Ulster Rugby Annual Report 2016-17

This was a frustrating season for the Ulster U18 Schools squad with three out of four matches in the Inter Provincial Championship resulting in defeats of less than one score. Thanks go to all the staff for their input to the squad and for their mutual support at times of personal lows for individual members of the management. Thanks also to all the parents and family members who supported the players throughout the summer to get them to support Newforge and for their attendance at matches. Thanks also to all the coaches in schools for their work in developing the players over the years and for their patience in September when their best players are not available to their school. Finally, we offer a big thank you to our sponsors Danske Bank for their generosity. 26

Ulster’s final game of the series saw them make the trip to Galway. Connacht started the better of the two teams and led by 22-0 at half time. Both teams came out fired up at the resumption. Experience eventually told and Connacht added three more tries to their total. However, Peita McAlister and Amy Davis responded for Ulster to complete the scoring, Jemma Jackson converting McAllister’s effort. Ulster’s late revival denied Connacht their first Women’s Interprovincial title, Leinster pipping them to top spot on points difference. Final score Connacht 39-12 Ulster. While the results from the three games were disappointing, the Ulster team showed significant improvements across the series and with a little more luck could have registered the win that their efforts deserved. Most pleasing was the performances of the younger players, especially the five who had stepped up from the U18s who had won their Interprovincial series earlier in the season. GIRLS’ REPRESENTATIVE RUGBY Coaching Team: David Chambers / Zoe Templeton / Charlie Farrell Manager: Jemma Jackson This season’s IRFU decision to progress from a round- robin blitz format to a full Interprovincial Series at U18 Girls’ level was a much-anticipated and very welcome one. The Ulster U18 girls proved they were ready for the challenge by winning the inaugural series in Grand Slam style securing three wins out of three over their Provincial opponents. On Saturday 17th September Ulster defeated Leinster 10-5 at Armagh RFC. The Ulster Girls made it two wins from two as they accrued 34 points to Connacht’s 5 at Buccaneers RFC on Sunday 25th September. The final day of the series was played at Westmanstown RFC in Dublin on Saturday 1st October where Ulster faced Munster. Our girls completed a clean sweep with a hard fought 20-8 victory to ensure Ulster was the first name to be etched into the new silverware. The squad of twenty four was made up of players from several clubs throughout Ulster including Armagh, Ballynahinch, Clogher Valley, Dungannon, Enniskillen, Malone, Monaghan and Virginia. Of those twenty four players, Ellie Ingram, Ellie Rix, Bethany McDowell, Britney Hogan and Claire Boles have represented the U18 Combined Provinces three of whom, Ellie Rix, Britney Hogan and Claire Boles going on to represent Ireland at U18 level. Claire Boles has since gone on to represent the Ireland Senior 7s Development Squad who participated in the Dubai 7s in November. Having turned 18 in time to make them eligible for selection, five of the U18 squad made their debuts for the Ulster Senior Women’s Squad in December. The individual progress of Vicky Irwin, Hannah Beattie, Britney Hogan, Leah McGoldrick and Storm Cobain, allied to the combined achievements of the squad in general is the culmination of three years’ hard work by the players and dedicated coaches. The Ulster Branch would like to thank Jonathan Gillespie,

ULSTER WOMEN’S XV Head Coach: Philip Doyle Assistant Coach: Jarret Truscott

Strength & Conditioning: Paul Heasley Managers: Kerry Spence / Adrian Walker Team Co-ordinator: Suzanne Hamilton

Preparation for the 2016/17 inter-provincial series began during the summer with a series of screening weeks followed by a core training programme once again based at Portadown RFC. In mid- August the squad played a warm up game against Connacht at Enniskillen RFC. The extended squad saw a number of players being given their first opportunity at this level. Ulster won this game by 10-5 with tries coming from Kathryn Dane and Jordanne Booth. The first inter-provincial saw Ulster take on a very experienced Munster side at the Kingspan Stadium. For the majority of the game there was very little between the sides and it took twenty four minutes for the opening score of the game with Munster burrowing over from close range for a try. Ten minutes later Ulster opened their account through a Jemma Jackson penalty after a break by centre Claire McLaughlin. Munster extended their lead with a penalty to put them ahead 8-3 at the break. Ulster started the second half brightly with captain Gemma McCutcheon leading from the front, complemented by some fierce tackling from Ilse Van Staden and strong carrying by replacement Aishling O’Connell. While Ulster looked threatening throughout, they were unable to transfer the pressure to scoreboard points and it was Munster who scored next, running in a try in the final play of the game. While the visitors probably deserved the win, the score-line certainly didn’t reflect that this had been a very tough contest between two highly committed sides. The second game of the series was away to Leinster at Donnybrook where unfortunately the team fell to a heavy defeat as the home side ran in seven tries for a bonus point win. Leinster led 17-0 at half time and despite some heroic performances by the Ulster team, it was the experience of the international Leinster players which made the difference in the end as they ran out winners by 46-0.

IRFU ULSTER BRANCH ANNUAL REPORT & STATEMENT OF ACCOUNTS 2016/17

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