Fly-Half 22.09.1993 192cm 102kg

DAVE EWERS

TOMAS FRANCIS

TOM HENDRICKSON

Back-Row 03.11.1990 193cm 125kg

Prop 27.04.1992 186cm 135kg

Centre 01.09.1994 184cm 100kg

SAM HILL

JONATHAN HILL

ALEC HEPBURN

Centre 14.07.1993 184cm 103kg

Prop 30.03.1993 185cm 108kg

Lock 08.06.1994 201cm 112kg

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ED HOLMES

GREG HOLMES

WILL HOOLEY

Prop 11.06.1983 183cm 114kg

Fly-Half 28.11.1993 185cm 88kg

Lock 27.12.1995 194cm 110kg

KAI HORSTMANN

JACK INNARD

MATT JESS

Hooker 03.07.1995 180cm 103kg

Winger 04.04.1984 183cm 90kg

Back-Row 21.09.1981

EXETER CHIEFS

191cm 109kg

PETE LAVERICK

TOM JOHNSON

BILLY KEAST

Back-Row 16.07.1982

Prop 24.11.1996 184cm 109kg

Centre 18.01.1995 182cm 94kg

187cm 106kg

MITCH LEES

DAVE LEWIS

MORAY LOW

Lock 12.10.1988 196cm 122kg

Scrum-Half 29.04.1989 173cm 81kg

Prop 28.11.1994 188cm 128kg

SHAUN MALTON

JACK MAUNDER

BEN MOON

Prop 14.07.1989 180cm 110kg

Hooker 15.02.1990

Scrum-Half 05.04.1997 178cm 80kg

177cm 103kg

JACK NOWELL

CARL RIMMER

GEOFF PARLING

Prop 29.04.1986 183cm 116kg

Full-Back 11.04.1993 180cm 97kg

Lock 28.10.1983 198cm 117kg

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Suppliers of fresh produce to the Ulster Rugby team.

Official suppliers of fresh produce to the Ulster Rugby team.

GET SOCIAL. FOLLOW US.

UlsterRugby

UlsterRugbyOfficial

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JULIAN SALVI

JOE SIMMONDS

SAM SIMMONDS

Fly-Half 19.12.1996 182cm 87kg

Back-Row 10.11.1994 183cm 103kg

Back-Row 09.10.1985

187cm 103kg

SAM SKINNER

HENRY SLADE

JAMES SHORT

Winger 15.10.1989 182cm 92kg

Back-Row 31.01.1995 196cm 111kg

Fly-Half 19.03.1993 191cm 96kg

EXETER CHIEFS

GARETH STEENSON

HAYDN THOMAS

ELVIS TAIONE

Scrum-Half 17.09.1982 174cm 84kg

Fly-Half 05.04.1984 178cm 84kg

Hooker 25.05.1983 180cm 108kg

STU TOWNSEND

LACHLAN TURNER

THOMAS WALDROM

Scrum-Half 11.10.1995 176cm 88kg

Wing 11.05.1987 185cm 96kg

No.8 28.04.1983 185cm 114kg

DAMIAN WELCH

BEN WHITE

IAN WHITTEN

Back-Row 23.11.1983 193cm 105kg

Centre 05.06.1987

Lock 28.07.1982 200cm 114kg

1.89m 105kg

HARRY WILLIAMS

OLLIE WOODBURN

JACK YEANDLE

Prop 01.10.1991

Wing 18.11.1991 188cm 97kg

Hooker 22.12.1989 185cm 108kg

191cm 132kg

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TOP EUROPEAN MOMENTS BEAKER’S BEST BITS

MUNSTER (AWAY) QUARTER-FINAL 2012 Ulster celebrate the final whistle during the Heineken Cup Quarter-Final clash between Munster and Ulster at Thomond Park, Limerick. It was a fantastic game with Gilly scoring that wonderful solo try to set off a scoring spree from Ruan’s boot. Munster fought back pushing Ulster all the way but this reaction at the end speaks volumes for the achievement on that day - a wonderful memory.

CASTRES (AWAY) 2013

TOP EUROPEAN MOMENTS Ulster’s first away win in France was a close encounter against Castres. After the game there was a pitch invasion and I

took this shot of Craig Gilroy with a fan taking a selfie which worked well and was widely used in the papers across Ireland

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JOHN DICKSON CLUB PHOTOGRAPHER @DICKSONDIGITAL

LEICESTER TIGERS (AWAY) 2014 A dejected looking Tiger mascot snapped after the Heineken Cup Pool 5 Round 6 clash between Leicester Tigers and Ulster Rugby at Welford Road. Every time I see this photo it makes me smile so I have been looking at it a lot this week!

LEICESTER TIGERS (AWAY) 2014 Ulster had just defeated

Leicester in their own back yard to qualify for a home quarter-final for the first time. Johann Muller gathered his players around and I managed to catch the moment.

EDINBURGH RUGBY (AWAY) 2012 An emotional day all round - Ulster were favourites to win this semi-final and the delight of making the final is clear as Rory Best and Brian McLaughlin hug after the Heineken Cup clash with Edinburgh at the Aviva Stadium, Lansdowne Road, Dublin.

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European nights at Kingspan Stadium are special occasions, they have a very particular air of expectation and of renewed ambition in players and supporters. STAYING IN EUROPE IS ULSTER’S PRIORITY

The Champions Cup, as we now know it, has brought excitement to the stadium, and last season’s despatch of Toulouse and Oyonnax brought a quarter-final place agonisingly close. But for a club with Ulster’s quality, resources and aspirations, more regular appearances at the ‘business end’ of the competition might be anticipated – and one memorable Final appearance four years ago apart – the side has not realised its potential and its hopes. With Ulster’s stadium, facilities and playing strength the envy of many across the continent, Europe remains something of a Holy Grail. This evening marks the opening home game in Pool 5, against an Exeter Chiefs club which has grown into a powerful force in England’s Premiership, and to say that for both sides that this is a ‘must win’ battle is not at all an understatement. Last Sunday – when, of course, there were more important and very human matters to dwell on – both Ulster and Exeter lost to French opposition to find themselves on the back foot already as far as qualification for the knockout stages in the New Year is concerned. The Chiefs lost heavily at Sandy Lane to the mighty Clermont Auvergne, but Head Coach Rob Baxter was furious with his players’ surrender and he was untypically unforgiving of his side’s 35-8 trouncing. Ulster’s Director of Rugby Les Kiss has been similarly critical of the manner of the 28-13 loss to Bordeaux-Begles in France that same afternoon, his frustration as his team – in the closing eight nightmarish minutes – ceding a winning position to a home side which capitalised on a few too many individual errors and on some poor decision-making. Andrew Trimble had marked his first appearance of the season, and his debut as captain, with a superbly-worked first-half try to quieten the French fans and Paddy Jackson’s boot seemed to have just done enough to record another fine success abroad though without a totally convincing display in any area of the pitch. Or what passed for a pitch! In truth both Exeter and Ulster were out-thought and, ultimately, outplayed by sides they would have realistically harboured hopes of upsetting.

And though Clermont is a constant and impressive threat in Europe Bordeaux-Begles, for all its counter-attacking merits, was taken very seriously by Ulster but management, players and supporters did believe a win was very much ‘on’, and that a promising European campaign would be launched at Chabon-Delmas. So, there will have been soul-searching aplenty in the West Country and at Kingspan Stadium this week, and for an authentic Champions Cup challenge to be mounted there are still huge hurdles ahead. While Ulster must concentrate on its own agenda: a win to stay in contention for one of those eight prized quarter-final spots. To spark real intent into that pursuit the Chiefs must be overcome, and the wounded Exeter squad will know that it cannot afford the lapses in concentration and the strangely lethargic performance which allowed France’s Top 14 leaders to romp to a bonus-point win. Baxter has fashioned an astonishingly gifted group at Sandy Lane, and the side’s chase of Saracens for the Premiership title last season was as impressive as it was eye-catching. Ulster and Exeter met in a pre-season contest in August so there will be a certain familiarity this evening, but the clubs are now competitively battle-hardened and the teams bear only a superficial resemblance to those which met at Sandy Lane when the home side won. While Ulster subsequently went on an impressive run to the top of the PRO12 table by the end of September the Chiefs stumbled somewhat early on in its latest Premiership challenge. Unsurprisingly Baxter ‘tweaked’ his line-up, and it’s something Les Kiss and Neil Doak will most certainly have noted that a distinct change of fortunes came with the return to out-half of Gareth Steenson, the Ulsterman who has created something of a legend of himself with the English side. Steenson has always been a gifted and intelligent playmaker, and while his goal-kicking prowess has been rightly hailed he has, for the best part of a decade, been the fulcrum of the team, a calm, authoritative presence, as comfortable exploiting the smallest of defensive frailties as in landing points from any distance or angle.

GUEST ARTICLE - ROD NAWN

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In another era – even in this – Gareth would have been a genuine asset in Ulster, but who could fail to be impressed and admiring of how he has carved out such a fine career outside Ireland when he might, quite realistically, hoped to climb the representative ladder. His individual contest tonight with Paddy Jackson will be one of the most important in deciding the outcome, while Ian Whitten – capped by Ireland when at Ulster – returns to his old stomping ground now most regularly used as a physically-imposing and try-scoring winger. The visitors also have England’s free-running and elusive Henry Slade in the ranks, and it was when he shifted into midfield when Steenson was restored at out-half that the Chiefs began a successful Premiership run, and he too is one Ulster will have plans to mute. Up front Scottish hooker Luke Cowan-Dickie, props Moray Low and Thomas Francis, lock Geoff Parling and the force of nature which is No.8 Thomas Waldrom all have impeccable international credentials, and it is part of Baxter’s achievement at Sandy Lane that he has assembled such an experienced spine to his pack. So, the Chiefs don’t lack ability and have always been renowned for character, but following the defeat to Clermont there will be lingering doubts about the side’s resilience against top-flight opposition, and Ulster must prove that it falls into that latter category tonight in front of another huge crowd at Kingspan Stadium. Kiss will certainly hope that he can select a match day squad to put those vital first ‘scores on the doors’ in the Champions Cup, and he’s always insisted that to mount serious assaults on the league and Cup a large and fit squad is essential. Injury updates from HQ fall regularly into the inbox, but slowly but surely players are returning. Charles Piutau, that exceptional recruit this season, is involved tonight, and Tommy Bowe has played on two successive weekends and will be anxious to force his way into the starting line-up. Jared Payne has been the epitome of calm and intelligence wherever he’s played in recent weeks, and his ability to spot space and run attacking lines will be a real concern for Exeter, while the three- quarter line will hopefully have a more settled look after the recent ‘knocks’ to Darren Cave, Stuart McCloskey, Stuart Olding and Luke Marshall. Key to Ulster’s good start to the season has been the regular presence of Ruan Pienaar at scrum-half, and though he suffered an injury in Bordeaux he’ll hopefully be fit to provide that unique array of rugby gifts which will be sorely missed in the white jersey when he reluctantly takes his leave next summer.

His partnership with Jackson has matured into one of the best half-back pairings in the game and he’ll be very keen to light a fuse to his team’s ambitions in Europe. It’s a truism but all games are decided up front, so with a contingent which includes Rory Best, Rodney Ah You, Franco van der Merwe, Sean Reidy and the indefatigable Iain Henderson a solid core is ready to meet the Chiefs’ familiar energy with composure and steely determination in the set piece. The coaches will demand that the number of unforced errors which have lately scarred performances against Connacht and Bordeaux will be at a premium, for confidence flows when the stream of mistakes is stemmed. At its best Ulster is the most attractive and unremitting of attacking units, with the forwards and backs this year often combining in thrilling waves of passing and support which have had the fans consistently on their toes. Doak, Allen Clarke, Joe Barakat and Kiss will emphasis, properly, that players and supporters need to show patience, particularly in the early stages of this evening’s game, but once a rhythm has been established, and an authority up front exercised, then Ulster’s chances of showing off its attacking flair – and demonstrating its increasingly impressive defence – will grow. The firepower of Gilroy, Trimble, Piutau, Pienaar, Bowe, the creative thrust of Payne, Luke Marshall and the highly-talented bench, would test any opposition, and after the disappointment of last weekend in France players and supporters will have one aim: to throw down a gauntlet to the other sides in the competition and start afresh in Europe. Realistically Ulster must thread its way through the pool stages aiming for a win in every game, and intent on maximising its try-count and conceding little. A win was within touching distance last Sunday, and there will have been regrets and some fierce self-criticism of how it was squandered, and how even a losing bonus point was discarded carelessly. But tonight the home dressing room chat won’t be about what might have been, but what will and can be achieved against an Exeter side with an excellent squad and a young coach who will be acutely aware of the threats posed by every part of the Ulster fifteen. A ‘must win’, yes, and the home team needs and will get the support from the Kingspan terraces and stands it needs and deserves to kick start the Champions Cup journey this season and return to consistently attractive and entertaining winning ways.

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HALF TIME RUGBY

Welcome and good luck to the Centra Half Time mini rugby teams from...

FAMILY END

CENTRA HALF TIME RUGBY

CITY OF DERRY RFC CLUB COLOURS Green and black COACHES Bob McKillop

PORTADOWN RFC CLUB COLOURS Royal blue and white

TEAM Andrew Mulholland Adam Killeen Ben Biernat Christopher Boyd Finn Curtis

TEAM Mike Flack Eoin McKeown Mitch McClelland Jacob Toal Finley Nesbitt Glen Montgomery Ben Mitchell James Anderson David Collins Jack McMurray Dylan Park Thompson Owen

COACHES Clive Anderson David Thompson Barry Gribben

Paul Curtis Yan Biernat

James Gamble James McKillop Ryan Norris Charlie Mullan Charlie Quigley

Fechin Kelly Molly Boyd

MEMORIAL END

BALLYMONEY RFC CLUB COLOURS Blue and navy blue

BALLYSHANNON RFC CLUB COLOURS Navy blue COACHES Simon Foster TEAM Gerry Warren Alex Anderson Shane Delahunty

TEAM Tristan Phillips Billy Boyd Brogan Bennett Luke Stewart Jamie Watson Zac Taggart Clark Logan Bryn Thompson Finn McCotter Jordan McAuley Patrick Cramsie Toby McAuley

COACHES Lauren Stewart Jason Taggart Alan Thompson

Richard O’Loughlin

Mark Fisher Troy Killalea Noah Love Joe McGloin

Jamie Anderson Conor McCauley Oisin McGlinchey Levi Love Oisin Gregg

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NEW STORE - NOW OPEN Victoria Square, Belfast ț --"/ /,2+! "0&!" ,01 ,ƛ""Ȝ

MEET THE PLAYERS

1000 HAVE JOINED URSC THIS SEASON... DON’T GET LEFT BEHIND! URSC Membership for the 2016/17 season is NOW OPEN through the URSC shop via PayPal. To renew or join for the first time and thus maximise your benefits for the season, go to membership.ursc.co Please note , we have rebuilt the membership form and are using a completely new IT system, which we urge members to register as ‘new records’ rather than renewing. Your previous data captured with us has not been shared. If you have any problems or questions, please contact membership@ursc.co.uk WELCOME TO ALL EXETER CHIEFS FANS Particularly Mike Selley and his fellow Chiefs supporters club members and especially the Exeter cyclists – well done – brilliant effort. We look forward to seeing you all again in January. URSC MEMBERSHIP 2016/17

The next Meet the Players evening will be held on: Monday 24th October at 7.30pm in the H3 Lounge at Kingspan Stadium and will be a European Review & Autumn International Preview. Players in attendance will be ‘The Panel’ (subject to confirmation, injuries etc):

SUPPORTERS CLUB NEWS

> Darren Cave > Louis Ludik > Kyle McCall > Marcell Coetzee > Paul Marshall

Ballot tickets (including Big Ballot) will be on sale on the night for some terrific prizes (more info nearer the time). The event is FREE to URSC members and children or those joining on the night. There will be a charge of £5 for non-members.

IRELAND AUTUMN INTERNATIONALS

The draw has been made for the right to purchase tickets for the Ireland Autumn Internationals at The Aviva. This season’s Autumn Internationals and URSC’s ticket prices (Category 1 Tickets) are: Canada £25; New Zealand £70; Australia £65 If you have been successful in this season’s draw, a committee member will be in touch with you shortly to make appropriate arrangements. Please regularly check the email address that you supplied to URSC. N.B. the first named person out of the draw for each match wins 2 FREE tickets to that match. Congratulations to Ken McCaw, Tom Wightman and Ivan Gillespie. All others drawn have the right to purchase 2 tickets for that match. Should those drawn opt not to take up their option to purchase, URSC will announce in due course how any remaining tickets can be purchased by other members.

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