Ulster Rugby vs Leicester Tigers

IRFU ULSTER BRANCH

PRESIDENT’S WELCOME

OFFICERS John Kinnear // President Bobby Stewart // Senior Vice President John McKibbin // Junior Vice President John McKibbin // Honorary Secretary Michael Boyd // Honorary Treasurer Denis Gardiner // Competitions Secretary EXECUTIVE TEAM Shane Logan // Chief Executive Chris Webster // Domestic Rugby Manager Audrey Robinson // Financial Controller Fiona Hampton // Head of Sales & Marketing

It gives me great pleasure to welcome you here to Kingspan Stadium for this European Rugby Champions Cup match against Leicester Tigers.

I would particularly like to welcome the President Paul Dodge, wife Julie, Chief Executive Simon Cohen, board members, players and supporters from Leicester. We are delighted to be hosting you this evening and you are very welcome in Belfast. The Tigers have a rich history of success and this most famous of clubs has produced some of the greatest players to have ever taken to the rugby field. That tradition exists to this day and with squad members like Ben Youngs, Geoff Parling, Matthew Tait and Tom Croft, Ulster will have to be at their very best if they are to get the result. It has been a hugely unfortunate season so far for Ulster with injuries. With players like Andrew Trimble, Ruan Pienaar, Chris Henry, Luke Marshall, Dan Tuohy and Nick Williams all either out or having been out, the team has struggled in this season’s European Champions Cup. The news got even worse this week when we learned that Paddy Jackson and Stuart Olding will be on the sidelines for up to 12 weeks with elbow injuries and that Louis Ludik won’t play until late February with a broken rib. However, one thing that can’t be taken away is pride. Last weekend we saw a side depleted by injury and by

squad rotation, go to the home of the two-time European Champions and put in a heroic effort. Yes, they may have conceded 60 points but to have a backline with three scrumhalves competing against Bastareaud, Mitchell and Habana and still score four tries, was nothing short of remarkable. Such qualities will have to be on display again this evening and I want to wish Ulster good luck – especially Iain Henderson who we welcome back into the team after a long lay off. Since we have last played the 2015 Danske Bank Schools’ Cup has begun in earnest. Best wishes to every schoolboy taking part in this season’s competition. Finally, if you are free on Saturday 31st January, why not head to Portadown RFC where Bangor will take on Dundalk in the All Ireland Junior Cup Final? It should be a fantastic match – good luck to Bangor and hopefully they will be celebrating this time next week. As always thank you for your support and Stand up for the Ulstermen.

Kingspan Stadium, 85 Ravenhill Park, Belfast, BT6 0DG T // +44 (0)28 9049 3222 ulsterrugby.com

Yours in Rugby,

John Kinnear // President IRFU (Ulster Branch)

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ULSTER RUGBY