The 1999–2000 season was Ulster Rugby's fifth season under professionalism, and Harry Williams's second season as head coach. They competed in the

Heineken Cup The European Rugby Champions Cup (known as the Heineken Champions Cup for sponsorship reasons) is an annual rugby union tournament organised by European Professional Club Rugby (EPCR). It is the top-tier competition for clubs who compete in a pre ...

and the IRFU Interprovincial Championship. Ahead of the new season, Williams signed Paddy Johns,

Simon Best Simon Best (born 11 February 1978) is a former Irish rugby union footballer. He played for Ulster Rugby, Ulster and was club captain in Ulster's 2005/06 Pro14, Celtic League winning season. Simon missed the final game of Ulster' successful cam ...

Niall Malone Niall Gareth Malone (born 30 April 1971 in Leeds, England) is a former rugby union player who played out-half for Leicester, Worcester, Ulster and Ireland. Having worked as an elite player development officer with Ulster's academy and as skills c ...

, Tyrone Howe, Spencer Bromley and Riaz Fredericks to full-time contracts.

Mark McCall Mark McCall (born 29 November 1967 in Bangor, County Down, Northern Ireland) is an Irish former rugby union player and current Director of Rugby (DoR) at Saracens. While DoR for Saracens the team has won the English Premiership Rugby competition ...

retired as a player, and was appointed assistant coach.Gerry Thornley
"Ulster bid to continue their roll by recruiting heavily"
''Irish Times'', 31 July 1999 In the Heineken Cup, Ulster finished bottom of their pool. They came second in the Interprovincial Championship, qualifying for next season's Heineken Cup. Tony McWhirter was Ulster's Player of the Year. Plans for a Celtic League, featuring the Irish provinces alongside teams from Scotland and Wales, were mooted. This would give the provinces a 12-game league schedule, alongside six Interpros and at least six Heineken Cup matches, and mean contracted players would no longer be available for their All-Ireland League clubs, but play exclusively for their provinces. This plan would not materialise for another few seasons.

Player transfers

Players in

from Newcastle * Spencer Bromley from Harlequins * Riaz Fredericks from Hong Kong sevens team * Tyrone Howe from Newbury * Paddy Johns from

Saracens file:Erhard Reuwich Sarazenen 1486.png, upright 1.5, Late 15th-century Germany in the Middle Ages, German woodcut depicting Saracens Saracen ( ) was a term used in the early centuries, both in Greek language, Greek and Latin writings, to refer ...

from Worcester * Dion O'Cuinneagain from Sale *

Joeli Veitayaki Joeli Veitayaki (born 12 January 1967 in Matuku, Fiji) is a Fijian former rugby union player. His usual position was Prop. He debut for against the New Zealand Maori in Christchurch on 4 June 1994. He played at the 1999 and 2003 Rugby World Cu ...

from Northland

Players out

(retired) * Stanley McDowell (out of contract) * Andy Park (out of contract) * Michael Patton (out of contract)

Squad

1999–2000 Heineken Cup

Pool 3

1999–2000 IRFU Interprovincial Championship

Top three teams qualify for next season's Heineken Cup.

Friendlies

Ulster Rugby Awards

The Ulster Rugby Awards ceremony was held on 18 May 2000 at the La Mon House Hotel. Winners were:Jim Stokes, "Humphreys is 'Mr Personality'", ''Belfast Telegraph'', 19 May 2000 *Bank of Ireland Ulster player of the year: Tony McWhirter *Guinness personality of the year: David Humphreys *Reneault schools player of the year:

Matt McCullough Matt McCullough (born 9 September 1981) is a retired Irish rugby union footballer. He played for Ulster Rugby, Ulster. McCullough was educated at Ballymena Academy and Trinity College Dublin. He captained the School's 1st XV rugby team 1999–20 ...

*Calor Gas youth player of the year: Martin Miller, Coleraine *First Trust club of the year:

Ballymena R.F.C. Ballymena Rugby Football Club is a rugby union club based in the town of Ballymena, Northern Ireland, playing in Division 2A of the All-Ireland League. It is affiliated to the Ulster branch of the Irish Rugby Football Union. The club fields five ...

*Coach of the year:

, Ballynahinch RFC *Dorrie B. Faulkner Award: Jack Lewis,

Civil Service Rugby Club Civil Service NI Rugby Football Club is a rugby union club based in Maynard Sinclair Pavilion of Belfast, Northern Ireland. The club was formed in the autumn of 1922 by staff of the newly established Northern Ireland Civil Service. After some ...

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Ulster 1999-2000 1999–2000 in Irish rugby union 1999–2000 Heineken Cup