The 2013–14 season was Ulster's 20th season since the advent of professionalism in rugby union, and their second under head coach

Mark Anscombe Mark Anscombe (born 1957) is a New Zealand rugby union coach, having played rugby spanning across 15 years. Anscombe (father of Welsh international Gareth Anscombe) has been a rugby union coach since 1994, coaching various ages and styles in both ...

. 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

Pro12 The United Rugby Championship (URC) is an annual rugby union competition involving professional teams from Ireland, Italy, Scotland, South Africa, and Wales. The current name was adopted in 2021 when the league expanded to include four South Afr ...

. They finished fourth in the Pro12, qualifying for the semi-finals and next season's Champions Cup. They lost the semi-final to Leinster. Ulster and Connacht jointly won the Fair Play Award, and wing

Andrew Trimble Andrew Trimble (born 20 October 1984) is a former Irish rugby union player who played for Ulster and represented Ireland at international level. Club career He attended Coleraine Academical Institution, where he competed in the Ulster Schools ...

and lock Johann Muller made the Pro12 Dream Team. They topped their pool in the Champions Cup, qualifying for the quarter-final, which they lost to

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 ...

. Out-half Paddy Jackson was leading scorer with 239 points. Andrew Trimble, wing Tommy Bowe and centre Luke Marshall were joint leading try scorers with six each. Andrew Trimble was Ulster's Player of the Year, and

IRUPA The Rugby Players Ireland is the representative body for professional rugby players in Ireland. Founded in October 2001, its aims are to promote and protect the welfare of professional rugby players in Ireland. The Chief Executive Officer is Sim ...

Players' Player of the Year. Johann Muller, flanker

Stephen Ferris Stephen Ferris (born 2 August 1985) is a retired Irish rugby union player who played for Ulster and represented Ireland internationally. Ferris played club rugby with Dungannon. He is from Maghaberry and attended Friends' School Lisburn. He pla ...

and utility back

Paddy Wallace Patrick Wallace (born 27 August 1979) is an Ireland rugby union player who played for Ireland's national team and played for Ulster. A native of Belfast, he attended Rockport School and Campbell College. He was a member of the Ireland U19 side ...

retired at the end of the season. Props

John Afoa Ioane Fitu "John" Afoa (born 16 September 1983) is a New Zealand professional rugby union player. His position of choice is at prop. Afoa currently plays for Crusaders in Super Rugby. Personal life Afoa was a student at Auckland's Papakura High ...

moved to Gloucester, and Tom Court to London Irish. David Humphreys left as director of rugby to take up the same post at Gloucester. A few weeks later, head coach Mark Anscombe resigned. Les Kiss took over as director of rugby, and

Neil Doak Neil George Doak (born 21 June 1972) is a Northern Irish former cricketer and rugby union player. He currently works as a rugby union coach, and has served as attack and backs coach with English club side Worcester Warriors, and Georgia during t ...

as head coach.

Staff

Squad

Senior squad

Players in (Season 2013/2014)

* James McKinney from

Rotherham R.U.F.C. Rotherham Rugby Union Football Club, or Rotherham Titans is a professional rugby union team from Rotherham, South Yorkshire, currently playing in the fourth tier of the English rugby union league system, following their relegation from the Nat ...

David Kelly
"Fortunes in hands of foreign legion"
''Irish Independent'', 5 August 2013 * David McIlwaine from

Bristol Rugby Bristol Bears (officially Bristol Rugby Club or Bristol Rugby) are a professional rugby union club based in Bristol, England. They play in Premiership Rugby, England's top division of rugby. The club was founded as Bristol Football Club in 18 ...

* Bronson Ross from

Coventry R.F.C. Coventry Rugby Football Club is a professional rugby union club based in Coventry, England. The club enjoyed great success during the 1960s and 70s, with many players representing their countries. Coventry's home ground is the Butts Park Arena, ...

Players out (Season 2013/2014)

* Niall O'Connor to Jersey R.F.C. *

Nigel Brady Nigel Brady (born 9 October 1979) is an Irish former rugby union footballer. He made his debut for Ulster in 2002. As of January 13, 2010, Brady has capped 65 times for Ulster and was re-signed for a two-year contract extension in 2010. Because ...

Stade Aurillacois Stade Aurillacois Cantal Auvergne (commonly known as Aurillac) is a French professional rugby union club that was founded in 1904 and currently play in the Rugby Pro D2, the second division of French rugby. Aurillac`s home matches are mostly play ...

Ali Birch Ali Birch (born 13 October 1988) is an Irish rugby union coach and former player. He played at flanker, for Ulster and Rotherham Titans professionally, and at amateur level for Dungannon RFC and City of Armagh RFC. After retiring as a player fol ...

Adam D'Arcy Adam D'Arcy is an Australian former rugby union player who played fullback professionally for Ulster and Bristol. Originally from Sydney, Australia, D'Arcy was educated at St Joseph's College, Hunters Hill, and played club rugby in the Shute Sh ...

* Blane McIlroy (released)

Academy squad

Heineken Cup

Pool 5

Quarter-final

Pro12

Semi-final

End-of-season awards

Ulster and Connacht jointly won the Fair Play award. Wing

and lock Johann Muller were named in the Pro12 Dream Team.

Ulster Ravens

British and Irish Cup

Pool 6

Home attendance

Ulster Rugby Awards

The Ulster Rugby Awards ceremony was held at the

Europa Hotel, Belfast The Europa Hotel is a four-star hotel in Great Victoria Street, Belfast, Northern Ireland. It is known as the "most bombed hotel in Europe" and the "most bombed hotel in the world" after having suffered 36 bomb attacks during the Troubles. Hi ...

, on 5 May 2014. Winners were:Richard Mulligan, "Trimble celebrates hat-trick", ''News Letter'', 5 May 2014 *Bank of Ireland Ulster Player of the Year:

*Heineken Ulster Rugby Personality of the Year: Johann Muller *BT Young Player of the Year: Paddy Jackson *Rugby Writers Player of the Year:

*Ulster Rugby Supporters Club Player of the Year:

*Abbey Insurance Academy Player of the Year:

Stuart McCloskey Stuart McCloskey (born 6 August 1992) is an Irish professional rugby union player who plays centre for Ulster Rugby, and has six caps for Ireland. He has been Ulster's player of the year twice, and has twice been named on the Pro14 Dream Team. H ...

*Ulster Carpets Youth Player of the Year: Adam McBurney *Danske Bank Ulster Schools Player of the Year:

Jacob Stockdale Jacob Stockdale (born 3 April 1996) is an Irish professional rugby union player who currently plays for Ulster and for Ireland. He plays on the wing or at fullback. He holds the record for tries scored in a single Six Nations Championship, scori ...

, Wallace High

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Ulster 2013-14 2013–14 in Irish rugby union 2013–14 Pro12 by team 2013–14 Heineken Cup by team