Ulster Rugby v Glasgow Warriors

OFFICIAL MATCH DAY PROGRAMME £3 ULSTER SAT 7 SEP, 1.30PM KINGSPAN STADIUM vGLASGOWWARRIORS

Welcome back to Kingspan Stadium, the home of Ulster Rugby, where today the Ulster squad welcome Glasgow Warriors for the first of their pre-season friendly matches. Ulster will look to put their best foot forward kicking off the new season and are sure to provide a tough test for the visitors. Following marked progression under Head Coach Dan McFarland last season, this youthful Ulster side will look to scale greater heights this season starting with a good performance against today’s opposition. Glasgow Warriors will be disappointed following their narrow defeat to Leinster in the Guinness PRO14 final last year and will undoubtedly be looking to set down a marker themselves this afternoon. With a number of Ulster men away on international duty, this fixture provides some of the squad’s rising stars an opportunity to stake their claim for involvement when the season heats up later this month. The Kingspan Stadium crowd is sure to provide a warm welcome for visiting fans and for the Ulster team after their summer break and pre-season. Finally, on behalf of Kingspan, I would like to wish the Ulster Rugby squad and management team the very best of luck. To Ulster’s committed fans, enjoy the game, lead the way and help ensure that this is an afternoon to remember at Kingspan Stadium.

ISSUE INTHIS

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PRESIDENT’S WELCOME

3 5 6 9

TODAY'S MASCOTS

INTERVIEW: MATT FADDES

CELTIC CUP UPDATE

NEW ARRIVALS

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ULSTER WOMEN & U18 GIRLS ROUND-UP ACADEMY SQUAD

13 15 16

ULSTER SQUAD PROFILES

ULSTER TEAM

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GLASGOWWARRIORS TEAM GLASGOWWARRIORS SQUAD PROFILES INTERVIEW: BILLY BURNS GUEST ARTICLE: ROD NAWN

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URSC UPDATE

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AGE GRADE ROUND-UP STADIUM INFORMATION

FIXTURES

SPONSORS AND PARTNERS

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PRESIDENT'S WELCOME

On the occasion of my first match as President of the IRFU Ulster Branch, I would like to take the opportunity to note the pride and honour, both personally and for my home club, Dungannon RFC, to have been elected to this position. It has been a long pre-season and I, like every Ulster supporter, am looking forward to what will hopefully be a successful season, building on the great foundations laid down last year by Dan and the squad. We welcome our new players and their families to Kingspan Stadium and hope that their time in Ulster will be enjoyable and rewarding. The season is starting later than normal due to the preparations for the forthcoming Rugby World Cup. I wish Rory, Iain, Jacob, and the rest of the Ireland squad a successful campaign. It would be great to see Rory and the Ulster members of the squad parading the Webb Ellis trophy around Kingspan Stadium on a future Friday evening. Unfortunately, the Ulster presence in the World Cup is somewhat fewer than what any Ulster supporter would have liked. On this occasion, I see the reduced Ulster player inclusion as one of Ireland’s loss and Ulster’s gain. The majority of our representative teams have been in action in recent weeks. At the time of writing, the young Ulster A team have taken maximum points from their opening two Celtic Cup teams with excellent wins over Scarlets and Cardi‰. Hopefully, by the time you are reading this, they will have improved their standing again after last night’s Round 3 fixture against Connacht Eagles. The Ulster U18 Clubs, Danske Bank U18 Schools and U19s have all completed their inter-provincial campaigns, during which they represented the Province with distinction. The Ulster Women and U18 Girls squads, sponsored by Deloitte, both have inter-provincial semi-finals to look forward to at St. Mary’s College, Dublin, next Saturday. We wish them every success. On the domestic front, the Ulster club league competitions have kicked o‰ and I wish all clubs a successful and enjoyable season. To the travelling Glasgow team, management, o”cials and supporters, we hope you enjoy your visit to Belfast and we look forward to the return trip to Scotstoun next weekend. To the Ulster supporters, I look forward to hearing you get behind the team today and for the rest of what will hopefully be another successful season. SUFTUM! Gary Leslie President, IRFU Ulster Branch On behalf of Ulster Rugby, I would like to welcome everyone to Kingspan Stadium for this afternoon’s pre-season friendly versus fellow Guinness PRO14 side Glasgow Warriors.

IRFU ULSTER BRANCH 2019/20 OFFICERS Gary Leslie President Philip Gregg Senior Vice President Denis Gardiner Junior Vice President & Honorary Secretary Michael Boyd Honorary Treasurer Greg Irwin Competitions Secretary Jonny Petrie Chief Executive O¡cer

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

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TODAY'S MASCOTS

DAVID STEELE (11) David attends Bocombra Primary School and plays rugby for Portadown Panthers. David has four Spaniels and loves spending time with them, being outdoors and arts and crafts. David is a massive Ulster fan and his favourite player of all time is Rory Best.

ANNA TURNER (7) Anna attends Waringstown Primary School. Anna loves cycling, swimming, playing in the garden and trying to find bugs and animals. Her favourite player is Jacob Stockdale and when she grows up she would like to be a doctor.

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MATT

Normally on a day like today, most southern hemisphere arrivals are eagerly anticipating their first glimpse of Kingspan Stadium on a matchday. FADDES

The early indications are that he's made a wise choice and he has been enjoying his new environment, even if a particularly damp summer has taken some getting used to. "It's cool," he says. "It's an awesome environment. It's a great bunch of guys and the support sta‰ are awesome. "(The style) is what attracted me to Ulster, it's a side that likes to use the ball. Coming from the southern hemisphere, or at least playing with a roof on your home stadium in Dunedin, it's a brand we're used to. It's nice to come in and do similar stu‰." Having most recently been turning out for Otago in the Mitre 10 Cup, a campaign that started all the way back in the winter with Highlanders' pre-season has already been a long one, but Faddes still can't wait to get out there today. "The body is pretty fresh which is quite nice," he says. "Going from December last year into what will hopefully be June next year, it's a fair old chunk of footie. I suppose

Not so Matt Faddes, who was a member of the Barbarians team that took on Fiji here in November 2016. The place obviously made an impression on the 27-year-old who this summer made the switch from the Highlanders in Super Rugby to Ulster. "It's time for a fresh start, a new challenge," he says. "When we had the opportunity to come here for a few days in 2016, we just really enjoyed the feel of it. When we played here there was sideways rain but the crowd was still out in force. It obviously doesn't scare the supporters anyway so that's pretty cool. It's a similar feel to home, a community- based side. "We to-ed and fro-ed a bit and then we came to an agreement around Christmas time last year and we decided to make the move. It's pretty exciting."

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it's when you have the day o‰ you have to go and take your mind o‰ it. "That's always been a big benefit for me back home so it's just finding something here to do that. "It's obviously a pretty long pre- season. We've only done a few weeks here ourselves but you get the sense that everyone is keen to get out on the field. It's a bit of a di‰erent situation for us, coming straight from a season but I know Sam (Carter) and I are pretty keen to get out there and play a bit, especially when it's a hard deck. "There's been a lot of learning, coming into a new environment and with a lot of new ideas, so it's going out and putting them into place that makes things a bit more comfortable." On the subject of comfort, Faddes can play right across the backline. His versatility sure to be an asset to Dan McFarland. "Going through high school, I played a bit of 10, wing, 13 and you pick up those di‰erent skills and cues," he says. "Whenever I came onto the Otago scene, I was all over the show as well. It's something you get used to. "I prefer the midfield but I really enjoy wing and full-back as well. Any game I can be involved in is good for me."

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New season, new team on and off the pitch Openreach is proud to join Ulster Rugby

To find out what broadband speed is available in your area visit www.openreach.co.uk/ni

ULSTERA ULSTERAMAKESTRONG STARTTOCELTICCUPCAMPAIGN

Centre Hayden Hyde cut open the Cardi‰ defence on 55 minutes and combined with Doak to send fullback Conor Rankin clear for a third score. Houston again added the extras to extend the home advantage to 25-5. The bonus point was sealed on 70 minutes when Hyde crossed the whitewash after good work by captain McCann and Houston, who converted. Cardi‰ got a late consolation try to put a small blot on the copy book. Last night, Ulster A hosted Connacht Eagles at Ballymena RFC, the result of which was not known at the time of going to print. The squad now has four remaining games coming up over consecutive weekends. In a change to the 2019 structure, this year’s Celtic Cup is a straight league format with the top two ranked sides advancing to the final.

The Ulster A squad, under the tutelage of coaches Kieran Campbell and Willie Anderson, made a dream start to this season’s Celtic Cup, picking up a maximum of 10 points from the opening two rounds. They began the competition with a dramatic last-gasp victory over Scarlets a fortnight ago at a sun-kissed Llandovery RFC, Peter Cooper touching down in the 83rd minute to clinch all five points. Abbey Insurance Academy flyhalf Bruce Houston opened the scoring with a well-struck penalty before adding a further two. Azur Allison scored Ulster’s only try of the first half, converted by Houston, to keep the side within touching distance of the powerful Welsh outfit, who led 21-16 at the break. Ulster emerged strongly after the interval as prop Callum Reid scored a converted try, before flanker David McCann’s score pushed his side one point ahead (29-30). The game swung back in the hosts’ favour with a late penalty, but the young Ulster men fought right to the end, going through 25 phases before Cooper touched down for the winning score. Kieran Campbell’s side backed that up with an emphatic 32-5 win against Cardi‰ Blues at Malone RFC last Saturday. Ulster dominated territory and possession during the early stages and were finally rewarded when Houston slotted over a penalty kick. The home side got the game’s opening try soon after, schoolboy scrumhalf Nathan Doak fed centre Ross Adair from a scrum and the Ballynahinch clubman powered over from close range. Houston was unable to convert but added another penalty minutes later for a convincing 11-0 half time lead. Ulster struck with their second try five minutes after the restart as Azur Allison barged over following a number of well-worked phases. Houston added the conversion.

ULSTER A’S CELTIC CUP 2019 FIXTURES: Scarlets 32 Ulster A 35 Saturda y 24th August, 2.30pm at Llandovery RFC Ulster A 32 Cardi‹ Blues 5 Saturday 31st August, 7.30pm at Malone RFC Ulster A v Connacht Friday 6th September, 4.00pm at Ballymena RFC Leinster v Ulster A Saturday 14th September, 3.00pm at Energia Park, Donnybrook Dragons v Ulster A Saturday 21st September, 2.30pm at Venue TBC Ulster A v Ospreys Friday 27th September, 5.00pm at Malone RFC Ulster A v Munster Friday 4th October, 5.00pm

at Shaw’s Bridge Celtic Cup Final Saturday 12th October

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NEW ARRIVALS

JACKMcGRATH

SAMCARTER

MATTFADDES

DOB: 11.10.1989 Birthplace: Dublin

DOB: 10.09.1989 Birthplace: Quirindi, Australia Height: 201cm Weight: 116kg Position: Second Row International: Australia (16 caps) Twitter: @Sam_Carts Instagram: @carter4515 Moves from: Plus500 Brumbies

DOB: 06.11.1991 Birthplace: Balclutha, New Zealand

Height: 185cm Weight: 118kg Position: Prop International: Ireland (56 caps) Twitter: @jackmc100 Instagram: @mcgrath_jack_ Moves from: Leinster Rugby

Height: 185cm Weight: 94kg

Position: Utility Back Twitter: @MattFaddes Instagram: @mattfaddes Moves from: Highlanders

GARETHMILASINOVICH

BILL JOHNSTON

DAVIDO’CONNOR

DOB: 15.12.1992 Birthplace: Johannesburg

DOB: 07.02.1997 Birthplace: Clonmel, Co Tipperary

DOB: : 19.05.1995 Birthplace: Dublin Height: 193cm Weight: 110kg

Height: 191cm Weight: 132kg Position: Prop Twitter: @G_Mils15

Height: 1.80m Weight: 87kg Position: Flyhalf

Position: Second Row / Back Row Instagram: @davidoconnor_95 Moves from: Lansdowne RFC

Instagram: @bill_johnstonn Moves from: Munster Rugby

Instagram: @gareth_milasinovich Moves from: Worcester Warriors

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Standout Paving for Outstanding Homes

Paving &Walling

tobermore.co.uk

ULSTERWOMEN&U18GIRLS INTER-PROSERIES ROUND-UP The Ulster Women’s and U18 Girls teams, sponsored by Deloitte, will both be in action next weekend in the semi-finals of their respective Inter-provincial Series campaigns . Following the opening three rounds of competition, where they faced each of their Inter-provincial counterparts, the teams have been seeded and placed into semi-final pairings. The Ulster Women will take on reigning champions Leinster in their semi-final, while the Ulster U18 Girls will be aiming to repeat their victory over Connacht from last weekend when they meet again with a place in the final at stake.

ULSTER U18 GIRLS & ULSTER WOMEN’S INTERPROVINCIAL SERIES FIXTURES 2019 ROUND 1 SATURDAY 17TH AUGUST at Irish Independent Park, Cork: Munster U18 Girls 12-17 Ulster U18 Girls Munster Women 38-12 Ulster Women ROUND 2 SATURDAY 24TH AUGUST at City of Armagh RFC Ulster U18 Girls 20-38 Leinster U18 Girls Ulster Women 5-24 Leinster Women ROUND 3 SATURDAY 31ST AUGUST at Queen’s Sport Ulster U18 Girls 19-12 Connacht U18 Girls Ulster Women 19-20 Connacht Women SEMI-FINALS DAY SATURDAY 14TH SEPTEMBER at St. Mary’s College RFC, Dublin 12.00pm: Ulster U18 Girls v Connacht 3.45pm: Leinster Women v Ulster Women FINALS DAY SATURDAY 21ST SEPTEMBER at MU Barnhall RFC, County Kildare

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abbeyinsurance.co.uk Abbey InsuranceBrokersLimited isauthorisedandregulatedbytheFinancialConductAuthority

2019/20 ACADEMYSQUAD

MATTHEW AGNEW

AZUR ALLISON

GRAHAM CURTIS

MATTHEW DALTON

Year 2 Back Row 20.11.98 180cm 89kg

Year 2 Back Row 19.04.99 192cm 95kg

Year 2 Scrum Half 12.09.99 176cm 84kg

Year 3 Lock 16.11.98 197cm 105kg

JOE DUNLEAVY

AARON HALL

BRUCE HOUSTON

IWAN HUGHES

Year 3 Back Row 22.12.98 190cm 101kg

Year 4 Back Row 26.06.98 193cm 98kg

Year 2 Fly Half 16.08.99 192cm 84kg

Year 2 Back Three 06.04.99 174cm 79kg

HAYDEN HYDE

DAVID McCANN

STEWART MOORE

CONOR RANKIN

Year 1 Centre 15.09.00

Year 2 Back Row 13.06.00

Year 2 Centre 08.08.99 183cm 91kg

Year 1 Back Three 27.05.01 186cm 83kg

191cm 101kg

191cm 103kg

JACK REGAN

CALLUM REID

AARON SEXTON

TOM STEWART

Year 3 Lock 09.05.97

Year 1 Prop 06.01.99 183cm 111kg

Year 1 Back Three 24.08.00 188cm 88kg

Year 1 Hooker 11.01.01 182cm 97kg

197cm 108kg

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2019/20 ULSTERSQUAD

Head Coach Dan McFarland Assistant Coach Dwayne Peel Forwards Coach Roddy Grant Defence Coach Jared Payne Skills Coach Dan Soper Operations Director Bryn Cunningham

WILL ADDISON

JOHN ANDREW

ROBERT BALOUCOUNE

BILLY BURNS

Utility Back 20.08.1992 186cm 93kg 11 IRE 4

Hooker 26.05.1993

Wing 19.08.1997 193cm 90kg

Fly Half 13.06.1994 185cm 86kg 24 —

181cm 104kg 56 —

13 —

SAM CARTER

MARCELL COETZEE

JOHN COONEY

ANGUS CURTIS

Lock 10.09.1989 200cm 116kg — AUS 16

Back Row 08.05.1991 192cm 114kg 28 SA 30

Scrum Half 01.05.1990 178cm 87kg 45 IRE 8

Centre 26.03.1998 178cm 92kg 7 —

MATT FADDES

CRAIG GILROY

IAIN HENDERSON

ROB HERRING

Centre/Wing 06.11.1991 185cm 93kg

Wing 11.03.1991 183cm 92kg 168 IRE 10

Lock 21.02.1992 199cm 117kg 105 IRE 47

Hooker 27.04.1990 184cm 107kg 166 IRE 8

— —

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JAMES HUME

BILL JOHNSTON

GREG JONES

ROSS KANE

Centre 07.09.1998

Fly Half 07.02.1997 180cm 87kg

Back Row 13.01.1996

Prop 14.10.1994 180cm 118kg 39 —

187cm 98.1kg 11 —

196cm 105kg 11 —

— —

ANGUS KERNOHAN

MICHAEL LOWRY

LOUIS LUDIK

ROB LYTTLE

Wing 02.03.1999 181cm 93kg 18 —

Fly Half 20.08.1998

Full Back 08.10.1986 182cm 90kg 92 —

Wing 28.01.1997 175cm 85kg 23 —

171cm 75.1kg

17 —

LUKE MARSHALL

ADAM McBURNEY

KYLE McCALL

ZACK McCALL

Centre 03.03.1991 181cm 97kg 124 IRE 11

Hooker 05.09.1996

Prop 02.01.1992 176cm 111kg 52 —

Hooker 10.02.1995

182cm 102kg

180cm 100kg

13 —

— —

STUART McCLOSKEY

JACK McGRATH

GARETH MILASINOVICH

MARTY MOORE

Centre 06.08.1992 193cm 111kg 108 IRE 3

Prop 11.10.1989 185cm 118kg — IRE 56

Prop 15.12.1992

Prop 01.03.1991 178cm 121kg 20 IRE 10

191cm 132kg

— —

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JORDI MURPHY

ALAN O’CONNOR

DAVID O’CONNOR

TOMMY TO O’HAGAN

Back Row 22.04.1991

Lock 10.09l1992 196cm 114kg 88 —

Lock 19.05.1995 194cm 110kg

Prop 05.10.1993

188cm 105kg 18 IRE 29

182cm 120kg 2 —

— —

ERIC O’SULLIVAN

TOM O’TOOLE

MARCUS REA

MATTHEW REA

Prop 30.11.1995 185cm 115kg 26 —

Prop 23.09.1998

Back Row 08.09.1997

Back Row 21.09.1993 194cm 112kg 27 —

185cm 120kg 23 —

188cm 105kg 1 —

SEAN REIDY

CLIVE ROSS

DAVID SHANAHAN

JONNY STEWART

Back Row 10.05.1989

Back Row 14.06.1989

Scrum Half 20.06.1993 174cm 78kg 44 —

Scrum Half 20.02.1998 174cm 77kg

182cm 103kg 105 IRE 2

193cm 109kg

71 —

12 —

JACOB STOCKDALE

NICK TIMONEY

KIERAN TREADWELL

ANDREW WARWICK

Wing 03.04.1996

Back Row 01.08.1995 189cm 111kg 50 —

Lock 06.11.1995 198cm 118kg 72 IRE 3

Prop 12.03.1991 179cm 113kg 120 —

191cm 103kg 55 IRE 21

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1

TEAM

KYLE McCALL

ULSTERTEAM

2 3 4 5 6 7 8

ADAM McBURNEY

15 14 13 12 11 10

MICHAEL LOWRY

ROSS KANE

CRAIG GILROY

ALAN O’CONNOR

MATT FADDES

DAVID O’CONNOR

JAMES HUME

CLIVE ROSS

ANGUS KERNOHAN

MARCUS REA

BILLY BURNS (C)

GREG JONES

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JONNY STEWART

REPLACEMENTS J ANDREW E O’SULLIVAN

TODAY’S OFFICIALS REFEREE ROBERT O’SULLIVAN ASSISTANT REFEREES

N TIMONEY D SHANAHAN J COONEY A CURTIS L MARSHALL G CURTIS E McILROY

T O’TOOLE S CARTER K TREADWELL M REA S REIDY

CHRIS BUSBY MARK PATTON

*TEAMS NOT CONFIRMED AT TIME OF PRINT

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GLASGOWWARRIORS TEAM

JAMIEDOBIE BRANDONTHOMSON ROSSTHOMPSON RATUTAGIVE ROBBIENAIRN LEEJONES RORYHUGHES KYLEROWE MAXMCFARLAND ALECCOOMBES STAFFORDMCDOWALL KYLESTEYN PADDYKELLY ROBBIEFERGUSSON NICKGRIGG GLENNBRYCE OLLIESMITH RUARIDHJACKSON

OLI KEBBLE CHARLIECAPPS

ALEXALLAN ADAMNICOL D'ARCYRAE

GEORGETHORNTON ANDREWDAVIDSON TIMSWINSON KIRANMCDONALD MARSHALLSYKES ROBHARLEY MATTSMITH TOMGORDON CHRISFUSARO CALLUMGIBBINS ADAMASHE BRUCEFLOCKHART NICKFRISBY SEANKENNEDY

*TEAMS NOT CONFIRMED AT TIME OF PRINT

2019/20 GLASGOWWARRIORS Head Coach Dave Rennie Assistant Coach John Dalziel

Assistant Coach Petrus Du Plessis Assistant Coach Jason O'Halloran Assistant Coach Kenny Murray

ALEX ALLAN

ADAM ASHE

FRASER BROWN

SCOTT CUMMINGS

Prop 29.02.1992 6ft 2in 118kg

Back Row 24.07.1993 6ft 4in 110kg

Hooker 20.06.1989 6ft 113kg

Lock 03.12.1996 6ft 6in 115kg

ANDREW DAVIDSON

PETRUS DUPLESSIS

MATT FAGERSON

ZANDER FAGERSON

Lock 07.11.1996 6ft 7in 115kg

Prop 31.05.1981

Back Row 16.07.1998 6ft 1in 98kg

Prop 19.01.1996 6ft 2in 126kg

6ft 1in 122kg

BRUCE FLOCKHART

NICK FRISBY

CHRIS FUSARO

CALLUM GIBBINS

Scrum-half 29.10.1992 6ft 2in 84kg

Back Row 21.07.1989 5ft 11in 94kg

Back Row 14.09.1988

Lock 23.08.1997 6ft 4in 103kg

6ft 1in 102kg

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TOM GORDON

JONNY GRAY

NICK GRIGG

SIOSIUA HALANUKONUKA

Back Row 30.01.1997 5ft 9in 93kg

Lock 14.03.1994 6ft 6in 120kg

Centre 18.09.92 5ft 9in 89kg

Prop 09.08.1986

6ft 1in 120kg

ROB HARLEY

ADAM HASTINGS

GEORGE HORNE

PETE HORNE

Back Row 26.05.1990 6ft 6in 110kg

Fly-half 05.10.1996 6ft 1in 87kg

Scrum-half 12.05.1995 5ft 9in 79kg

Fly-half 05.10.1989 6ft 92kg

RORY HUGHES

RUARIDH JACKSON

SAM JOHNSON

HUW JONES

Wing 04.03.1993 6ft 2in 103kg

Fly-half 12.02.1988 6ft 1in 88kg

Centre 19.06.1993 6ft 1in 95kg

Centre 17.12.1993

6ft 1in 102kg

LEE JONES

OLI KEBBLE

PADDY KELLY

SEAN KENNEDY

Wing 28.06.1988 5ft 11in 93kg

Prop 18.06.1992 6ft 3in 124kg

Centre 18.10.1995 6ft 1in 96kg

Scrum-half 24.04.1991 5ft 10in 80kg

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NIKO MATAWALU

KIRAN McDONALD

ROBBIE NAIRN

ADAM NICOL

Wing 08.03.1989 5ft 10in 85kg

Lock 11.01.1994

Wing 18.02.1997 6ft 3in 101kg

Prop 02.07.1997 6ft 1in 110kg

6ft 8in 109kg

ALI PRICE

D’ARCY RAE

TOMMY SEYMOUR

MATT SMITH

Scrum-half 12.05.1993 5ft 10in 88kg

Prop 21.12.1994

Wing 01.07.1988 6ft 93kg

Back Row 05.10.1996 6ft 1in 101kg

6ft 1in 125kg

GRANT STEWART

KYLE STEYN

TIM SWINSON

RATU TAGIVE

Hooker 28.02.1995

Centre 21.01.1994 6ft 102kg

Lock 17.02.1987 6ft 4in 112kg

Wing 08.04.1991

6ft 1in 109kg

6ft 3in 100kg

BRANDON THOMSON

GEORGE TURNER

DTH VANDERMERWE

RYAN WILSON

Fly-half 07.03.1995 6ft 1in 92kg

Hooker 08.10.1992 5ft 11in 105kg

Wing 28.04.1986 6ft 98kg

Back Row 18.05.1989

6ft 3in 106kg

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BILLY

When Billy Burns arrived in the middle of last pre-season, he was still getting to know his team-mates by the time the PRO14 kicked off. BURNS

"That is something I can carry on learning going forward, but as a whole I was pretty happy with how it went last year. I know there is room for growth and there are a number of things I am going to work on this season to become the more complete player I guess. It is so tough to make a gauge on how you did in pre-season, but I think the great thing last year was we saw progression as we went on, which was great. "I think it did not help with Dan coming in so late and myself coming in late as well, but ultimately we have now had a block of 12 weeks where we have had time to really focus on what we are trying to achieve and what we are trying to do in certain areas of the pitch and we have had a few players who have been brought in to help us along with that who suit that style of rugby as well which is going to help." Despite having racked up a considerable tally of games with Ulster and Gloucester, Burns is still just 25. Having worked with David Humphreys at Kingsholm and now Dwayne Peel with Ulster, he has had some fine mentors in half-back play to preach the balance between adventure and pragmatism.

The whole squad, meanwhile, were getting to know new Head Coach Dan McFarland whose first day at Kingspan Stadium came even later in the summer. It was no surprise therefore that the Province were a team that seemed to grow throughout the year, really hitting their straps just prior to Christmas. Boasting much more familiarity with each other this time around, Burns expects to see the attacking game really take flight in 2019/20. "It is probably too long a list to sit here and talk about," he says about what he learnt in his first season in Irish Rugby. "I think for me I have always been a player who likes to play with the ball in hand, and it comes with experience and playing in big games I guess, but just being able to manage the team around me and obviously I have learned a lot from the coaches and other players. "I still feel there is plenty of growth for me in that area, but also I realise how big a 10’s influence on a game is and how if you are given that 10 jersey, it is your job to run the attacking side of things.

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"We want to be a team that excites people, we want to play with that attacking mindset and stretch teams and stress them, but there is also just having that balance of when the right time to pull the trigger is and when not. Probably in a couple of the bigger games last year we probably did not quite get that balance and sometimes we overplayed our hand, sometimes we did not play enough. A lot of that does fall on your 9’s and 10’s because you are in control of field position and that sort of thing. "The more you are in those games the more situations you learn from and what to do in those situations. "I think the key thing is making sure that week on week you are really hard on how you review those games and putting yourselves in those positions as close as you can in training and that will hopefully put you in a good position so that when you are under pressure on a Friday night here are Kingspan or wherever it may be, you can relate to that muscle memory again from those experiences you have had. "We have got quite a young group of fly-halves here in Bill Johnston and Mike Lowry, but if we can all help each other out and learn from those experiences then we are better for it in the future."

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ROD NAWN

Kingspan Stadium’s turnstiles have swung open this lunchtime, an early September outing for players, coaches and fans alike in this fascinating rugby autumn. ULSTERPREPARED TO IMPRESS

Both have sought to strengthen their playing resources in all positions and at all levels, with special emphasis on recruitment to the respective Academies and development of the key ‘A’ teams. Some of those with whom fans will perhaps be less familiar will certainly get the opportunity over the next week, and in the early weeks of PRO14 competition, to test themselves further up the professional ladder. Warriors’ Head Coach, Kiwi Dave Rennie, embarks on his third full season in charge, while his counterpart, McFarland, is at the helm for a second campaign, and - perhaps significantly – following a first complete pre- season with a playing and coaching group he can truly call his own. Both men know each other and the Warriors well, as before his stint with Scotland as Assistant Coach, McFarland was considered a hugely influential part of Gregor Townsend’s successful coaching set- up at Glasgow. Ulster’s management is now settled and impressive, and the addition of Roddy Grant as Forwards Coach will bring long-term benefits and, this afternoon, many in the Warriors colours will know his calibre at first hand from his distinguished career in Scotland. Over the next week, in the games with Glasgow here and at Scotstoun, and very certainly on the training ground each day, the preparation for the start of competitive

Later this afternoon in Dublin against Wales a few – perhaps too few - of Ulster’s finest will hope to demonstrate why Joe Schmidt has decided they should spend the next seven weeks furthering Ireland’s World Cup challenge in Japan. Captain Rory Best, Ulster’s new skipper Iain Henderson and the prolific Jacob Stockdale have secured their places on the ‘plane to the Far East. That Rob Herring, John Cooney, Jordi Murphy, Jack McGrath and Will Addison did not join them has provoked some understandable debate. The national side’s progress will focus minds intensely, but there is serious business to be addressed domestically, and if there is a ‘plus’ from that quintet’s exclusion, it is most definitely that they can give Ulster immense heft in the important early months of the PRO14. On the last weekend of this month the Guinness PRO14 will kick o‰ and Ulster will host the Ospreys aiming to set down a ‘marker’ for what Head Coach Dan McFarland will keenly hope will be a season where league and European Champions Cup ambitions will be pursued with a real conviction and with the best prepared and most talented squad in years. Today, Ulster host Glasgow Warriors, a side who harbour no less vigorous hopes.

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action will be the priority. And the contrast with the World Cup of exactly four years ago are happier. Ulster was still awaiting the much-anticipated arrival of Director of Rugby Les Kiss once his duties with Ireland were complete. Neil Doak took the reins at the coaching helm and it is to his credit that he guided Ulster to an impressively positive start to the league season though denied a much larger number on international duty. Ireland’s disappointing 2015 World Cup had its consequences for Ulster on and o‰ the pitch: key players returned injured and several fatigued and unavailable for several weeks, while the coaching panel only genuinely was allowed to find its feet under an energetic but very di‰erent figure in the shape of Kiss. So McFarland’s authoritative stamp of the last 13 months is embossed with a unity of purpose and a collective determination amongst Bryn Cunningham, Dwayne Peel, Grant, Dan Soper, Jared Payne and Niall Malone to fulfil the potential of the playing group with which they’ve worked so intensely this summer. This afternoon it is possible that the ‘young bloods’ who impressed last year will feature prominently, and Michael Lowry, Angus Curtis, Angus Kernohan, Marcus and Matty Rea, Nick Timoney, Greg Jones, Tom O’Toole, Robert Baloucoune and James Hume are just a random few who’ll want to copper-fasten the high opinions they earned last season with fans and coaches alike. Matt Faddes, Sam Carter and Bill Johnston are amongst those who have arrived to deepen the pool of already proven talent, and McGrath and Gareth Milasinovic strengthen the choices at prop forward. Familiar but recently absent players will probably welcome a new campaign with particular relish, and hopefully Craig Gilroy’s patient, season-long rehabilitation will be rewarded with a return to top form and representative rugby. He’s one of the crowd favourites who’d adorn any squad.

Glasgow Warriors will provide a suitably physical and free-running challenge over the next two games, tests which will have Ulster battle-hardened and comparatively unburdened by ‘ring rust’ when the Kingspan roars its welcome to the Ospreys on Friday, 27 September. All new campaigns generate optimism, expectation and the occasional dream, the job the players and coaches have taken on is to minimise the threats to realising those ambitions. Neither side will be thinking of ‘holding the line’ until the World Cup contingents return, rather each will be looking to shape its best competitive squads for the toughest PRO14 season to date, and for the increasingly pressurised but glamorous demands of Europe. This week and next will give players wonderful opportunities, the readiness of many to capitalise is almost tangible.

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URSC ULSTERRUGBY

SUPPORTERSCLUB

As usual we aim to have ‘Meet the Players’ events throughout the season and at each of these events there will be ballots held to win rugby shirts and signed memorabilia from around the rugby world. MEET THE PLAYERS Members can enter our draw for the right to buy Ireland home international tickets. We will have 25 pairs of tickets available for each Six Nations match - Wales, Scotland and Italy. Remember the first name out of the hat wins their tickets for free! INTERNATIONAL TICKETS Further information on URSC news and events can be found at www.ursc.co and our twitter page @UlsterRSC. Email enquiries should be sent to info@ursc. co.uk (unless related to email addresses given for specific events such as bus travel, membership and international tickets; these are separate to aid the committee member running the relevant event). It’s also worth noting that there is also a Facebook community closed group, Ulster Rugby Supporters Club, and it is open to both members and non-members. INFORMATION POINT

JOIN UP, JOIN UP

With the Rugby World Cup taking place in Japan, the domestic season starts a little later than usual this season. The new season will also be our first for over a decade without Rory Best, Chris Henry and Darren Cave... however we seem to have recruited well to both the playing and coaching sta‰, and Dan McFarland will have had a full pre-season to prepare his squad. Plenty of reasons, therefore, to be optimistic… so why not join the Ulster Rugby Supporters Club this season? COSTS Membership costs £12, with juniors paying £6. Family membership is £30. MEMBERSHIP PACK All members get a membership pack containing: » A membership card » a 2019/20 members’ badge » a car sticker » and a club bu‰ Prior to Christmas the Club will be selling Big Ballot tickets priced at £5 per book (or £1 per individual ticket). The money raised from the sale of these tickets goes towards funding the annual URSC Jack Kyle Bursary award worth £2,500, won last season by Joe Dunleavy, and providing additional expertise for the players at the Ulster Rugby Academy - with £2,000 donated last season by URSC to Ulster Academy Performance Psychology Programme for Ulster’s youngest and brightest players. Details of the Big Ballot prizes will be publicised over the coming weeks and months - and there are some absolute belters! We are so grateful to local businesses for donating these please support them There will be exclusive competitions for URSC members throughout the season. COMPETITIONS BIG BALLOT

BUSES TO THE INTER-PROS

Our Big Yella buses will be going to: MUNSTER Saturday 9th November LEINSTER Friday 20th December CONNACHT Saturday 25th April Here’s hoping we have better luck than last season!

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ROUND-UP AGE-GRADE

The boys age-grade inter-provincial series drew to a close recently, with varying degrees of success for the Ulster teams. Below is a round-up of the results for each side.

ULSTER U18 CLUBS ROUND 1 Ulster 14-36 Connacht ROUND 2 Munster 24-7 Ulster ROUND 3 Ulster 12-31 Leinster

DANSKE BANK ULSTER U18 SCHOOLS ROUND 1 Ulster 13-34 Leinster ROUND 2 Munster 10-18 Ulster ROUND 3 Ulster 48-10 Irish Qualified Rugby

ULSTER U19 ROUND 1 Leinster 46-24 Ulster ROUND 2 Ulster 13-11 Munster ROUND 3 Ulster 27-28 Connacht

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We are proud that matches at Kingspan Stadium are safe, enjoyable, inclusive experiences for everyone. We have a number of traditions that we believe make our stadium one of the best places in Europe to watch live rugby, and we ask all our supporters to adhere to the following guidelines: » We are passionate in our support of the Ulster team » We are silent during kicks at goal by both teams » We respect the match o”cials’ decisions » We drink responsibly » We are mindful of our language, especially when there are children and young people near us » We do not tolerate any form of abusive or discriminatory language » We respect the opposition players, supporters, management and o”cials NO SMOKING POLICY Smoking is not permitted within the stadium bowl or any building or structure. This restriction also applies to electronic cigarettes. The permitted smoking areas are at the open spaces to the rear of the Grandstand, Premium Stand, Memorial End Stand and in the Fan Zone. ULSTER RUGBY RESPECT POLICY STADIUM INFORMATION We would like to remind all fans that entry onto the pitch before, during or after the match is now illegal. The pitch, as with other areas of the ground, is monitored by CCTV. MONITORING AND ENFORCEMENT If you are attending a match at Kingspan Stadium and do have an issue, please contact your nearest steward. Alternatively, you can call or text our Respect Hotline on 07790 200200 to report any incidents live. Supporters who choose to ignore this advice and warning, and continue to act in an unacceptable manner, may be removed from the stadium and may be banned from attending in the future. ENTRY ONTO THE PITCH IS STRICTLY FORBIDDEN

Ulster Rugby is appealing to supporters to be mindful of local residents and to avoid parking in the immediate vicinity of Kingspan Stadium grounds on match day. TRANSPORT

PARK & RIDE

Supporters are encouraged to make use of the complimentary Park & Ride facilities on match days located at Pirrie Park on the Ravenhill Road side of the ground, and along Montgomery Road, on the Mount Merrion side of the ground. There is ample parking at both locations and they are just a short distance from the ground. Supporters can either walk or take advantage of the free buses that run to and from the parking areas and the ground from 2 hours prior to kick o‰ until 90 minutes after the final whistle. Please note, the PSNI will close the two main approaches to the ground, Onslow Parade and Mount Merrion Avenue, at peak times of entrance and egress to and from the ground. A free City Centre Shuttle Bus service will operate from Kingspan Stadium to Victoria Square for up to two hours after the final whistle. SHUTTLE BUS It is advised that taxis are pre-ordered for pick-up at a local rank. TAXI

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2019/20 FIXTURES

TICKETS 2019/19 To purchase tickets for any home Ulster fixtures, please visit www.ulsterrugby.com/buytickets or contact the Ulster Rugby Ticket Ožce on 028 9049 3222 (Option 2)

SEPTEMBER 2019 Sat 7 F H

1.30pm 2.30pm 7.35pm

Glasgow Warriors Glasgow Warriors

Kingspan Stadium Scotstoun Stadium Kingspan Stadium

— —

Sat 14 Fri 27

F

A H

PRO14

Ospreys

Premier Sports / eir Sport

OCTOBER 2019 Sat 5 PRO14 A

5.15pm 3.00pm 7.35pm

Toyota Cheetahs

Toyota Stadium

SS / Premier Sports / eir Sport SS / Premier Sports / eir Sport Premier Sports / S4C / eir Sport

Sat 12 Fri 25

PRO14 PRO14

A H

Isuzu Southern Kings

Nelson Mandela Bay Kingspan Stadium

Cardiff Blues

NOVEMBER 2019 Fri 1 PRO14 H

7.35pm 5.15pm 1.00pm 7.45pm 7.35pm

Zebre Rugby Club Munster Rugby

Kingspan Stadium

Premier Sports / eir Sport Premier Sports / eir Sport

Sat 9

PRO14

A A H H

Thomond Park

Sat 16 Fri 22 Fri 29

HCC HCC

Bath Rugby

Recreation Ground Kingspan Stadium Kingspan Stadium

C4 / VM / BT / beIN

ASM Clermont Auvergne

BT / beIN

PRO14

Scarlets

Premier Sports / eir Sport

DECEMBER 2019 Sat 7 HCC H

3.15pm 7.45pm 7.35pm 7.35pm

Harlequins Harlequins

Kingspan Stadium

BT / beIN

Fri 13 Fri 20 Fri 27

HCC

A A H

Stoop Memorial Ground BT / beIN

PRO14 PRO14

Leinster

RDS Arena

Premier Sports / eir Sport Premier Sports / eir Sport

Connacht Rugby

Kingspan Stadium

JANUARY 2020 Fri 3 PRO14 H

7.35pm

Munster Rugby

Kingspan Stadium

Premier Sports / eir Sport

10/11 Sat 18

HCC HCC

A H

TBC

ASM Clermont Auvergne

Stade Marcel Michelin

3.15pm

Bath Rugby

Kingspan Stadium

FEBRUARY 2020 Sat 15 PRO14 A

5.15pm 7.35pm 3.00pm

Ospreys

Liberty Stadium Kingspan Stadium

S4C / Premier Sports / eir Sport

Sat 22 Sat 29

PRO14 PRO14

H A

Toyota Cheetahs Benetton Rugby

Premier Sports / SS

Stadio Monigo

Premier Sports / eir Sport

MARCH 2020 Fri 20 PRO14 H

7.35pm 7.35pm

Dragons

Kingspan Stadium Scotstoun Stadium

Premier Sports

Fri 27

PRO14

A

Glasgow Warriors

Premier Sports / eir Sport

APRIL 2020 Sat 11 PRO14

A H A

7.35pm 7.45pm 7.35pm

Dragons

Rodney Parade

Premier Sports / eir Sport Premier Sports / eir Sport

Sat 18 Sat 25

PRO14 PRO14

Edinburgh Rugby Connacht Rugby

Kingspan Stadium

Sportsground

TG4 / Premier Sports / eir Sport

MAY 2020 Fri 8 PRO14

H A H

7.35pm 3.00pm

Glasgow Warriors Zebre Rugby Club Leinster Rugby

Kingspan Stadium

Premier Sports / eir Sport

Sat 16 29/30

PRO14 PRO14

Stadio Sergio Lanfranchi Premier Sports / It

TBC

Kingspan Stadium

Premier Sports / eir Sport

F Friendly PRO14 Guinness PRO14 HCC Heineken Champions Cup

All kick-o© times UK / Irish time

* All times local

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2019/20 SPONSORS &PARTNERS

THANK YOU Ulster Rugby and the IRFU (Ulster Branch) wish to thank all of our sponsors and partners as well as ground advertisers, programme advertisers and supporters of corporate hospitality for their continued support.

MAIN SPONSOR

OFFICIAL KIT SPONSORS

OFFICIAL SPONSORS

DOMESTICS SPONSORS

OFFICIAL PARTNERS

PUBLISHED BY

DESIGN & PRINT

PHOTOGRAPHY

Ulster Rugby @ Kingspan Stadium 134 Mount Merrion Ave

Belfast BT6 0FT T 028 9049 3222 ulsterrugby.com

T 028 9070 5205 minprint.co.uk

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ULSTER v FRI 27SEP, 7.35PM

UlsterRugby.com/BuyTickets

MOMENTS 2019/20 Season Tickets

UlsterRugby.com /SeasonTickets