Ulster
Ulster (; ga, Ulaidh or ''Cúige Uladh'' ; sco, label=Ulster Scots, Ulstèr or ''Ulster'') is one of the four traditional Irish provinces. It is made up of nine counties: six of these constitute Northern Ireland (a part of the United Kin ...
's 21st season since the advent of professionalism in rugby union, and their first under Director of Rugby
Les Kiss
Les Kiss (born 9 December 1964) is an Australian professional rugby union coach who is the head coach of London Irish in the Gallagher Premiership. He is a former professional rugby league footballer who played in the Brisbane Rugby League and ...
European Rugby Champions 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 ...
.
New signings for this season included out-half Ian Humphreys, returning from his spell at
London Irish
London Irish RFC is a professional rugby union club which competes in the Premiership, the top division of English rugby union. The club has also competed in the Anglo-Welsh Cup, the European Champions Cup and European Challenge Cup. While ...
, lock
Franco van der Merwe
Franco van der Merwe (born 15 March 1983 in Paarl) is a South African rugby union footballer. His regular playing position is lock, although he can also operate as a flanker. Previous clubs include Irish side Ulster in the Pro12, London Irish ...
, flanker
Sean Reidy
Sean Reidy (born 10 May 1989) is a New Zealand-born Irish rugby union player who played flanker for Ulster Rugby from 2014 to 2022, and has two caps for Ireland.
Born in Auckland, New Zealand,Brendan Crossan"Century man Sean Reidy ready fo ...
and fullback
Louis Ludik
Louis Ludik (born 8 October 1986) is a South African rugby union player who played for Ulster Rugby
Ulster Rugby is one of the four professional provincial rugby union, rugby teams from the island of Ireland. They compete in the United Rug ...
.
Rory Best
Rory David Best (born 15 August 1982) is an Irish former rugby union player from Northern Ireland and was the captain of the Ireland national team from 2016 to 2019. He played hooker for Ulster and was registered for Banbridge RFC, having pr ...
was reinstated as captain, following the retirement of Johann Muller at the end of the previous season.
In June 2014, David Humphreys left his post as the province's Director of Rugby, joining
English Premiership
The Premier League (legal name: The Football Association Premier League Limited) is the highest level of the men's English football league system. Contested by 20 clubs, it operates on a system of promotion and relegation with the English Foo ...
side
Gloucester
Gloucester ( ) is a cathedral city and the county town of Gloucestershire in the South West of England. Gloucester lies on the River Severn, between the Cotswolds to the east and the Forest of Dean to the west, east of Monmouth and east of t ...
. Later that month, head coach Mark Anscombe also left the province "with immediate effect". assistant coach
Les Kiss
Les Kiss (born 9 December 1964) is an Australian professional rugby union coach who is the head coach of London Irish in the Gallagher Premiership. He is a former professional rugby league footballer who played in the Brisbane Rugby League and ...
filled the role of Director of Rugby on an interim basis. In October 2014, Kiss returned to his position with the Ireland team, with Neil Doak taking the role of head coach. Kiss would return to his role with Ulster on a full-time basis following the 2015 World Cup. Bryn Cunningham was appointed the new team manager, responsible for recruiting players and negotiating contracts."Cunningham appointed new team manager", ''News Letter'', 31 October 2014 Defence coach Jonny Bell left to become assistant coach at
Gloucester
Gloucester ( ) is a cathedral city and the county town of Gloucestershire in the South West of England. Gloucester lies on the River Severn, between the Cotswolds to the east and the Forest of Dean to the west, east of Monmouth and east of t ...
, replaced by
Joe Barakat
Joe Barakat (born 23 February 1963) is an Australian rugby union Coach. He has just returned home from two years in Japan as a forwards and defense coach for the NTT Communications Shining Arcs in Tokyo, Japan after an extensive national and int ...
.
Ulster entered the season with their home stadium, Ravenhill, redeveloped, with the stadium's capacity having been increased to 18,196, and renamed the
Kingspan Stadium
Kingspan Group plc is a building materials company based in Ireland trading in over 70 countries with 159 factories employing over 15,000 people. The company operates with five divisions; Insulated Panels, Insulation, Light & Air, Water & Energy ...
after its sponsor.
Ulster finished fourth in the Pro12, qualifying for the semi-finals and next season's Champions Cup. They lost the semi-final to
Glasgow Warriors
Glasgow Warriors are a professional rugby union side from Scotland. The team plays in the United Rugby Championship league and in the European Professional Club Rugby tournaments. In the 2014–15 season they won the Pro12 title and became t ...
. Ulster led the league in scrums. Franco van der Merwe and wing
Craig Gilroy
Craig Gilroy (born 11 March 1991) is an Irish rugby union player who wing for Ulster, and is a former Ireland international. he was Ulster's player of the year in 2014–15, and was named in the Pro12 Dream Team twice.
Born in Bangor, County D ...
and made the Pro12 Dream Team, and Gilroy's try against
Scarlets
The Scarlets () are one of the four professional Welsh rugby union teams and are based in Llanelli, Wales. Their home ground is the Parc y Scarlets stadium. They play in the United Rugby Championship and the European Rugby Champions Cup (which ...
was named Try of the Year. They finished third in their pool in the Champions Cup. Scrum-half
Ruan Pienaar
Ruan Pienaar (born 10 March 1984) is a South African professional rugby union player who currently plays either as a scrum-half or as a fly-half for the in the Currie Cup.
Pienaar is the son of former Springbok fullback Gysie Pienaar. Ruan ...
was Ulster's top scorer with 121 points. Craig Gilroy was top try scorer with twelve, and was named Ulster's Player of the Year.
Ulster's second team, the Ulster Ravens, competed in the
British and Irish Cup
The British and Irish Cup was an annual rugby union competition for second tier, semi-professional clubs and the reserves or developing teams from professional clubs from Great Britain and Ireland. It took place for the first time in the 2 ...
, finishing third in their pool.
Prop Declan Fitzpatrick retired at the end of the season.
Ballynahinch Ballynahinch may refer to:
Northern Ireland
* Ballynahinch, County Armagh, a townland
*Ballynahinch, County Down, a town
Republic of Ireland
* Ballynahinch (barony), in County Galway
*Ballynahinch, County Galway, a townland in County Galway
* Ball ...
*
Tim Boys
Tim Boys (b. in Oamaru, New Zealand) is a New Zealand rugby union player that plays provincial rugby for Southland, and is in the Super Rugby team the Crusaders (rugby union).
Career
Boys first played for Otago
Otago (, ; mi, Ōtāko ...
Wiehahn Herbst
Wiehahn Jovan Herbst (born 5 July 1988) is a South African rugby union player for the Tel Aviv Heat in Rugby Europe Super Cup. His regular playing position is prop and he previously played for the in Super Rugby and the Currie Cup, and for Iris ...
London Irish
London Irish RFC is a professional rugby union club which competes in the Premiership, the top division of English rugby union. The club has also competed in the Anglo-Welsh Cup, the European Champions Cup and European Challenge Cup. While ...
Louis Ludik
Louis Ludik (born 8 October 1986) is a South African rugby union player who played for Ulster Rugby
Ulster Rugby is one of the four professional provincial rugby union, rugby teams from the island of Ireland. They compete in the United Rug ...
from
Agen
The commune of Agen (, ; ) is the prefecture of the Lot-et-Garonne department in Nouvelle-Aquitaine, southwestern France. It lies on the river Garonne southeast of Bordeaux.
Geography
The city of Agen lies in the southwestern department of ...
Brumbies
The ACT Brumbies (known from 2005–2022 as simply the Brumbies) is an Australian professional rugby union team based in Canberra, Australian Capital Territory (ACT), The team competes in Super Rugby and named for the feral horses which inhab ...
*
Sean Reidy
Sean Reidy (born 10 May 1989) is a New Zealand-born Irish rugby union player who played flanker for Ulster Rugby from 2014 to 2022, and has two caps for Ireland.
Born in Auckland, New Zealand,Brendan Crossan"Century man Sean Reidy ready fo ...
Clive Ross
Clive Ross (born 14 June 1989) is a former Irish rugby union player who was educated at Midleton College and played for Ulster as a flanker until 2020.
Ulster
Ross joined Ulster in Summer 2014 after playing for two seasons at Lansdowne Lansdo ...
Zebre
Zebre Parma (, meaning " Zebras") are an Italian professional rugby union team competing in the United Rugby Championship and EPCR competitions from the 2012–13 season. They are based in Parma ( Emilia-Romagna), Italy. They are operated b ...
*
Michael Stanley
Michael Stanley (born Michael Stanley Gee; March 25, 1948 – March 5, 2021) was an American singer-songwriter, musician, radio and television personality. Both as a solo artist and with the Michael Stanley Band (MSB), his brand of heartland r ...
Franco van der Merwe
Franco van der Merwe (born 15 March 1983 in Paarl) is a South African rugby union footballer. His regular playing position is lock, although he can also operate as a flanker. Previous clubs include Irish side Ulster in the Pro12, London Irish ...
from
Promoted from academy
* Conor Joyce
*
Kyle McCall
Kyle McCall (born 2 January 1992) is an Irish professional rugby union player who played for Ulster
Ulster (; ga, Ulaidh or ''Cúige Uladh'' ; sco, label= Ulster Scots, Ulstèr or ''Ulster'') is one of the four traditional Irish provin ...
Andrew Warwick
Andrew Warwick is an Irish rugby union player who plays loosehead prop for Ulster Rugby.
He started out playing for Ballymena in the All-Ireland League, while working as a lorry driver for his father's engineering firm. He was involved with Uls ...
Players out
*
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 Hi ...
to
Gloucester
Gloucester ( ) is a cathedral city and the county town of Gloucestershire in the South West of England. Gloucester lies on the River Severn, between the Cotswolds to the east and the Forest of Dean to the west, east of Monmouth and east of t ...
Worcester Warriors
Worcester Warriors Rugby Football Club is a professional rugby union club, based in Worcester, England, that is currently in administration and which has been suspended and will be relegated from Premiership Rugby, the top division of domestic ...
*
Chris Cochrane
Chris Cochrane (born 18 December 1988) is an Irish former professional rugby union player, who played wing for Ulster Rugby from 2008 to 2014.
He was educated at Coleraine Academical Institution, leaving in 2007.Tom Court to
London Irish
London Irish RFC is a professional rugby union club which competes in the Premiership, the top division of English rugby union. The club has also competed in the Anglo-Welsh Cup, the European Champions Cup and European Challenge Cup. While ...
Brumbies
The ACT Brumbies (known from 2005–2022 as simply the Brumbies) is an Australian professional rugby union team based in Canberra, Australian Capital Territory (ACT), The team competes in Super Rugby and named for the feral horses which inhab ...
*
Chris Farrell
Christopher Robert Eric Farrell (born 16 March 1993) is an Irish rugby union player for United Rugby Championship and Champions Cup side Munster and, internationally, for Ireland. He plays as a centre and represents Young Munster in the All-I ...
to
Grenoble
lat, Gratianopolis
, commune status = Prefecture and commune
, image = Panorama grenoble.png
, image size =
, caption = From upper left: Panorama of the city, Grenoble’s cable cars, place Saint- ...
Adam Macklin
Adam Macklin (born 26 July 1989) from Belfast is a rugby union footballer. He previously played at the position of prop for the Houston SaberCats of Major League Rugby.
Early life
Macklin lived in County Antrim in Northern Ireland. He was ed ...
to
Rotherham Titans
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 t ...
*
Paddy McAllister
Paddy McAllister (born 20 July 1989) is an Irish rugby union player and coach who played professionally as a prop for Ulster, Aurillac, Gloucester and Connacht.
Born in Lisburn, Northern Ireland, McAllister grew up in the Democratic Republic o ...
to
Aurillac
Aurillac (; oc, Orlhac ) is the prefecture of the Cantal department, in the Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes region of France. The inhabitants of the commune are known as ''Aurillacois'' or ''Aurillacoises''.
Geography
Aurillac is at above sea le ...
* David McIlwaine to
Yorkshire Carnegie
Leeds Tykes (formerly Leeds RUFC, Leeds Carnegie and Yorkshire Carnegie) is an English rugby union club in Leeds, West Yorkshire, England, playing in the National League 1.
The club was founded as Headingley FC, but renamed in 1991 when it ...
* James McKinney to
Rotherham Titans
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 t ...
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 ...
David Busby
David Busby (born 3 February 1994) is an Irish rugby union player, currently playing for the Seattle Seawolves in Major League Rugby. He plays as a wing or fullback.
Busby was born in Portadown, Northern Ireland and attended Portadown Col ...
* Michael Lagan
* Craig Trenier
* Paul Jackson
* Alex Thimpson
* Joshua Atkinson
* Lorcan Dow
* Frank Taggart
* Connor Young
* Sean O'Hagan
Players out
* Jack Caulfield
European Rugby Champions Cup
Pool 3
Pro12
Semi-final
End of season awards
Wing
Craig Gilroy
Craig Gilroy (born 11 March 1991) is an Irish rugby union player who wing for Ulster, and is a former Ireland international. he was Ulster's player of the year in 2014–15, and was named in the Pro12 Dream Team twice.
Born in Bangor, County D ...
and lock
Franco van der Merwe
Franco van der Merwe (born 15 March 1983 in Paarl) is a South African rugby union footballer. His regular playing position is lock, although he can also operate as a flanker. Previous clubs include Irish side Ulster in the Pro12, London Irish ...
made the Pro12 Dream Team.
Ulster Ravens
British and Irish Cup
Pool 2
Home attendance
Ulster Rugby Awards
The Heineken Ulster Rugby Awards ceremony was held at the Culloden Estate and Spa, Holywood. Winners were:"Best, Gilroy And Cave Among The Ulster Award Winners" Irish Rugby, 1 May 2015
*Bank of Ireland Ulster Player of the Year:
Craig Gilroy
Craig Gilroy (born 11 March 1991) is an Irish rugby union player who wing for Ulster, and is a former Ireland international. he was Ulster's player of the year in 2014–15, and was named in the Pro12 Dream Team twice.
Born in Bangor, County D ...
*Heineken Ulster Rugby Personality of the Year:
Rory Best
Rory David Best (born 15 August 1982) is an Irish former rugby union player from Northern Ireland and was the captain of the Ireland national team from 2016 to 2019. He played hooker for Ulster and was registered for Banbridge RFC, having pr ...
*BT Young Player of the Year: Stuart McCloskey
*Rugby Writers Player of the Year:
Craig Gilroy
Craig Gilroy (born 11 March 1991) is an Irish rugby union player who wing for Ulster, and is a former Ireland international. he was Ulster's player of the year in 2014–15, and was named in the Pro12 Dream Team twice.
Born in Bangor, County D ...
*Ulster Rugby Supporters Club Player of the Year: Darren Cave
*Abbey Insurance Academy Player of the Year: Sammy Arnold
*Danske Bank Ulster Schools Player of the Year: Rob Lyttle