Ulster Rugby vs Leinster

LEADING THE FIELD

Good afternoon and welcome to Kingspan Stadium, the home of Ulster Rugby, for the final home game of the 2015/16 season.

Today’s fixture sees Ulster play host to Leinster in a game that could have a significant bearing in both team’s finish to the Guinness PRO12 campaign. I for one am truly excited at the prospect of two heavy-weights of Irish rugby battling it out in Belfast at the business end of the season. The privilege of the Kingspan partnership in the staging of events in these historic grounds is not lost on the people of our business. Certainly the same is said for our pride in the Ulster Rugby supporters who are effectively the engine room of the stadium. The confines of this facility have developed into a fortress for a rising team and we look forward to continuing to enhance your match experience for years to come.

On behalf of Kingspan, I would like to wish the squad and management of Ulster Rugby every success tonight, and for the season ahead.

Pat Freeman Divisional Managing Director

PRESIDENT’S WELCOME

IRFU ULSTER BRANCH OFFICERS Bobby Stewart // President John McKibbin // Senior Vice President Graffin Parke // 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 Les Kiss // Director of Rugby

It gives me great pleasure to welcome everyone here to Kingspan Stadium for this afternoon’s round 21 game in the Guinness PRO12 league against Leinster.

I especially welcome the President of the Leinster Branch of the IRFU, Robert McDermott, together with his officers and the many Leinster supporters who have made the journey to Belfast to support their team this afternoon. You are all very welcome and I hope that you enjoy your time here. Leinster are Ulster’s oldest rivals and were the first side to play against Ulster at Ravenhill when the Provincial side moved here in the 1923/24 season and they were the opposition when the new Kingspan Stadium was officially opened in May 2014. Entering into the last two league games of the regular season, Leinster come to Kingspan Stadium this afternoon as league leaders, with Ulster occupying fourth place. To be sure of retaining their position in fourth, Ulster must secure a win. This will not be easy, as Leinster have so much talent in their side. But I am asking you, our loyal fans, to be the 16th man and make lots of noise and cheer the home team on to victory. Our biggest rivals, Scarlets, are away to Newport Gwent Dragons and Munster play Edinburgh in Cork this weekend. So it makes for an entertaining weekend of rugby. However, regardless of what other teams do, I am sure that Les (Kiss) will have Ulster at the top of their game. On the youth rugby scene, it has been a hectic few weeks with Cup, Plate and Bowl finals all taking place and I congratulate all of the respective winners.

I must pay tribute to Bangor Rugby Football Club who has had an outstanding season. Last Saturday they beat Clonmel from Munster to gain promotion to Division 2C of the Ulster Bank All Ireland League. Their list of successes includes The Millar McCall Wylie Junior Cup, The Powerade Towns Cup, the Ulster Qualifying League Division 1 and the Conference League title. My year as President of the IRFU (Ulster Branch) will come to an end in a few weeks’ time and I would like to thank you, the loyal fans, for your fantastic support, both at home here in Kingspan Stadium and at away games. I had the pleasure of meeting some of you in Oyonnax, Treviso, Toulouse and recently in Parma for the Zebre game, which I thoroughly enjoyed. I have had a fantastic year and have been fortunate to travel across the Province visiting clubs and schools and watching this great game being played by all ages, sexes, creeds and abilities. I would like to wish my successor, Mr John McKibbin, every success in his year as President when he takes up the office this summer. Please give Leinster a great Ulster welcome this afternoon. Good Luck to Ulster and remember “STAND UP FOR THE ULSTERMEN”

Kingspan Stadium, 85 Ravenhill Park, Belfast, BT6 0DG T // +44 (0)28 9049 3222 ulsterrugby.com

Bobby Stewart // President IRFU (Ulster Branch)

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This year’s Guinness PRO12 has had an incredible run-in to the end of the season and we are still unsure who will make the Play-Offs in a couple of weeks, with the ultimate prize a place at our flagship event, the Guinness PRO12 Final at BT Murrayfield, Edinburgh, on 28 May.  Once again there are some mouth-watering fixtures to look forward to as we enter the penultimate round before Play-Off places are confirmed. The current top five teams are vying for a Play-Off spot, with emphasis on securing home advantage. Leinster and Connacht sit at the top of the table on 68 points apiece, with Glasgow Warriors (66pts), Ulster (60pts) and Scarlets (58pts) behind. Both Connacht and third place Warriors face Italian opposition this weekend and if they win their respective games, will face each other in a crunch match in a fortnight’s time in Galway with a home play-off at stake. Whilst the Italian teams are competing for the guaranteed Italian spot in Europe - Benetton Treviso are only three points behind Zebre. Ulster host leaders Leinster this afternoon and it’s a huge game for both teams. Munster and Edinburgh go head to head this weekend and are also chasing a Champions Cup place. Today, all Welsh eyes will be on Judgement Day IV at Cardiff’s Principality Stadium. Over 62,000 tickets have been sold for the derbies that take place on the hallowed turf, 10,000 more than last year’s event, and it is always a cracker in terms of atmosphere and action on the pitch. Judgement Day IV has set another record for attendance in the Guinness PRO12 and we are also on track to have a record crowd at the Guinness PRO12 Final in Edinburgh. Over the years, many of you have travelled to lend your support on the last day of our season, and this year is no different. It will be a terrific day out for the whole family and a chance for fans from across the four nations to experience a great weekend in another fantastic rugby city. Enjoy the rugby!

Together Stronger

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TODAY’S MASCOTS

MASCOTS

ALEX O’HARE (8) Alex is from Navan and attends St. Oliver’s Primary School. He plays mini rugby at school and rugby is also his passion outside of school. Alex’s favourite player is Andrew Trimble because he is very fast and when he grows up he would like to play on the wing for Ireland, just like Andrew!

BEN McFEDRIES (9) Ben is from Belfast and attends Leadhill Primary School. He plays mini rugby at Cooke RFC and enjoys all types of sport. Ben’s favourite player is Craig Gilroy because he scores lots of tries and when he grows up he would like to play professional rugby for Ulster, just like Craig!

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FAREWELL BIG NICK! From humble beginnings Nick Williams has gone on to become one of the standout performers and most recognisable characters in the Guinness PRO12. Hailing from Auckland, New Zealand, Nick

now, which is really cool. When we had the wedding my family couldn’t really understand them. It’s been an absolute ball. You have seen a lot of change during your time at Ulster. Can you give us your thoughts on how Ulster Rugby was when you arrived, how it has changed during your time, and the position that the club is now in? NW: I guess when I arrived we had a lot of experienced players, the likes of Johann Muller, John Afoa, big Stevie Ferris, Tom Court, so there was a good core of players here who could actually run the cutter which made it a lot easier for me coming in. Obviously over the years players come and go, and I think the club are probably in a bit of a transition phase at the moment. We’re obviously disappointed that we didn’t get through in the Champions Cup but such is life. I look at it now with Les being here and I can see nothing but positive things coming towards Ulster. Sometimes it’s difficult for the fans who want success immediately, but the rewards that the team will reap should be here soon. The facilities here are world class. I’m coming from New Zealand where rugby is the number one sport and some of the facilities don’t even come close to this, so we have got to count our blessings. You became an immediate fan favourite with the Ulster supporters – is that something that you noticed right away? NW: I knew I had something to prove. I came off the end of a few questions, a few doubts about me. I guess that’s what fuelled me. I kind of fell out of love with the game a wee bit when I was over in Italy, probably enjoying the lifestyle a bit too much, but as soon as I came here I knew I had to tighten up my act and play for something, firstly for my family and secondly for the Ulster supporters and I’d like to think that I’ve done that. I look back on it now and it’s amazing how family fuels you. When I finish rugby I know I won’t

made a name for himself at Auckland Blues and represented New Zealand at U21 and Junior All Black level, before moving to Europe in 2008 to join Munster. In his first season he helped the Southern Province secure the PRO12 title in his debut season. After two years at Munster, Nick moved to Italy and spent a further two years at Aironi before returning to Ireland and joining Ulster in June 2012. Nick became an immediate sensation at Ulster and was awarded PRO12 Player of the Year in his first season. The big number 8 has continued to be the driving force of Ulster’s pack, his uncompromising style making him a favourite among the terraces of Kingspan Stadium. After four outstanding seasons at Ulster, Nick Williams will move on to Cardiff Blues for the 2016/17 season. We caught up with Nick during the week to get his views on his time here in Ulster. You have played rugby all over the world. How has your time at Ulster compared? NW: It’s definitely up there. I suppose the big difference of my time at Ulster compared to other places has been my family life, I’ve got a wee family of my own now. I’ve come to realise if my family is happy then I’ll be playing well on the paddock. I think that’s showed over the time that I’ve been here. The people have been great to us and we’ve really made it our home this past four years. We got married in our back yard. I’ve got a decent back yard that opens up to Helen’s Bay beach, and we probably got the one good day of summer. My family came all the way from New Zealand up here. I told some of my mates I’m having a beach wedding in Northern Ireland and they had a good laugh, but we were able to pull it off. So your family have enjoyed their time here in Ulster? NW: We’ve absolutely loved it. Everything has been awesome… apart from the weather! My two little daughters have got Belfast accents

NICK WILLIAMS

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“I GOT TAKEN OFF AND I TOOK A SECOND TO

have those questions about whether I my full potential because I know 100%

played to that I did

LOOK UP, EVERYONE WAS STANDING AND GAVE ME A WEE CLAP, SO AS A KIWI OR AS AN OUTSIDER TO GET THAT OVATION BY A PROVINCE THAT HAS ADOPTED ME IS PRETTY SPECIAL”

here in Belfast. What do you think has been

the

difference at Ulster, that facilitated playing to your potential? NW: I’ve just been happy away from game. I look at it now and the boys have me play the game the way I want to play Probably the answer to your question is a bit of balance, know when, know when to. The coaching that we’ve had here been world class and the coaches know how they can get the best out of me and not over-push. That goes my way too; to play within the boundaries and the laws of how the coaches and the team plays so I think all in all it’s gone pretty sweet. The physical was way you play the game probably makes you more prone to picking up injuries – it is just unfortunate that you are injured at this stage of your career with Ulster? NW: It is a bit of a shame alright. I’ve probably been lucky enough, I’ve been playing since I was 18 so she’s been a long ride. The way I play the game, yeah, you would be prone to injuries, but it’s probably the reason why I got here so I’m not going to change it now. What are the standout memories of your time here? NW: A lot of the European matches. Toulouse back- to-back. We’ve always seemed to stand up when we played the big French teams, like Montpellier a couple of years ago. I think my lasting memory would probably be when we played Zebre in what looks like my last home game. I got taken off and I took a second to look up, everyone was standing and gave me a wee clap, so as a Kiwi or as an outsider to get that ovation by a Province that has adopted me is pretty special. How much of a role do the fans play here at Kingspan Stadium? NW: It’s an unbelievable atmosphere. Sometimes it’s difficult because we can’t hear each other on the pitch! I’ve played at a fair few stadiums around the world and at times you would think there are 80 or 90 thousand people out there, it’s deafening. When you’re on the pitch and you the let it. not has to

continued page 9

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You are known as a gentle giant off the pitch, but a fierce competitor on it – has that always been a personal trait of yours? NW: I think it’s a cultural thing. We were all raised by very strong women. I have been brought up to be gentle to my mother, my grandmother especially, be a very strong family man, then when we go out on the pitch you play for your family and for your supporters. So I guess that’s where the dual personality comes into it. It’s a gift that I’ve been given. I’m going to take advantage of it and will make the most of it for as long as I can because the time is very short. How would you like to be remembered by the Ulster fans? NW: Big Nick. That’s it. Good luck Big Nick, and thanks for all the memories.

you hear the fans singing the chants and the songs you definitely pick your act up. Even in the changing rooms when Besty’s having a chat there, we’re a family team and that goes for the 17 or 18 thousand people around us too. You have scored 16 tries during your four years at Ulster – which of those stand out for you? NW: Well I know they’ve all been from less than four metres! In terms of the important ones… I guess the first try against Toulouse this year because it probably set our platform nice and early. We knew that these boys were going to come at us hard for the first ten minutes, we just needed to weather the storm, we did. I got the ball off Robbie D and ran what seemed like 100 metres but was only probably three metres. That set a platform and we came away with a 38-0 win that night.

NICK WILLIAMS

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IT’S ALL COMING TO A HEAD

Your first start was against Leinster and now this weekend you face them celebrating your 50th. What memories do you have from back then? RL: It seems like a lifetime ago but I remember being pretty nervous. I got the call from Mark (Anscombe) that John Afoa had to go back to New Zealand for the birth of his daughter, so I got thrown in at the deep end against Cian Healy, who was at the top of his game back then. He was gunning for a Lions spot and Ulster at the time were going OK, but we needed the win to keep us in contention, much like where we are now. The whole game was a blur, it was so quick and so physical but I was happy with how I got on and we were delighted to get the win. Let’s hope history can repeat itself this time around! What has been your favourite appearance to date? RL: My first game against Leinster was a massive highlight and also the win against Toulouse just before Christmas here at home. I was only on for 20 minutes but the atmosphere and the crowd were outstanding. The team put in a great performance and we milled them 38-0, it was a great feeling and a great night all round. What has been your biggest challenge along the way? RL: I would say the toe injury that I picked up at the end of the season before last. I was out for three or four months and following on from that I struggled to get back into the squad and it was a pretty dark period for me. I couldn’t get any rugby time and it seemed like there was no light at the end of the tunnel. But, there were a couple of injuries within the squad and I was given the chance to get back into the mix again. Just a few years ago you picked up ‘Club Player of the Year’ and now you are a regular on the professional team, what has that journey been like? RL: It has been really unexpected to be honest. Coming back from New Zealand, I had pretty much given up on the notion of playing professional rugby, I was just keen to play for fun with a club. But then I got a call up from Gary Longwell to come along for trials, I thought it was a shot to nothing so to go from there to where I am now has been unexpected but a real privilege and I am delighted to be in this position, achieving 50 caps for my Province. How have things changed since you started? RL: Club wise things have changed dramatically, Mark has moved on and Les has recently come in which has changed the dynamic of the whole RICKY LUTTON: CELEBRATING 50 CAPS

club. We have a lot more meetings and analysis has really taken off. We have moved from Newforge to Kingspan Stadium, which has driven the professionalism of the whole squad upwards – along with the quality of the gym, facilities, the level of analysis. Everything is on a completely different scale to even two or three years ago. Personally, I think I have become a lot mentally tougher. Looking back on it, I probably thought that I was, but when I look deeper, I was a bit fragile and I have worked hard to overcome that – to improve my confidence and mental toughness. Physically I have developed more stamina, being able to play three, four, five games on the bounce. Rather than playing one game for 20 minutes and being wrecked for a week! That has come with increased discipline off the pitch as well as diet, rest and making sacrifices. It’s a great personal achievement, which I am sure you are looking forward to? RL: I can’t wait. Aside from the individual achievement, it’s a massive game for the team and hopefully I can contribute to that and history can repeat itself and we can get another great win over Leinster, which can set us up for the end of the season. The squad is feeling confident. The international guys returning certainly gave us a boost and things are picking up and we re improving every week, so if we can keep the upward trend going, we have a good shot at the play offs. It’s great that the game is a sell out, it’s always a brilliant atmosphere when Kingspan is full and the crowd are noisy. For us players it is a great feeling running out when the stadium is rocking and for opposition is has to be disturbing knowing you are up against the 16th man.

RICKY LUTTON

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WOMEN’S SEVENS OLYMPIC REPECHAGE TICKETS ON SALE NOW Tickets are now on sale for the World Rugby Women’s Sevens Olympic Repechage tournament which will be hosted in UCD on June 25 and 26. The tournament will see 16 teams compete for the final place at the 2016 Olympics in Rio.

WOMEN’S RUGBY SEVENS

“There will be over 20 matches each day - each lasting 15 minutes. We will have activities for kids and it should be a great Sevens party atmosphere. We are grateful for the support of Fáilte Ireland and Sport Ireland in hosting the event.” Ireland will compete alongside Kazakhstan, China, Hong Kong, Tunisia, Zimbabwe, Madagascar, Russia, Spain, Portugal, Mexico, Trinidad & Tobago, Samoa, Cook Islands, Argentina and Venezuela for the final coveted place at the 2016 Rio Olympics. Tickets for the event, which is supported by Sport Ireland and Fáilte Ireland, are available now from Ticketmaster.ie/Sevens.

A family of two adults and two kids can watch a full day of Sevens Olympic qualification for as little as 1 10. Speaking at the announcement of the tickets for the repechage going on sale, Ireland Women’s Sevens captain Lucy Mulhall said: “As a team we’re working really hard towards this event in June. While maintaining our status at the World Series remains really important to us, the chance to get to Rio and take part in the Olympic Games is something we really want to achieve. “The fact that the repechage is taking place on home soil in UCD is really great and we’d hope to see lots of Irish supporters there to cheer us on.” Tournament director Garrett Tubridy explained: “We have priced tickets to encourage kids and families to come to UCD and support the Ireland Women’s Sevens team. With qualification for Rio at stake, we need to the supporters to make home advantage count.

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ULSTER SPECIAL NEEDS TAG RUGBY 2015/16 There’s an air of change about these days in special needs tag rugby and all for the better! Over the course of the 2015/16 season our

SPECIAL NEEDS RUGBY

The culmination and for many the highlight of the season will be this year’s Wooden Spoon International Tag Rugby Festival at Garryowen RFC, Limerick on 11th June. It is a mark of growth that this year, four strong club touring parties will be travelling down to represent the Province in this annual celebration of our sport. We wish them all, good luck and hope that you all have fun! We hope you enjoy tonight’s half time display by four of the ten clubs currently playing within the Province and we would encourage anyone who has an interest in either playing or volunteering to get in touch with your local club, the details of which are all available through the Ulster Rugby website. For more information visit www.ulsterrugby.com/rugby-in-ulster/club

sport has continued to thrive and recognition of its growth has spread throughout the island of Ireland, leading to the formal incorporation and development of branch groups (or Disability Advisory Groups (DAGs) as they are known) into the IRFU structure. For Ulster this incorporation has meant that we are now able to promote and grow the game with support from within the heart of Irish rugby. In Ulster, we continue to develop club teams and players and with the recent welcome support of DCAL in a targeted project promoting equality and tackling social exclusion that ran between January and March this year; 21 new club players were recruited. The initiative saw 270 participants across 16 special educational needs schools taking part in a series of fun training sessions and blitz days within the Province.

By Gary Donald // Ballymena Bears

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ULSTER RUGBY PETPSE PROGRAMME 2015/16 Promoting Equality, Tackling Poverty and Social Exclusion January - March 2016

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JOIN IN TO CREATE PURE DRAMA! Long before professional rugby, or a league or Cup competition reaching beyond these shores was ever contemplated, one fixture commanded attention each year.

When Ulster and Leinster met it was usually just before Christmas, almost always to decide the Inter-Provincial title, and the game often offered an indication of which players would be featuring in the Five Nations Championship – once the little-lamented Irish Trial in the New Year had been endured! The matches between the sides were always compelling, significant, and thoroughly combative – it was indeed a different age but if we think the fixture now has an inbuilt feistiness, a core ‘edge’, remind yourself of the competitive natures of such as Nelson, Mulcahy, McBride, Keane, Kennedy, Dawson, Henderson, Kyle, Strathdee, the brothers Doyle and Irwin, Mullin, Milliken, Gibson, McCombe, Flynn, Ward, McCall, Field, Slattery, Carr, Davidson, McKinney and an infinite firmament of rugby stars. How they would have relished this afternoon’s clash in an environment so very different but still intimidating, and in front of almost 18,000 fans rather than the few hundred truly partisan supporters who could electrify the chilliest December afternoon decades ago! The present generation of players from Ulster and Leinster will feel no less focussed, determined or uncompromising when they meet at Kingspan Stadium, the target for each team a win which would help towards a ‘tilt’ at the Guinness PRO12 title after what have been ‘roller-coaster’ campaigns for the squads of Les Kiss and Leo Cullen. European Champions Cup success for teams with that prize very much to the fore as each season starts was denied both, Ulster coming agonisingly close to quarter- final qualification, but for Leinster it was a truly miserable year, and Cullen deserves credit for fashioning a PRO12 challenge from an unpromising position in late autumn. Ulster had surely been affected by the loss of important players to the Ireland World Cup squad, but today’s opponents were deprived of, literally, a whole team throughout that tournament, and – like so many others – had a catalogue of injuries and loss of form to cope with in the aftermath. As this weekend began the race for the critical top four places, and thus PRO12 semi-final spots, was a congested, intriguing, nail-biting one. Leinster sat top as this penultimate round of games in the ‘regular’ season started, but Connacht and Glasgow hoped to move above the Dublin-based outfit with wins last night against Italian opposition. Ulster climbed back into the leading group with a free- scoring win in Zebre a fortnight ago, but just six weeks ago the side was in pole position in the table and players, coaches and supporters watched a worrying slide threaten to bring the rugby year to an early conclusion. For Leinster and Ulster today’s game is of incalculable importance: a win for the former would surely guarantee a semi-final in three weeks, while for Ulster victory would

mean next Saturday’s visit to Ospreys would assume even greater importance – if that was possible! Beat Leinster and Kiss and his Head Coach Neil Doak and their squad would travel to Wales, still in fourth place, but with the Scarlets – and possibly Edinburgh - retaining a play-off interest nothing less than a win at the Liberty Stadium next Saturday afternoon would suffice to extend the season. And in all likelihood at least one try bonus point in the next seven days will be required to set up a dramatic finale: a semi-final away from home, then the prospect of a final, and silverware, on the last Saturday of May! So the atmosphere this afternoon should be electric, it’s what’s at stake this year which will concentrate the minds of both dressing rooms. The fixture is soaked in history, recent and of more recent vintage, but all that will be but background to a game which is full of possibilities, and with more-or-less skills complete and healthy squads the coaching teams will send out players dripping with rugby lustre. There’ll be a good Leinster support – as always – in Kingspan Stadium, contributing to that exhilarating mixture of anticipation, trepidation, celebration and disappointment. What it, and the vocal Ulster fans can be sure of, is that the players will be more committed and determined than at any point of what have been seasons of high expectation, and which could still yield vital silverware. There are players of great talent and no little experience in both blue and white today, and their individual contests will be intriguing, though it will be the side which most cohesively harnesses those abilities which will come out on top and keep the flame of the PRO12 title alive in its camp. In Italy two weeks ago Tommy Bowe was the latest to come off Ulster’s long-term casualty list, and the Lions winger looked as if he’d never been away – two fine tries and running those uniquely loping ‘lines’ to join another attack from deep. Jared Payne’s intelligence and unconventional deftness and athleticism brought a hat- trick in Zebre, but it’s what he brings to those around him which increasingly wins him more and more plaudits. Paddy Jackson’s focus will be on guiding a potentially devastating Ulster backline on to the front foot, and his tactical battle with Jonny Sexton is one to savour, as is Irish skipper Rory Best’s contest with Sean Cronin in the middle of the front row. And everywhere you look there are threats and skills aplenty: Rob Kearney should be back to full fitness and that particular threat will have – like so many others – occupied the strategies of Kiss, Dock, Joe Barakat, Niall Malone and Allen Clarke on the Ulster coaching staff. It’s a cliché’ but games are, if not won, certainly shaped by the performances of the forward units. Devon Toner,

ROD NAWN

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ARTICLE BY ROD NAWN FREELANCE JOURNALIST AND SPORTS ENTHUSIAST @RODNAWN1

Franco van der Merwe, Iain Henderson, and Jamie Heaslip will want set-piece supremacy primarily, and recently Ulster’s occasional fragility at scrum-time has been successfully addressed, and provided there is care and structure at the breakdown the home side looks the more consistent unit. We love to speculate on what might happen, who might be the key influence on the 80 minutes, and there are 46 players on show, each of whom could be the catalyst for what would be a pivotal afternoon for one of the sides. In Ulster this year the emergence of Stuart McCloskey, of Kyle McCall, Sean Reidy and Rory Scholes has offered very real reason to believe the present – and the important future – teams will compete effectively and consistently, that their talents have been forged in the white heat of serious competition and the visit of Leinster, fierce Inter-Pro rivals as well as PRO12 contenders too, will not find these younger players wanting. Add to that the return to health of Iain Henderson, and Stuart Olding – internationals both – and the pool of experience and ‘nous’ of Best, Rob Herring, Ricky Lutton, Callum Black, Robbie Diack, Chris Henry, Roger Wilson, Andrew Trimble, Craig Gilroy, Darren Cave, Paul Marshall, the incomparable Ruan Pienaar and so many more - and Ulster fans rightly should share a ‘feel-good factor’. And time may have beaten his recovery but what a game it would be was that colourful, engaging and crowd-rousing Nick Williams able to add his rumbustious presence to proceedings on his last appearance in an Ulster jersey at Kingspan Stadium? Madigan, Fitzgerald, Reddan, Healy and Ruddock, amongst others travelling from Dublin, will have firm ideas of a rather different outcome than the one that the sell-out home crowd will want and urge from their favourites. The rewards of the 80 minutes this afternoon are plain and seductive, and even at the final whistle there is one more weekend of the Guinness PRO12’s ‘regular’ season which could become truly critical to Ulster’s quest to reap the harvest so much hard work deserves, and which will sate the appetite of supporters who have waited – not perhaps always patiently! – for their investment in terms of loyalty, time and hopes bring genuine success. The target is to extend the campaign into May, to reach the semi- finals, and it could be around five o’clock next Saturday, after the game with the Ospreys in Wales, that we will all know if the squad has taken a key step towards a trophy. A league title was won at the Liberty Stadium a decade ago with a last-gasp drop goal from a certain David Humphreys. An omen? Let’s first prepare to give full voice to create a thunderous welcome to Leinster this Saturday afternoon. This is what a certain Scot labelled ‘squeaky bum time’, what the more elegant rugby enthusiast might call something else. Pure Drama!

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JOHN ANDREW

SAMMY ARNOLD

Hooker 26.05.93 181cm 101kg

Centre 08.04.96 182cm 96kg

POSITION BORN

POSITION BORN

HEIGHT WEIGHT ULSTER CAPS INT. CAPS

HEIGHT WEIGHT ULSTER CAPS INT. CAPS

14 —

14 —

MARK BEST

RORY BEST

Centre 02.12.89 185cm 87kg

Hooker 15.08.82 178cm 106kg 181 91

POSITION BORN

POSITION BORN

HEIGHT WEIGHT ULSTER CAPS INT. CAPS

HEIGHT WEIGHT ULSTER CAPS INT. CAPS

— —

SQUAD 2015/16 CALLUM BLACK

TOMMY BOWE

Prop 25.02.86 180cm 110kg 105 —

Wing 22.02.84 190cm 100kg 136 67

POSITION BORN

POSITION BORN

HEIGHT WEIGHT ULSTER CAPS INT. CAPS

HEIGHT WEIGHT ULSTER CAPS INT. CAPS

PETER BROWNE

DARREN CAVE

Second row 25.10.87 201cm 116kg

Centre 05.04.87 184cm 95kg 176 11 // 11A

POSITION BORN

POSITION BORN

HEIGHT WEIGHT ULSTER CAPS INT. CAPS

HEIGHT WEIGHT ULSTER CAPS INT. CAPS

11 —

ROBBIE DIACK

LORCAN DOW

Back row 12.11.85 195cm 110kg 172 // 2A

No. 8 27.01.95 191cm 106kg 1 —

POSITION BORN

POSITION BORN

HEIGHT WEIGHT ULSTER CAPS INT. CAPS

HEIGHT WEIGHT ULSTER CAPS INT. CAPS

WILLIE FALOON

CRAIG GILROY

Back row 30.09.86 186cm 100kg

Wing 11.03.91 183cm 90kg 130 6 // 2A

POSITION BORN

POSITION BORN

HEIGHT WEIGHT ULSTER CAPS INT. CAPS

HEIGHT WEIGHT ULSTER CAPS INT. CAPS

67 —

24

IAIN HENDERSON

CHRIS HENRY

Second row 21.02.92 199cm 117kg 55 23 // 3A

Back row 17.10.84 191cm 105kg 147 24

POSITION BORN

POSITION BORN

SQUAD 2015/16

HEIGHT WEIGHT ULSTER CAPS INT. CAPS

HEIGHT WEIGHT ULSTER CAPS INT. CAPS

WIEHAHN HERBST

ROB HERRING

Prop 05.07.88 180cm 120kg

Hooker 27.04.90 185cm 102kg 94 1 // 2A

POSITION BORN

POSITION BORN

HEIGHT WEIGHT ULSTER CAPS INT. CAPS

HEIGHT WEIGHT ULSTER CAPS INT. CAPS

39 —

IAN HUMPHREYS

PADDY JACKSON

Flyhalf 24.04.82 178cm 84kg 113 7A

Flyhalf 05.01.92 180cm 87kg 102 13 // 1A

POSITION BORN

POSITION BORN

HEIGHT WEIGHT ULSTER CAPS INT. CAPS

HEIGHT WEIGHT ULSTER CAPS INT. CAPS

CONOR JOYCE

LOUIS LUDIK

Back row 05.07.93 192cm 106kg 4 —

Utility back 10.08.86 182cm 92kg

POSITION BORN

POSITION BORN

HEIGHT WEIGHT ULSTER CAPS INT. CAPS

HEIGHT WEIGHT ULSTER CAPS INT. CAPS

40 —

RICKY LUTTON

LUKE MARSHALL

Prop 26.02.86 183cm 113kg

Centre 03.11.91 181cm 97kg 80 6

POSITION BORN

POSITION BORN

HEIGHT WEIGHT ULSTER CAPS INT. CAPS

HEIGHT WEIGHT ULSTER CAPS INT. CAPS

49 —

PAUL MARSHALL

KYLE McCALL

Scrumhalf 26.07.85 172cm 80kg 171 3 // 2A

Prop 02.01.92 177cm 111kg

POSITION BORN

POSITION BORN

HEIGHT WEIGHT ULSTER CAPS INT. CAPS

HEIGHT WEIGHT ULSTER CAPS INT. CAPS

22 —

25

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STUART McCLOSKEY

STEPHEN MULHOLLAND

Centre 06.08.92 194cm 111kg 39 1

Back row 04.07.90 193cm 108kg 2 —

POSITION BORN

POSITION BORN

SQUAD 2015/16

HEIGHT WEIGHT ULSTER CAPS INT. CAPS

HEIGHT WEIGHT ULSTER CAPS INT. CAPS

JONNY MURPHY

RUAIDHRI MURPHY

Hooker 06.02.92 178cm 106kg 1 —

Prop 05.07.87 187cm 114kg 3 —

POSITION BORN

POSITION BORN

HEIGHT WEIGHT ULSTER CAPS INT. CAPS

HEIGHT WEIGHT ULSTER CAPS INT. CAPS

PETER NELSON

ALAN O’CONNOR

Utility back 05.10.92 180cm 85kg

Second row 10.09.92 197cm 114kg

POSITION BORN

POSITION BORN

HEIGHT WEIGHT ULSTER CAPS INT. CAPS

HEIGHT WEIGHT ULSTER CAPS INT. CAPS

31 —

25 —

STUART OLDING

JARED PAYNE

Utility back 11.03.93 176cm 88kg 45 2

POSITION BORN

Fullback 13.10.85 186cm 97kg

POSITION BORN

HEIGHT WEIGHT ULSTER CAPS INT. CAPS

HEIGHT WEIGHT ULSTER CAPS INT. CAPS

65 12

RUAN PIENAAR

SEAN REIDY

Scrumhalf 10.03.84 187cm 90kg 115 SA // 88

Back row 10.05.89 180cm 100kg

POSITION BORN

POSITION BORN

HEIGHT WEIGHT ULSTER CAPS INT. CAPS

HEIGHT WEIGHT ULSTER CAPS INT. CAPS

28 —

BRONSON ROSS

CLIVE ROSS

Prop 16.09.85 183cm 116kg

Back row 14.06.89 192cm 104kg

POSITION BORN

POSITION BORN

HEIGHT WEIGHT ULSTER CAPS INT. CAPS

HEIGHT WEIGHT ULSTER CAPS INT. CAPS

31 —

29 —

27

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RORY SCHOLES

DAVID SHANAHAN

Utility back 24.04.93 187cm 95kg

Scrumhalf 20.06.93 173cm 81kg 9 —

POSITION BORN

POSITION BORN

SQUAD 2015/16

HEIGHT WEIGHT ULSTER CAPS INT. CAPS

HEIGHT WEIGHT ULSTER CAPS INT. CAPS

25 —

JONNY SIMPSON

JACOB STOCKDALE

Prop 19.08.90 184cm 110kg

Back Row 03.04.96 190cm 96kg 5 —

POSITION BORN

POSITION BORN

HEIGHT WEIGHT ULSTER CAPS INT. CAPS

HEIGHT WEIGHT ULSTER CAPS INT. CAPS

— —

ANDREW TRIMBLE

FRANK TAGGART

Wing 20.10.84 185cm 97kg 203 61 // 3A

POSITION BORN

Back row 14.10.94 188cm 108kg

POSITION BORN

HEIGHT WEIGHT ULSTER CAPS INT. CAPS

HEIGHT WEIGHT ULSTER CAPS INT. CAPS

— —

DAN TUOHY

FRANCO VAN DER MERWE

Second row 18.06.85 197cm 115kg 134 11 // 4A

POSITION BORN

Second row 15.03.83 198cm 117kg 50 SA // 1

POSITION BORN

HEIGHT WEIGHT ULSTER CAPS INT. CAPS

HEIGHT WEIGHT ULSTER CAPS INT. CAPS

ANDREWWARWICK

NICK WILLIAMS

Prop 12.03.91 179cm 110kg

POSITION BORN

Back row 02.12.91 189cm 125kg

POSITION BORN

HEIGHT WEIGHT ULSTER CAPS INT. CAPS

HEIGHT WEIGHT ULSTER CAPS INT. CAPS

44 —

76 —

SAMWINDSOR

ROGER WILSON

Flyhalf 12.07.87 185cm 94kg 1 —

POSITION BORN

Back row 21.09.81 190cm 106kg 204 1 // 11 A

POSITION BORN

HEIGHT WEIGHT ULSTER CAPS INT. CAPS

HEIGHT WEIGHT ULSTER CAPS INT. CAPS

29

15

1 2 3 4 5 6 7

JARED PAYNE

CALLUM BLACK

14 13 12 11 9 10

ANDREW TRIMBLE

RORY BEST (C)

LUKE MARSHALL

RICKY LUTTON

ULSTER RUGBY

PETER BROWNE

STUART McCLOSKEY

FRANCO VD MERWE

CRAIG GILROY

IAIN HENDERSON

PADDY JACKSON

RUAN PIENAAR

CHRIS HENRY

REPLACEMENTS FROM 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 R HERRING K McCALL A WARWICK R DIACK

R WILSON P MARSHALL S OLDING D CAVE

8

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GEORGE CLANCY IRFU, 81ST COMPETITION GAME SEAN GALLAGHER IRFU // LEO COLGAN IRFU EDDIE WALSH IRFU SEAMUS FLANNERY IRFU

30

Ulster Rugby shop @ Kingspan Stadium Monday - Friday 9am-5pm Saturday 10am-2pm

www.ulsterrugbyshop.com

Together Stronger

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Providing quality bespoke sportswear to athletes and teams

TOMMY BOWE

Kingspan has been a partner of Ulster Rugby for 10 years and we are now proud to give our name to this Stadium. Our passion, as a global leader in sustainable building solutions, is to deliver the highest levels of performance - always. Our respect for Ulster Rugby and its dedicated fans is absolute. Welcome to the Kingspan Stadium.

kingspan.com

14 13 12 11 15 9 10

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8

JACK McGRATH

ZANE KIRCHNER

LEINSTER RUGBY

LEADING THE FIELD ISA NACEWA

SEAN CRONIN

TADHG FURLONG

GARRY RINGROSE

Hello and welcome to Kingspan Stadium, the impressive home of Ulster Rugby, for the opening game of the 2015/16 Guinness PRO12 season. Tonight’s game against the Ospreys, one of the most successful teams in the history of the league, is as fitting an opening fixture as any, with two teams hoping to find firm footing to start their title-contending campaigns. The start of the season is an exciting time for everyone, as players, staff and management are keen to show the product of a long and hard-working pre-season in the world-class facilities that we now call home. As long-term supporters of Ulster Rugby, we share the optimism and enthusiasm of all players, staff and supporters for the season ahead. In the business world, no one day defines your organisation, and at Kingspan we understand that the road to success is hard fought, but with the right team, supporters and infrastructure anything is possible. On behalf of Kingspan, I would like to wish the squad and management of Ulster Rugby every success tonight, and for the Guinness PRO12 season ahead. DAVE KEARNEY BEN TE’O JONATHAN SEXTON

DEVIN TONER

HAYDEN TRIGGS

RHYS RUDDOCK

JOSH VAN DER FLIER

EOIN REDDAN

Pat Freeman Divisional Managing Director REPLACEMENTS FROM 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 R STRAUSS C HEALY M ROSS R MOLONY

S O’BRIEN L McGRATH I MADIGAN F McFADDEN

JAMIE HEASLIP

*best guessed time at time of print

35

ISAAC BOSS

BRYAN BYRNE

Scrumhalf 09.04.80 178cm 88kg IRE // 22

Hooker 09.09.93 178cm 100kg —

POSITION BORN HEIGHT WEIGHT HONOURS

POSITION BORN HEIGHT WEIGHT HONOURS

SEAN CRONIN

GORDON D’ARCY

Hooker 06.05.86 180cm 101kg IRE // 50

Centre 10.02.80 180cm 91kg IRE // 82

POSITION BORN HEIGHT WEIGHT HONOURS

POSITION BORN HEIGHT WEIGHT HONOURS

SQUAD 2015/16 LUKE FITZGERALD

TADHG FURLONG

Wing / Fullback 13.09.87 185cm 98kg IRE // 34

Prop 14.11.92 185cm 119kg IRE // 5

POSITION BORN HEIGHT WEIGHT HONOURS

POSITION BORN HEIGHT WEIGHT HONOURS

CIAN HEALY

JAMIE HEASLIP

Prop 07.10.87 185cm 112kg IRE // 58

No. 8 15.12.83 193cm 110kg IRE // 85

POSITION BORN HEIGHT WEIGHT HONOURS

POSITION BORN HEIGHT WEIGHT HONOURS

DAVE KEARNEY

ROB KEARNEY

Wing / Fullback 19.06.89 180cm 91kg IRE // 16

Fullback / Wing 26.03.86 185cm 95kg IRE // 69

POSITION BORN HEIGHT WEIGHT HONOURS

POSITION BORN HEIGHT WEIGHT HONOURS

ZANE KIRCHNER

DAN LEAVY

Wing / Fullback 16.06.84 185cm 95kg SA // 31

Flanker 23.04.94 191cm 101kg —

POSITION BORN HEIGHT WEIGHT HONOURS

POSITION BORN HEIGHT WEIGHT HONOURS

36

IAN MADIGAN

CATHAL MARSH

Flyhalf 21.03.89 180cm 90kg IRE // 29

Flyhalf 10.01.92 178cm 84kg —

POSITION BORN HEIGHT WEIGHT HONOURS

POSITION BORN HEIGHT WEIGHT HONOURS

SQUAD 2015/16

MIKE McCARTHY

FERGUS McFADDEN

Lock 27.11.81 193cm 115kg IRE // 19

Wing / Centre 17.06.86 180cm 93kg IRE // 32

POSITION BORN HEIGHT WEIGHT HONOURS

POSITION BORN HEIGHT WEIGHT HONOURS

JACK McGRATH

LUKE McGRATH

Prop 11.10.89 185cm 118kg IRE // 30

Scrumhalf 03.02.93 175cm 82kg —

POSITION BORN HEIGHT WEIGHT HONOURS

POSITION BORN HEIGHT WEIGHT HONOURS

ROSS MOLONY

MARTY MOORE

Lock 11.05.94 196cm 103kg —

Prop 01.03.91 180cm 123kg IRE // 10

POSITION BORN HEIGHT WEIGHT HONOURS

POSITION BORN HEIGHT WEIGHT HONOURS

JORDI MURPHY

ISA NACEWA

Flanker 22.04.91 188cm 106kg IRE // 14

Fly Half / Fullback 22.07.82 180cm 91kg FIJI // 1

POSITION BORN HEIGHT WEIGHT HONOURS

POSITION BORN HEIGHT WEIGHT HONOURS

SEAN O’BRIEN

EOIN REDDAN

Back Row 14.02.87 188cm 108kg IRE // 42

Scrumhalf 20.11.80 178cm 83kg IRE // 70

POSITION BORN HEIGHT WEIGHT HONOURS

POSITION BORN HEIGHT WEIGHT HONOURS

37

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NOEL REID

GARRY RINGROSE

Centre 26.01.95 185cm 89kg —

POSITION BORN HEIGHT WEIGHT HONOURS

Flyhalf / Centre 22.05.90 185cm 90kg IRE // 1

POSITION BORN HEIGHT WEIGHT HONOURS

SQUAD 2015/16

MIKE ROSS

RHYS RUDDOCK

Prop 21.12.79 188cm 127kg IRE // 59

POSITION BORN HEIGHT WEIGHT HONOURS

Back Row 13.11.90 191cm 111kg IRE // 10

POSITION BORN HEIGHT WEIGHT HONOURS

JOHNNY SEXTON

DOMINIC RYAN

Flanker 28.03.90 193cm 106kg IRE // 1

POSITION BORN HEIGHT WEIGHT HONOURS

Flyhalf 11.07.85 188cm 92kg IRE // 61

POSITION BORN HEIGHT WEIGHT HONOURS

RICHARDT STRAUSS

BEN TE’O

Hooker 29.01.86 173cm 101kg IRE // 16

POSITION BORN HEIGHT WEIGHT HONOURS

Centre 27.01.87 188cm 104kg —

POSITION BORN HEIGHT WEIGHT HONOURS

DEVIN TONER

JAMES TRACY

Hooker 02.04.91 185cm 109kg —

POSITION BORN HEIGHT WEIGHT HONOURS

Lock 29.06.86 208cm 124kg IRE // 36

POSITION BORN HEIGHT WEIGHT HONOURS

HAYDEN TRIGGS

JOSH VAN DER FLIER

Flanker 25.04.93 185cm 98kg IRE // 2

POSITION BORN HEIGHT WEIGHT HONOURS

Lock 22.02.82 201cm 108kg —

POSITION BORN HEIGHT WEIGHT HONOURS

39

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TODAY’S OPPOSITION As Leinster Rugby face into Round 21 of the GUINNESS PRO12 they sit in top spot with only two games of the regular season remaining. As a result, this weekend’s trip to fourth-place Ulster in Kingspan Stadium will have a major bearing on who finishes in the top two and in the Play-Off spots as well. Over the course of the 20 PRO12 games to date, Leinster Head Coach Leo Cullen has had to navigate a number of challenges in his first season in the Leinster hot seat. In the first seven rounds of the PRO12, with the Rugby World Cup in full swing, a relatively young squad managed to win five games from seven with a losing bonus point to show from the other two. Academy players Ross Byrne and Garry Ringrose, in addition to Tadhg Beirne, Tony Ryan, Hayden Triggs and Royce Burke- Flynn all made their debuts. Other players like Cathal Marsh, Cian Kelleher, Peter Dooley, Josh van der Flier, Dan Leavy, Bryan Byrne and Ross Molony added more caps and experience to their playing CVs as the Irish province finished off the first block of PRO12 games in the top four. Since then the number of players used by Cullen this season has increased to 56 in total, with further debuts for summer signing Mick Kearney – signed from Connacht last summer but out of action until February due to a toe injury – and Academy players Nick McCarthy, Peadar Timmins, Jeremy Loughman and Joey Carbery. Now as they face into the final stretch of PRO12 games they find themselves in the Play-Off places with the best defensive record in the league. However good form in the PRO12 has been somewhat diluted by a poor run of results in Europe where a loss in each of the opening four rounds left them out of Europe before Christmas despite some very encouraging performances and indeed two losing bonus points in the away loss to Bath and the home loss to three time reigning champions Toulon. The encouraging performances finally resulted in a win in Round 5 when they accounted for a Bath Rugby side with it all still to play for in Europe. The game was also used to blood some European newcomers and some of the debutants mentioned above plus a few others were thrown in at the deep end and no fewer than six players made their European starting debuts against Bath, including Man of the Match, Ross Molony. Their focus is now fully on the PRO12 with a trip to Belfast this weekend, however a quick glance at last year’s game will provide ample evidence of the size of the task in store as Ulster restricted the men in blue to just 10 points and no points at all in the second half, with Ulster winning the contest 26-10 due to tries from Craig Gilroy and Iain Henderson. Two proud provinces fighting for PRO12 Play-Off spots and home semi-finals - something has to give!

OPPOSITION

CLUB STATS //Location Dublin, Ireland //Founded 1879 //Ground Royal Dublin Society Arena //Capacity 18,000 //Last Game Edinburgh Rugby (H) 30 - 23 (W) Fri 15th Aprol 2016 at 19:35 //Next Game Benetton Treviso (H) Sat 7th May 2016 at 15:00 //Recent Form W L L W W

STAFF // Coach Leo Cullen // Captain Jamie Heaslip

CONTACT Newstead Building A, UCD, Belfield Dublin 4

T +353 1 269 3224 F +353 1 269 3142 E information@leinsterrugby.ie

TICKET OFFICE T +353 1 223 5103

www.leinsterrugby.ie

leinsterrugby

leinsterrugby

leinsterrugby

41