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1999–2000 Ulster Rugby Season
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 European Rugby Champions Cup, Heineken Cup and the IRFU Interprovincial Championship. Ahead of the new season, Williams signed Paddy Johns, Simon Best, Niall Malone, Tyrone Howe, Spencer Bromley and Riaz Fredericks to full-time contracts. Mark McCall 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 (rugby union), 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 lea ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Ravenhill Stadium
Ravenhill Stadium (known as the Kingspan Stadium for sponsorship reasons until June 2025) is a rugby stadium located in Belfast, Northern Ireland. It is the home of Ulster Rugby. With the opening of a new stand for the 2014 Heineken Cup quarter-final against Saracens F.C., Saracens on 5 April 2014, the capacity of the stadium is now 18,196. The stadium is owned by the Irish Rugby Football Union. History Ravenhill Stadium opened in 1923. It features an ornate arch at the entrance that was erected as a war memorial for those players killed in World War I and World War II. Prior to 1923, both Ulster and Ireland played games at the Royal Ulster Agricultural Society grounds in Belfast. Ravenhill has been the annual venue for the Ulster Schools Cup final since 1924, which is traditionally contested on St Patrick's Day. The stadium is traditionally the venue for the Ulster Towns Cup, played on Easter Monday. Ravenhill has hosted 18 international matches, including pool games in both ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Celtic League (rugby Union)
The United Rugby Championship (URC) is an annual rugby union competition involving professional teams from Ireland, Italy, Scotland, South Africa, and Wales. For sponsorship reasons the league is known as the Vodacom United Rugby Championship in South Africa, and the BKT United Rugby Championship in the competition's other territories, the split branding mirroring the format previously adopted in Super Rugby. The Championship represents the highest level of domestic club or franchise rugby in each of its constituent countries. The Championship is one of the three major professional leagues in Europe (along with the English Premiership and the French Top 14), the most successful teams from which go forward to compete in the highest-level continental club competitions, the European Rugby Champions Cup and Challenge Cup. Since 2022–23 South African teams have been eligible to qualify for European competitions. Name The tournament has had a number of names as it has grown, bot ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
