Ulster Rugby vs Llanelli Scarlets

OFFICIAL MATCH DAY PROGRAMME | PRICE £4.00

RUGBY VS SCARLETS Saturday 6th December 2014 - Kingspan Stadium - Kick Off 19.45

JACK KYLE 1926 - 2014

TwickenhamStadium 2ndMay K.O. 17:00

For more information visit TICKETS ON SALE

SHOW YOUR SUPPORT Good evening and welcome to another exciting Saturday evening at the Kingspan stadium.

Ulster take on Scarlets tonight in a crucial European Rugby Champions Cup game which is sure to have us on the edge of our seats! We extend a warm welcome to all the Scarlets fans that have travelled here to support their team and look forward to some top class rugby between the two sides. Ulster’s last home game on 21st November ended Ospreys’ 100 per cent record in this season’s Guinness Pro12 with a superb 25-16 victory in a rain swept Kingspan stadium. We look forward to another strong Ulster performance tonight! The Kingspan stadium is once again a fortress and it is where Ulster plays best thanks to the energy and support of the home fans. This season marks the 18th year of our proud association with Ulster Rugby and we remain committed to the team. At Bank of Ireland we stand together with the fans, sharing their passion and together we are all the driving force behind our Ulster Rugby team. Good Luck for the season ahead Ulster!

Sean Sheehan // Regional Director, NI Consumer and Small Business Bank of Ireland

Official sponsor of Ulster Rugby

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ULSTER RUGBY

GET EVEN CLOSER TO THE ACTION THIS SEASON

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 all here to Kingspan Stadium for this European Rugby Champions Cup match against Scarlets.

I would like to welcome in particular the directors, management, players, staff and supporters from Llanelli. I hope that you enjoy your time in Belfast. Tonight Ulster return to European competition after a mixed run of results in the Guinness PRO12. After convincing wins over Dragons and Ospreys, the province lost narrowly to interprovincial rivals Munster at Thomond Park last weekend. While the result was disappointing, the team showed great fight in the final ten minutes to be in with a shout of claiming the victory right at the end. Ulster know that they will have to return to winning ways this evening if they are to keep their hopes of progressing in this competition alive. It will be no easy task against a Scarlets side who proved against Ulster in the opening match of the season that they are more than a force to be reckoned with. Their win over Leicester Tigers also demonstrated their grit and determination to win. We want to wish The Ravens good luck this weekend as they take on Yorkshire Carnegie, still looking for

their first win in this season’s British and Irish Cup. In club rugby, congratulations to Malone and Ballynahinch who will compete in the First Trust Senior Cup final here at Kingspan Stadium next Wednesday night. Congratulations too to Instonians and Omagh who will contest the Millar McCall Wylie Junior Cup Final on Tuesday 16th December. Finally, it was with great sadness that we learned this week of the death of Jack Kyle aged 88. The word legend is often over used but it is a phrase entirely befitting Jack. He is regarded in Ireland and around the world as one of the greatest players of all time. A player, a doctor and a tireless fundraiser for charity in his latter years, his was a life well lived. We can be proud that he came from this province. Enjoy the match and stand up for

your Ulstermen! Yours in Rugby. John Kinnear // President IRFU (Ulster Branch)

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

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ULSTER RUGBY

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CREATED 2 PERFORM

EPCR WELCOME

On the commercial front, EPCR’s tournaments have already established a solid foundation on which to build. The TV platform is providing even more exposure for the tournaments as well as increased revenues for the professional club game. All 10 Champions Cup games are now broadcast each weekend in the UK, France and Ireland by our partners, BT Sport, Sky Sports, beIN Sports and France Televisions, while Sky Italia are covering games in Italy. Fans outside of Europe also have the opportunity to enjoy the tournaments with IMG distributing the rights through a network of partners in established and emerging rugby markets. Our thanks to Heineken, a long-standing supporter of European club rugby, who are a founding partner of the new tournaments, and also to GILBERT, our official ball supplier, and to Canterbury who provide apparel for match officials. This season, as we celebrate 20 years of European club rugby, we hope fans from across Europe will engage with the EPCRugby.com digital platforms which include YouTube and Google+ as new tournament digital partners. Finally, I would like to wish this evening’s teams every success for these vital back-to-back fixtures and for the remainder of the season which will culminate in the London 2015 finals weekend next May. Jacques Pineau // EPCR Director General

Following an exciting opening to the inaugural European Rugby Champions Cup and the European Rugby Challenge Cup, the pool stages of both tournaments are set to gain further momentum with the key Round 3 and 4 back-to-back fixtures. On behalf of tournament organiser, EPCR, I am delighted to welcome you to this evening’s match and I would like to thank all clubs, coaches, players and supporters who have embraced the new competitions. Together, we can look forward with confidence to a bright future for European professional club rugby and I particularly want to acknowledge the commitment of fans across Europe - your continued support is greatly appreciated. The new Champions Cup and Challenge Cup tournaments are built on the rich heritage of 19 years of outstanding competition generated by the Heineken Cup and the old Challenge Cup. The enhanced and streamlined formats mean that the clubs in both tournaments qualify for the first time solely on merit from their respective domestic leagues - the Aviva Premiership, the Top 14 and the Guinness PRO12 - or through a play-off series. With 20 clubs competing in five pools, the Champions Cup is truly elite and the back-to- back fixtures promise to deliver a unique cutting edge to the pool stage, while the Challenge Cup, with 18 clubs qualifying directly from Europe’s three main leagues, is now more competitive than ever. The Challenge Cup will also provide opportunities for emerging clubs to compete alongside some of Europe’s best through a play-off series which will expand in the seasons ahead.

Get closer to rugby No one sees the game like The Sunday Times. Our insightful commentary, expert analysis and unrivalled team of writers — Stuart Barnes,Peter O’Reilly, Stephen Jones and DenisWalsh will bring you closer to the action. Get more from the season with The Sunday Times.

Official Partner of the European Rugby Champions Cup

TONIGHT’S MASCOTS

MASCOTS

AIMEE MORROW (7) Aimee attends Wallace High School Prep. She enjoys reading, music, dance, swimming and sport. Aimee is actively involved in the Girls’ Brigade and Rainbow Guides and is currently learning to play the guitar. Her favourite Ulster Rugby players are Chris Henry, Rory Best, Andrew Trimble and Tommy Bowe.

ISABELLE JOHNSTON (9) Isabelle is nine years old and attends Harding Memorial Primary School. She plays mini rugby at Malone RFC and also enjoys cooking, art and gymnastics. Isabelle’s favourite Ulster player is Chris Henry and when she grows up she would like to own a cake shop.

HIRE THE OFFICIAL ULSTER RUGBY COACH

#SUFTUM

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£ 3 .50 METRO DAY TICKET*

£ 3 NIRAILWAYS PLUSBUS** METRO TICKET

Competitive rates on modern coach travel Hire is subject to availability

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* To and From Game, plus onward Metro Travel. **PlusBus must be purchased at same time as NIRailways Adult single or return ticket. Bus ticket available from driver (cash only). No other ticket types/passes accepted.

For more details visit translink.co.uk/ulsterrugby 26 December KO 1845

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ULSTER RUGBY

JACK KYLE OBE A TALENT WHICH KEPT ON GIVING

Dapper, smiling, and waving rather self-consciously to the throng, Jack Kyle stood suitably alone on a balcony as, on a fresh April evening this year, the packed Kingspan Stadium was formally opened.

JACK KYLE

Below on the pitch stood some of Ulster’s most illustrious players, but it was surely right that, looking down upon them and across the pitch he had so often adorned, the diminutive figure of Ireland’s most distinguished performer should force heads to turn, and for the big new screens to fill with his benevolent image. On Friday of last week the most supreme out-half of his and any generation, a man of great achievement in medicine, a learned and wise counsel to all who had the privilege to be in his presence, took his leave. At 88 years young Jack Kyle had lived a life so full and selfless that most of us can only remain in awe of an athlete and intellect, a humility and generosity which rarely are found combined in one human being. In the past week tributes have been flooding the airwaves and filling acres of newsprint, and it is testament to the character of Jack Wilson Kyle, born in 1926 in Belfast, that what has been said to honour him was quite properly said when he lived so vibrantly amongst us.

Statistics and accolades can hint at the nature of a person, but Jack – or Jackie – Kyle lived a life which was marked by the old-fashioned virtues he found so instinctive and we all admired and valued. He was so thoroughly decent and honest in all his dealings, and in his very carriage we saw someone who had walked life’s path with a smile on his face, and who found in everyone something worth cherishing. Perhaps it was his calling and training as a doctor which added lustre to a wondrous set of sporting skills and rounded a character of real depth and integrity. Jack Kyle wore his many talents lightly, but he was as conscientious as he was self-conscious about the plaudits he gathered either as a Grand Slam-winning out-half in 1948, or as a surgeon in the outer reaches of the Far East and later, most publicly, in Africa. When news came last weekend to the modest town of Chingola in Zambia of the passing of ‘Dr Jack’ the sense of loss was as keen as it was in his beloved Province, and in every corner of the world where

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he’d elegantly, forensically, wielded an oval ball or surgical scalpel. To say that he was loved in Chingola is too small a commentary on the status and affection he enjoyed in the 34 years he lived there until he retired in his mid-70s in 2000. He was not known there as Ireland’s Greatest Player – as a 2002 IRFU poll decided – but as the man of medicine who not only healed but bound a whole community. Yes, he did pioneering work in the hospital he helped get built and staff, but he and his young family were members of that community, one reliant economically on the copper mines but a melting pot of native Africans and other ‘blow ins’ which generated a very special sense of belonging. Jack Kyle encouraged that, he was pivotal in creating that, and his legacy to, and in, Zambia lives vividly on, and on his last visit in 2007 he was embraced literally and metaphorically as the ‘father’ of that community. Yes, he faced challenging illnesses in initially spartan conditions, but every man, woman or child, of whatever hue, entrusted themselves to someone of huge spiritual wealth and a simple humanity which was only enhanced by his reputation as an outstanding clinician. Of course, Irish rugby has lost its greatest ambassador and its finest player, but such was his talent, his reputation and legend will live on as vividly as it did in life. At Belfast Royal Academy he first showed the wizardry which was to enchant and

In the professional game, of which he was an avowed student and of whose best players he was so gracious with his praise and his advice, he would have been a centurion. Tales abound of his exploits on and off the pitch with Jimmy Nelson, Bill McKay, Tony O’Reilly, Karl Mullen and so many more great ‘names’, but they were of a generation in which great sacrifice in terms of time and careers were made, happily. Inquiring minds were exercised through the game at which they excelled, and none was more inquisitive than Kyle. He read prodigiously throughout his life, and would quote the great Irish writers often. He adored Yeats, smiled with Wilde, and Rudyard Kipling – perhaps unsurprisingly for a man who would ply his professional trade in a colonial age – was sprinkled through many of the conversations he never appeared to want to end. Of the more recent vintage of players Brian O’Driscoll was a favourite, but he saw much of himself and his attacking, ambitious approach to rugby in David Humphreys, and before that in the stupendous Mike Gibson. They would become devotees of the great man, he regarded them as friends with values he shared and as superlative players. Back in Ireland he settled in the foothills of the Mournes, a handy mid-iron from his beloved Royal County Down, and for the last fourteen years, and despite the real challenges of illness, he played nine holes, dressed as nattily as always. His celebrity baffled him, but he loved still to be associated with rugby. To the Queen’s University club, where his half-back partnership with Ernie his father safe passage and a seat – as Ireland bridged that 61-year-old gap with a Grand Slam in 2009. “It’s one of the most iconic images in rugby as Brian O’Driscoll, captain against Wales that day, ran over to embrace Kyle,” remembers Humphreys. ‘It says so much about the man that he was so happy that the new generation of players had emulated the achievements of the 1948 side. “I was privileged to get to know Jack Kyle outside of the game, and his thirst for knowledge, his sheer delight in the world around him, was truly affecting.” Humphreys was to break Kyle’s record of Irish ‘caps’ at out-half, and the warm congratulations of someone who was such a legend of rugby remains a vivid, unforgettable memory. Willie John McBride, who has a wealth of stories about the public and private Kyle, said last week that it took just two words to define “a gentleman: Jack Kyle” His four score years and eight were golden in so many ways, but he confronted deep personal concerns with a dignity and decency which will surprise no-one. He was devoted to the welfare of his daughter Justine and to Caleb, and to their children, to his sisters Betty, Brenda and Beatrice, and the wider family circle which held this elfin figure in such affectionate regard. Life really cannot afford to lose – and certainly it cannot forget – people who by word or deed touch the very soul. Jack Kyle would have been embarrassed by the eulogies paid over these last eight days, but they were sincere and they were honest. Just like Jack Kyle. Strathdee was first forged, he willingly gave his time and his endorsement, and a bursary bearing his name is a coveted prize for the youngsters of today. Famously he was in the Millennium Stadium – his son Caleb having secured

dazzle the sport, and it is appropriate that one of his most important influences had himself been a teenage prodigy, and an international while still a schoolboy at Portora. Dickie Lloyd saw in Kyle the spontaneity, the guile and the commitment which had made him a uniquely gifted sportsman. Lloyd captured the imagination of the early part of the 20th Century, and Jack would eclipse even his immortal status. Kyle’s standing in rugby never withered after his relatively early retirement, as he moved seamlessly into what he

considered the most important phase of his life as a doctor. But a Grand Slam, followed quickly by two Triple Crowns, a personally triumphant progress through New Zealand and Australia with the Lions of 1950, assured him of his place in the folklore of rugby. Alongside him so often for North of Ireland, Ulster and Ireland was the man-mountain centre who was Noel Henderson, another giant figure in the game. They were the firmest of friends and then the closest of brothers-in-law, after Noel married another international in the Kyle brood, hockey-playing Betty. The images are caught tantalisingly briefly on film of the wily, crafty Kyle carving through the tightest of defences, the ‘minder’ Henderson on his shoulder, a three-quarter of great gifts himself. Together, ‘the little and large’ of the Ulster and Irish game, provided club, Province and country with a remarkable balance and set of skills in midfield. For Jack Kyle an adventurous spirit flowed through his veins, and of course it was publicly demonstrated in his rugby. In the days when defences were allowed within feet of the opposition instinct, courage and an alert eye and twinkling feet saw him mesmerise foes from all corners of the planet. He loved the game for what it freed in his mind and in his body, but he was no slave to it, and friendships made and places visited were the bonuses for which he was so grateful. It’s astonishing in these days of international sides playing perhaps a dozen Tests each year that Jack retired his green jersey in 1958 with a world record 46 ‘caps’.

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ULSTER RUGBY

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Proud to be the Official Kit Supplier

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ROUND THREE PREVIEW

ULSTER RUGBY SCARLETS

HEAD TO HEAD

SATURDAY 6TH DECEMBER KICK-OFF AT 19:45 KINGSPAN STADIUM, BELFAST

MATCH FACTS:

• Ulster and Scarlets have met six times in Europe with Ulster unbeaten in the last two (W1, D1) however, Scarlets won all four games previously. • Apart from one draw, all but one of the games between the clubs have been won by a margin of 10 points or more. • Ulster’s Craig Gilroy has beaten 10 defenders in the tournament this season, with only Nick Abendanon (11) recording more. • Scarlets’ James Davies has won five turnovers in the tournament so far; only Steffon Armitage (7) has won more.

TEAM COMPARISON (TOURNAMENT RECORD*)

ULSTER RUGBY

SCARLETS

Played

119

119

Wins

58

59

Draws Losses

3

2

58

58

Total Points For Total Points Against

2504 2574

2720 2820

Total Tries For

224 265

281 309

Total Tries Against

*includes Champions Cup and Heineken Cup

POINTS SCORERS 2014/15

ULSTER RUGBY: PLAYER

SCARLETS: PLAYER

POINTS

POINTS

Paddy Jackson

16

Rhys Priestland John Barclay Steve Shingler Harry Robinson Kristian Phillips Aled Davies

8 5 5 5 5 5

Franco van der Merwe

5 5 5

Craig Gilroy Tommy Bowe

POOL THREE TABLE

pos team

pl

w

d

l

pf

pa diff

tf

ta

tb

lb

pts

1 RC Toulon 2 Scarlets

2 2 2 2

2 1 1 0

0

0

51 31 20

5 4 3

3 3 4 5

0 0 0 0

0 0 0 1

8 4 4 1

0 1 33 31 2

3 Leicester Tigers 4 Ulster Rugby

0 0

1 2

28 33 -5

31 48 -17 3

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ULSTER RUGBY

IT’S ALL COMING TO A HEAD

2 MINUTES CALLUM BLACK WITH

IN FOCUS

NICKNAME: Ronnie FAVOURITE SONG/ARTIST? Can’t Believe It: Flo Rida Feat. Pitbull CAN YOU COOK? Yes WHAT’S YOUR SIGNATURE DISH? Soup Du Jour LAST BOOK YOU READ? Da Vinci Code FAVOURITE TV SHOW? Californication IF YOUWEREN’T PLAYING RUGBY, WHAT WOULD YOU BE DOING? Superstar DJ DO YOU HAVE A PET? Yes, two Beagles

PET’S NAME? Roxy and Dessy

BEST IN TRAINING? Roger Wilson BEST MATE ON TEAM? Dan Tuohy SOFTEST? Marshy HARDEST? Smick (Mike McComish) QUICKEST? Pickles (Bronson Ross)

FUTURE MANAGER/COACH? Andy Warwick – Team Manager BEST NICKNAME? Hodor (Lewis Stevenson) BEST DANCER? Nick Williams or Pickles (Salsa dancing) BEST DRESSER? Tuohy BEST TEAMMATE TO FOLLOW ON TWITTER? Tuohy

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ULSTERRUGBY

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ULSTER RUGBY

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THE ULSTER RUGBY 2015 CALENDAR

IN SUPPORT OF

ON SALE NOW Price £10 with all proceeds going to our Official Charity Partner, Mencap Available from: • Ulster Rugby Ticket Office • Kukri Store, Kingspan Stadium and Victoria Square • Ticketmaster.ie (P&P additional)

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CLUB CUP FINALS 2014

CLUB RUGBY NEWS

FIRST TRUST SENIOR CUP FINAL: BALLYNAHINCH V MALONE WEDNESDAY 10TH DECEMBER 2014 AT 7.30PM KINGSPAN STADIUM

MILLAR MCCALL WYLIE JUNIOR CUP FINAL: INSTONIANS V OMAGH TUESDAY 16TH DECEMBER 2014 AT 7.30PM KINGSPAN STADIUM

UlsterBranch

TICKETS AVAILABLE ONLINE WWW.TICKETMASTER.CO.UK

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ULSTER RUGBY

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MALONE RFC BENEFIT FROM GRANTS WINDFALL OF £90,000

Malone RFC has recently completed refurbishment work to its clubhouse at Gibson Park as a result of grant funding.

CLUB RUGBY NEWS

The refurbished facilities are now fully operational, allowing the club’s members and the wider community to benefit from them. Malone secured grant funding from the Biffa Award totalling £42,000 to completely refurbish the shower areas and also secured £48,000 from the Alpha Programme for work to be undertaken in the club’s changing rooms and toilets. The funding has completely transformed the condition and usability of the facilities, creating a sustainable club that can appropriately cater for its current and ever growing user base including rugby participation (120 minis, four youth teams, five adult teams and girls and women’s rugby) and community engagement. Malone RFC Chairman, Patrick Baird, commented: “We are delighted that the Biffa Award and the Alpha Programme have provided essential monetary support for the realisation of this project. As a club, we are committed to the growth and sustainability of rugby union, building community development initiatives and creating a welcoming space that is suitable for the entire community to benefit from. We are certain that this project will support the continued development of our sporting activities within the community.

“Whilst the funding was essential for the work carried out, it couldn’t have taken place without the many hours of voluntary work that was put in by members of the club, especially my fellow executive members Mark Dowds and Roger Wort, who worked tirelessly alongside myself to ensure the project was a success.” IRFU (Ulster Branch) Domestic Rugby Committee Chairman, John Boyd said: “Rugby union in Ulster would not be the same without the hard work and dedication of the hundreds of volunteers involved at all levels of club rugby. I would like to congratulate Malone RFC and the hard working volunteers involved in this project and wish the club every success with its new facilities.” For further information on funding opportunities for you club, please contact: DAVID JOHNSTON (Club & Community Development Officer) Tel: 028 9049 3111 (ext 257) or email: david.johnston@ulsterrugby.com

BEFORE

UlsterBranch

AFTER

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ULSTER RUGBY

CHRIS HENRY

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ULSTERRUGBY

www.ulsterrugby.com

It is less than a month since Chris Henry suffered a blocked blood vessel in his brain, its just over a week since the Ulster and Ireland flanker underwent heart surgery to correct a defect in his heart wall. However, the 30 year-old is already back on the bike and doing light training as he begins the road back to playing. CHRIS HENRY: I FEEL INCREDIBLY LUCKY

“The only word to describe it is overwhelming,” he says. “For myself, my family and my girlfriend, the support really was incredible. Players, coaches, past players, fans, the Ulster Branch, the IRFU and the wider rugby community; to have had such brilliant support was overwhelming.” Now that he has had successful surgery and is back training, his next target is to get back on the pitch for Ulster and Ireland: “I’ve been told by doctors and especially my mother, to take things very slow, as you’d imagine! So I’m not rushing it but I want to get back, I’m determined to get back, and hopefully I will be before the end of this season. “We’ll have to take it week by week, month by month. I’ve got a month of light cardio work to do and then I’ll start ramping it up a bit in the gym and getting back amongst the team. For me it’s building blocks and small steps.” Rugby supporters from across the island of Ireland are just glad that it is when, not if, Chris will be back.

He says: “It’s been great to be back in amongst the boys. I haven’t been doing too much so far, I’ve just been on the bike for about 30 minutes each day but it’s great to be back in the environment, around the team and being in the mix with everybody.” While it was a worrying time for the back- row forward since the episode at the start of November, Chris is quick to praise the treatment and expert care he has received from both the IRFU and Ulster medical teams: “It’s been a scary few weeks to be honest but I feel very lucky that I was in that environment and getting such incredible medical expertise so quickly,” he says. “They got to the bottom of things swiftly and I think that’s the most important thing; when something like that happens, the unknown is the scary thing and to have clarity on what was going on and having the problem fixed so quickly - for me, I feel very lucky.” The other aspect of the past month that Chris is keen to highlight is the remarkable support that he has received from across the island of Ireland and beyond.

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ULSTER RUGBY

MICHAEL ALLEN

RICKY ANDREW

Centre/Wing 28.11.90 183cm 97kg 37 -

Fullback 02.12.89 185cm 87kg 20 -

POSITION BORN

POSITION BORN

HEIGHT WEIGHT ULSTER CAPS INT. CAPS

HEIGHT WEIGHT ULSTER CAPS INT. CAPS

RORY BEST (C)

CALLUM BLACK

TOMMY BOWE Hooker 15.08.82 180cm 110kg 160 78 ULSTER RUBGY POSITION BORN HEIGHT WEIGHT ULSTER CAPS INT. CAPS

Prop 25.02.86 180cm 110kg 68 -

POSITION BORN

HEIGHT WEIGHT ULSTER CAPS INT. CAPS

CHARLIE BUTTERWORTH

Wing 22.02.84 191cm 102kg 124 56

POSITION BORN

Back Row - 195cm 115kg 0 -

POSITION BORN

HEIGHT WEIGHT ULSTER CAPS INT. CAPS

HEIGHT WEIGHT ULSTER CAPS INT. CAPS

DARREN CAVE

ROBBIE DIACK

Centre 05.04.87 184cm 97kg 143 8 // 11A

Back Row 12.11.85 196cm 109kg 137 2 // 1A

POSITION BORN

POSITION BORN

HEIGHT WEIGHT ULSTER CAPS INT. CAPS

HEIGHT WEIGHT ULSTER CAPS INT. CAPS

DECLAN FITZPATRICK

CRAIG GILROY

Wing 11.03.91 183cm 90kg 93 6 // 1A

Prop 12.07.83 182cm 118kg 93 7 // 9A

POSITION BORN

POSITION BORN

HEIGHT WEIGHT ULSTER CAPS INT. CAPS

HEIGHT WEIGHT ULSTER CAPS INT. CAPS

MICHAEL HEANEY

IAIN HENDERSON

Scrumhalf 05.11.90 176cm 78kg 28 -

POSITION BORN

Back Row 21.02.92 200cm 115kg 40 12 // 2A

POSITION BORN

HEIGHT WEIGHT ULSTER CAPS INT. CAPS

HEIGHT WEIGHT ULSTER CAPS INT. CAPS

24

ULSTER RUGBY

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CHRIS HENRY

WIEHAHN HERBST

Back Row 17.10.84 191cm 105kg 126 16 // 10A

POSITION BORN

Prop 05.07.88 180cm 114kg 11 -

POSITION BORN

HEIGHT WEIGHT ULSTER CAPS INT. CAPS

HEIGHT WEIGHT ULSTER CAPS INT. CAPS

SQUAD 2014/15

ROB HERRING

IAN HUMPHREYS

Hooker 27.04.90 183cm 103kg 57 1 // 1A

Outhalf 24.04.82 178cm 85kg

POSITION BORN

POSITION BORN

HEIGHT WEIGHT ULSTER CAPS INT. CAPS

HEIGHT WEIGHT ULSTER CAPS INT. CAPS

92 7A

PADDY JACKSON

CONOR JOYCE

Outhalf 05.01.92 179cm 87kg 70 9 // 1A

POSITION BORN

Back Row 05.07.93 192cm 106kg 4 -

POSITION BORN

HEIGHT WEIGHT ULSTER CAPS INT. CAPS

HEIGHT WEIGHT ULSTER CAPS INT. CAPS

RICKY LUTTON

LOUIS LUDIK

Prop 26.02.86 183cm 115kg 23 -

POSITION BORN

Fullback 10.08.86 182cm 92kg 10 -

POSITION BORN

HEIGHT WEIGHT ULSTER CAPS INT. CAPS

HEIGHT WEIGHT ULSTER CAPS INT. CAPS

LUKE MARSHALL

PAUL MARSHALL

Centre 03.11.91 181cm 96kg 55 6

POSITION BORN

Scrumhalf 26.07.85 172cm 80kg 135 3 // 2A

POSITION BORN

HEIGHT WEIGHT ULSTER CAPS INT. CAPS

HEIGHT WEIGHT ULSTER CAPS INT. CAPS

STUART McCLOSKEY

KYLE McCALL

Centre - 195cm 105kg 11 -

POSITION BORN

Hooker 02.01.92 176cm 108kg 3 -

POSITION BORN

HEIGHT WEIGHT ULSTER CAPS INT. CAPS

HEIGHT WEIGHT ULSTER CAPS INT. CAPS

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ULSTER RUGBY

OFFICIAL CLOTHING PARTNER OF ULSTER RUGBY

NEIL McCOMB

MIKE McCOMISH

2nd Row 15.07.83 201cm 120kg 43 -

POSITION BORN

Back Row 07.12.83 190cm 106kg 41 -

POSITION BORN

HEIGHT WEIGHT ULSTER CAPS INT. CAPS

HEIGHT WEIGHT ULSTER CAPS INT. CAPS

SQUAD 2014/15

RUAIDHRI MURPHY

PETER NELSON

Fullback 05.10.92 180cm 84kg 16 -

Prop 05.07.87 187cm 115.5kg 3 -

POSITION BORN

POSITION BORN

HEIGHT WEIGHT ULSTER CAPS INT. CAPS

HEIGHT WEIGHT ULSTER CAPS INT. CAPS

STUART OLDING

JARED PAYNE

Outhalf 11.03.93 176cm 88kg 29 2

Fullback 13.10.85 186cm 97kg 54 1

POSITION BORN

POSITION BORN

HEIGHT WEIGHT ULSTER CAPS INT. CAPS

HEIGHT WEIGHT ULSTER CAPS INT. CAPS

RUAN PIENAAR

SEAN REIDY

Scrumhalf 10.03.84 187cm 90kg 80 79 (SA)

POSITION BORN

Back Row 10.05.89 180cm 100kg 3 -

POSITION BORN

HEIGHT WEIGHT ULSTER CAPS INT. CAPS

HEIGHT WEIGHT ULSTER CAPS INT. CAPS

BRONSON ROSS

CLIVE ROSS

Prop 16.09.85 183cm 118kg 5 -

Back Row 14.06.89 192cm 104kg 5 -

POSITION BORN

POSITION BORN

HEIGHT WEIGHT ULSTER CAPS INT. CAPS

HEIGHT WEIGHT ULSTER CAPS INT. CAPS

DAVE RYAN

RORY SCHOLES

Prop

POSITION BORN

Wing 24.04.93 186cm 95kg 5 -

POSITION BORN

183cm 116kg 0 -

HEIGHT WEIGHT ULSTER CAPS INT. CAPS

HEIGHT WEIGHT ULSTER CAPS INT. CAPS

27

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ULSTER RUGBY

“I’ve noticed that, even getting a taxi! Thewit, thewelcome & the gentle banter of every individual.” LiamO’Maonlai, Dublin

As Liam discovered in Derry~Londonderry, Northern Ireland is famous for its warm welcome. We think it has a lot to do with the culture, creativity and craic bubbling up on every city corner. Come and experience it. Book a short break to Derry for a historical walking tour of Ireland’smost completeWalled City, or tune into the music and atmosphere in one of the pubs. Then head to Belfast and explore the artistic Cathedral Quarter’s art venues, bars and award-winning restaurants. Fromunbelievablehistory to creativehotspots, Northern Ireland’s culture cities are out of the ordinary...

Peace Bridge, Derry~Londonderry

JAMES SIMPSON

LEWIS STEVENSON

2nd Row 03.11.90 197cm 115kg 1 -

2nd Row 01.06.84 200cm 116kg

POSITION BORN

POSITION BORN

HEIGHT WEIGHT ULSTER CAPS INT. CAPS

HEIGHT WEIGHT ULSTER CAPS INT. CAPS

71 1A

SQUAD 2014/15

ANDREW TRIMBLE

DAN TUOHY

Wing 20.10.84 187cm 99kg 188 57 // 3A

POSITION BORN

2nd Row 18.06.85 197cm 115kg 113 9 // 4A

POSITION BORN

HEIGHT WEIGHT ULSTER CAPS INT. CAPS

HEIGHT WEIGHT ULSTER CAPS INT. CAPS

FRANCO VAN DER MERWE

ANDREW WARWICK

2nd Row 15.03.83 198cm 115kg 11 -

Prop 12.03.91 180cm 111kg 15 -

POSITION BORN

POSITION BORN

HEIGHT WEIGHT ULSTER CAPS INT. CAPS

HEIGHT WEIGHT ULSTER CAPS INT. CAPS

NICK WILLIAMS

ROGER WILSON

Back Row 21.09.81 191cm 106kg 165 1 // 11 A

POSITION BORN

Back Row 02.12.83 189cm 122kg 51 -

POSITION BORN

HEIGHT WEIGHT ULSTER CAPS INT. CAPS

HEIGHT WEIGHT ULSTER CAPS INT. CAPS

ULSTER RUGBY SQUAD SEASON 2014/15

29

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ULSTER RUGBY

ULSTER RUG SATURDAY 6TH DECEMBER KICK O

Official sponsor of Ulster Rugby

15

1 2 3 4 5 6 7

LOUIS LUDIK

CALLUM BLACK

14 13 12 11 9 10

RORY BEST (C)

TOMMY BOWE

ULSTER RUGBY

WIEHAHN HERBST

DARREN CAVE

DAN TUOHY

STUART OLDING

FRANCO VD MERWE

CRAIG GILROY

ROBBIE DIACK

IAN HUMPHREYS

ROGER WILSON

RUAN PIENAAR

REPLACEMENTS FROM

8

R HERRING A WARWICK D FITZPATRICK A O’CONNOR

C ROSS P MARSHALL S McCLOSKEY M ALLEN

16 17 18 19

20 21 22 23

NICK WILLIAMS

Y v SCARLETS 2014 - KINGSPAN STADIUM F 19.45

15 14 13 12 11 10 9

1 2 3 4 5 6 7

SCARLETS

PHIL JOHN

LIAM WILLIAMS

EMYR PHILLIPS

HARRY ROBINSON

PETER EDWARDS

REGAN KING

JAKE BALL

SCOTT WILLIAMS

KRISTIAN PHILLIPS

JOHAN SNYMAN

AARON SHINGLER

RHYS PRIESTLAND

JAMES DAVIES

ALED DAVIES

K MYHILL R EVANS R JONES G EARLE 16 17 18 19 REPLACEMENTS FROM 20 21 22 23

8

L RAWLINS R WILLIAMS G OWEN S SHINGLER

JOHN BARCLAY

REFEREE ASSISTANT REFEREE’S CITING COMMISSIONER TMO TODAYS OFFICIALS

LUKE PEARCE (ENG) TIM WIGGLESWORTH (ENG) // GARETH COPSEY (ENG)

MAURIZIO VANCINI (ITA) TREVOR FISHER (ENG)

JACOBIE ADRIAANSE

JAKE BALL

Lock 21.06.91

Prop 19.07.85 178cm 112kg

POSITION BORN HEIGHT WEIGHT

POSITION BORN HEIGHT WEIGHT

200cm 121 kg

JOHN BARCLAY

SION BENNETT

Back row 27.11.93 193cm 101kg

Back row 24.09.86 190cm 105kg

POSITION BORN HEIGHT WEIGHT

POSITION BORN HEIGHT WEIGHT

SCARLETS

GARETH DAVIES

ALED DAVIES

Scrum half 18.08.90 178cm 85kg

Scrum half 19.07.92 178cm 88kg

POSITION BORN HEIGHT WEIGHT

POSITION BORN HEIGHT WEIGHT

JAMES DAVIES

GEORGE EARLE

Flanker 25.10.90 183cm 97kg

Lock 09.01.87 197cm 110kg

POSITION BORN HEIGHT WEIGHT

POSITION BORN HEIGHT WEIGHT

PETER EDWARDS

ROB EVANS

Prop 12.10.80 181cm 118kg

Prop 14.04.92 188cm 118kg

POSITION BORN HEIGHT WEIGHT

POSITION BORN HEIGHT WEIGHT

DARRAN HARRIS

PHIL JOHN

Prop 25.04.81 190cm 118kg

Hooker 11.11.92 180cm 102kg

POSITION BORN HEIGHT WEIGHT

POSITION BORN HEIGHT WEIGHT

32

ULSTER RUGBY

www. ulster rugby.com

WYN JONES

RHODRI JONES

Prop 26.02.92 184cm 114kg

POSITION BORN HEIGHT WEIGHT

Prop 19.01.91 191cm 111kg

POSITION BORN HEIGHT WEIGHT

SQUAD 2014/15

RICHARD KELLY

REGAN KING

Centre 02.10.80 188cm 87kg

Lock 10.09.87 199cm 104kg

POSITION BORN HEIGHT WEIGHT

POSITION BORN HEIGHT WEIGHT

JOSH LEWIS

SAMSON LEE

Outside half 22.03.92 183cm 84kg

POSITION BORN HEIGHT WEIGHT

Prop 30.11.92 180cm 115kg

POSITION BORN HEIGHT WEIGHT

KIRBY MYHILL

ROB McCUSKER

Hooker 05.02.92 183cm 106kg

POSITION BORN HEIGHT WEIGHT

Back row 10.12.85 193cm 109kg

POSITION BORN HEIGHT WEIGHT

KEN OWENS

GARETH OWEN

Hooker 03.01.87 186cm 112kg

Outside Half 05.11.88 182cm 88kg

POSITION BORN HEIGHT WEIGHT

POSITION BORN HEIGHT WEIGHT

KRISTIAN PHILLIPS

EMYR PHILLIPS

Wing 02.09.90 178cm 85kg

POSITION BORN HEIGHT WEIGHT

Hooker 22.02.87 182cm 102kg

POSITION BORN HEIGHT WEIGHT

33

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ULSTER RUGBY

RHYS PRIESTLAND

RORY PITMAN

Outside half 07.01.87 182cm 87kg

POSITION BORN HEIGHT WEIGHT

Back row 06.10.89 191cm 118kg

POSITION BORN HEIGHT WEIGHT

SQUAD 2014/15

AARON SHINGLER

HARRY ROBINSON

Back row 07.08.87 196cm 106kg

POSITION BORN HEIGHT WEIGHT

Wing 16.04.93 175cm 83kg

POSITION BORN HEIGHT WEIGHT

JOHAN SNYMAN

STEVEN SHINGLER

Lock 09.07.84 200cm 112kg

POSITION BORN HEIGHT WEIGHT

Outside half 20.06.91 190cm 88kg

POSITION BORN HEIGHT WEIGHT

MICHAEL TAGICAKIBAU

ADAM WARREN

Centre/Wing 09.04.85 182cm 90kg

POSITION BORN HEIGHT WEIGHT

Centre 07.03.91 183cm 86kg

POSITION BORN HEIGHT WEIGHT

LIAM WILLIAMS

JORDAN WILLIAMS

Full back/Wing 09.04.91 188cm 85kg

POSITION BORN HEIGHT WEIGHT

Outside Half 20.09.93 173cm 81kg

POSITION BORN HEIGHT WEIGHT

SCOTT WILLIAMS

RHODRI WILLIAMS

Centre 10.10.90 183cm 97kg

POSITION BORN HEIGHT WEIGHT

Scrum half 05.04.93 178cm 81kg

POSITION BORN HEIGHT WEIGHT

35

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ULSTER RUGBY

Your home of Rugby Over 360 live International, Domestic and European matches from the 2014-15 Rugby season

AUTUMN INTERNATIONALS

For full fixture information visit sky sports.com/rugbyunion

TONIGHT’S OPPOSITION

With one victory and one defeat in the opening rounds of the European Rugby Champions Cup Scarlets are sat in second position in pool three nestled in between current European champions Toulon in pole position and English giants Leicester Tigers in third.

Toulon are four points ahead of Scarlets having secured victory over Scarlets in the first round and Ulster in the second. Scarlets got the opening round of the campaign underway in true Scarlets fashion showing plenty of flair and determination. Scarlets scored two tries in what was a thrilling 80 minutes of rugby, and despite seeing two players sent to the sin bin, the Welsh side showed great tenacity until the final whistle with a late try for winger Kristian Phillips. Scarlets’ second round European Champions Cup clash against Leicester Tigers was an injury ravaged affair even before kick-off with lock Jake Ball pulling up with a hamstring injury in the pre-match warm-up. With Richard Kelly parachuted straight in to the starting XV to replace Ball the Scarlets were keen to get their home crowd firing as Llanelli Male Voice Choir belted out a rendition of Sosban Fach. Scarlets outmuscled the Tigers with scrum half Aled Davies a guiding light in the home victory. With a five point lead at half time Scarlets knew they had their work cut out in the final forty but they kept the Tigers at bay and kept a clean sheet in the second half with Tigers unable to add to their scorecard.

Scrum half Davies crossed for a second try after the hour mark with Shingler adding the conversion. The final ten minutes was a tense affair; thrilling end to end stuff as Scarlets continued to build pressure on the Tigers despite injuries. Injured second row Lewis Rawlins was replaced by winger Jordan Williams and winger Kristian Phillips had to play at 8 in the scrum! The Tigers came back at the Scarlets in the final moments, but the reds put in a massive defensive effort. The dying minutes were frantic, tempers flared, the atmosphere was electric and after what felt like a lifetime of deliberating by the referee the whistle is blown and the victory is secure.

CLUB STATS //Location Llanelli, Wales //Founded 2003 //Ground Parc y Scarlets //Capacity 14,800 //Last Game

Leicester Tigers (H) 15-3 (W) Sat 25th October 2014 // 19:45 //Next Game Ulster Rugby (H) Sun 14th Dec 2014 // 17:15 //Recent Form L W

STAFF // Coach Wayne Pivac // Captain Ken Owens

With four points separating Scarlets and table-toppers

Toulon, the West Wales region are fully aware of the importance of securing strong performances in the back-to-back fixtures over Ulster to keep the campaign alive.

CONTACT Parc y Scarlets Parc Pemberton Llanelli, SA14 9UZ Wales Tel

+44 15 54 78 39 00 +44 15 54 78 39 01

Fax

TICKET OFFICE Tel

+44 15 54 78 39 00

www.scarlets.co.uk

OfficialScarlets

scarlets_rugby

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ULSTER RUGBY

BT Sport. Unmissable and still freewith BTBroadband. There’s all sorts of top sporting action coming up on BT Sport. You won’t want to miss it. Still free with BT Broadband. Call 0800 756 75 66 bt.com/sport

MATCH PREVIEW

YOU HAVE TO SEE IT TO BELIEVE IT

8. UHVLGHQWLDO %7 %URDGEDQG FXVWRPHUV RQO\ :DWFK %7 6SRUW RQOLQH DW KRPH ZLWK D PLQLPXP OLQH VSHHG RI NESV 7R ZDWFK %7 6SRUW RQOLQH HOVHZKHUH \RX QHHG * * ZLƬ (charges may apply). To watch BT Sport at btsport.com you need Microsoft Silverlight. The BT Sport App works on iPhone (3GS and above), iPad (iOS 6 and above) & selected Android devices with OS 4.1. Max. 2 devices simultaneously. e-billing required. BT Broadband for new customers from £4 a month for 6 months, then £10 a month with our VSHFLDO RƪHU XQWLO ~ IURP PRQWK SOXV OLQH UHQWDO ~ D PRQWK s ULVLQJ WR ~ PRQWK RQ 'HFHPEHU ~ +XE GHOLYHU\ FKDUJH 3ULFHV PD\ change during the contract period. Terms apply. Please check bt.com/sport for details.

Kingspan has been a partner of Ulster Rugby for 10 years and we are now proud to give our name to this Stadium. Our passion, as a global leader in sustainable building solutions, is to deliver the highest levels of performance - always. Our respect for Ulster Rugby and its dedicated fans is absolute. Welcome to the Kingspan Stadium.

kingspan.com

www.championscuptravel.com For Official Ticket, Accommodation and Hospitality Packages for the 2015 European Rugby Champions Cup Final please visit

BE PART OF MENCAP’S DREAM

Last week Ulster players helped Mencap begin to turn a dream into a reality…

OFFICIAL CHARITY PARTNER 2014/15

1. To donate £3 Text MENCAP to 70660* 2. Give to a Mencap collector tonight 3. Go to www.mencapbigstepforward.org and donate If we all gave £1 to one of our collectors tonight that would raise £18,000 If we all texted £3 that would be just over £50,000, enough to build our new soft play area in Newtownbreda. * Text costs £3 plus network charge. Mencap receives 100% of your donation. Obtain bill payer’s permission. Customer care 028 9069 1351. Charity No 222377 STAND UP FOR MENCAP’S BIG STEP FORWARD APPEAL Some of you are already helping by wearing silly socks and shoes- but we’d love you to help out a little bit more! To find out how - please visit www.mencapbigstepforward.org. Big Thank you We can’t do it without you! We have made a great start after an Ulster Rugby online auction and the first charity match in October when Ulster and Glasgow fans raised an amazing £6,000 for the Big Step Forward Appeal. So please support us tonight. You can help by texting a donation or by giving to one of our Mencap collectors around the stadium. Your donation will make an incredible difference to future generations.

It’s an exciting dream that we have long looked forward to, a dream that Ulster Rugby is playing its part in and a dream that Ulster and Scarlets fans can help taking a big step forward tonight. As Ulster Rugby’s official charity partner for 2014/2015, we began to build our new Children and Families’ Centre in Newtownbreda last week with the official sod cutting at the site. different kind of mud as they got down and dirty, shovels in hand, helping children from our Segal House Nursery start the build. The new centre will bring therapeutic care, information and support to children with a learning disability and their families all under one roof. At its heart will be our relocated Segal House nursery for two to four year olds with a learning disability, autism and developmental delay. Mencap’s Big Step Forward Appeal Not only were the players on hand to cut the first sod, Ulster Rugby is supporting our Big Step Forward Appeal to build, equip and run our new centre. Tonight we are asking you to support us again in building a better future for people with a learning disability. It will cost £4.6 million. With £3 million already secured, we have a £1.7 million gap to fill. But the good news is we already have £500,000 pledged towards our target, so we need your help to raise the lot. Andrew Trimble, Ruan Pienaar and Iain Henderson found themselves in a very

One in 50 people in Northern Ireland have a learning disability.

All our services support people to live life as they choose and each year we work in partnership

with thousands of people with a learning disability locally supporting them to do just that.

You can also visit www.mencapbigstepforward.org to find out more.

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ULSTER RUGBY

STAYING IN EUROPE HAS TOTAL SUPPORT!

Outside the modern home of the Scarlets stands a wondrous sculptured likeness of one of the club’s greatest players, Ray Gravell.

A loss in Toulon offered encouragement in October for the following weekend’s defeat of Leicester, and both of tonight’s sides would accept that defeat would effectively end hopes of qualifying for the New Year’s knock-out stages. The stakes could hardly be higher, in European rugby terms, and a fascinating contest is expected to unfold in front of another full house at Kingspan Stadium. Ulster, dramatically denied a PRO12 win in Munster last weekend, dearly hope to involve the inspirational Ruan Pienaar this evening. The Springbok pivot has yet to pull on a white jersey this season, and his well-chronicled talents, his very appearance, will lift the fans and the players around him. Head Coach Neil Doak will have considered his options in other key areas, the continuing enforced absences of those such as Andrew Trimble, Paddy Jackson, Luke Marshall, Iain Henderson and the dynamic Chris Henry offering real opportunities to others who have the pedigree to shine at the highest level. Pivac took his Scarlets to Connacht last week, and like so many before the Welsh found the Sportsground a real fortress now that Pat Lam has taken the helm. A losing bonus point offered some solace to a team which was shorn of those on international duty for Wales, and Liam Williams, Jake Ball, Rhodri Jones, skipper Scott Williams and Emyr Philips will almost certainly return to the matchday squad in Belfast. Included too will be the remarkable prop Phil John, 301 appearances for his club and counting, a huge influence still on the pitch, and a marvellous presence in the dressing room. For him and his team-mates a packed floodlit Kingspan, a top-class opposition to take on, offers the sort of occasion players live for, when they can show the modern professional game at its most skilfully enthralling and combative. For Ulster victory would keep the qualification gate in Europe ajar, and similarly a win would offer the Scarlets real hope, and as the two teams meet again in a week in Llanelli tonight will provide a real guide to how realistic progress to the quarter-finals will be for two of the big Celtic clubs. This fixture would decorate any season, in any competition, but this is one European arena in which nobody is voting to exit!

The international and Lions centre was a force of nature, garrulous company, an evangelist for his beloved Welsh language, latterly a superb broadcaster, but above all a member of an elite, unique corps of rugby players who used rickety but engaging old Stradey Park as more than just a sporting stage. For the Llanelli club to which he was devoted he was a truly iconic figure, a physically imposing three-quarter who could transform himself into a powerfully silky runner with wonderfully deft hands and a brain always finding new ways to conjure up rugby magic. As the professional age was uneasily born in Wales the Scarlets in a nod to the historic colours worn by the rugby men of the Carmarthen town for a century or more – was immediately recognised for acknowledging a rich, character-forming past and set in a modern, forward-thinking environment. The ground was an upgrade of supreme proportions, but the character, the essence of the club, lived on in the heroics of Gravell, and before him of men such as Carwyn James, Delme Thomas, Phil Bennett, Jonathan Davies, JJ Williams and Tom David. It was sustained and embellished by such as Ieuan Evans, Stephen Jones, Iestyn Evans, Gareth Jenkins and by so many more, including Derek, Craig and Scott Quinnell and the brothers Guy and Simon Easterby. Names with which we are all familiar, players who’ve left indelible marks – some of them literally! – on the sport. But it is not a laurel-strewn history upon which anyone has rested, it’s one which has nourished a deeply-rooted community ethos, in sporting terms epitomised by the Scarlets who come calling at Kingspan Stadium this Saturday evening. In December 2008 Parc y Scarlets hosted its first European Cup game, and – coincidentally – the opposition was provided by an Ulster side building its own progressive reputation. Both clubs have rich histories, passionate, committed support, and the stands and terraces will bear colourful testament to sides shaped by a wonderful past but focussed firmly on a successful, enterprising future. Wayne Pivac, who took charge as Head Coach after Simon Easterby took emotional leave of the club to join the Irish management team, has a panel which is littered with internationals and which, like Ulster, is hoping still to make a real impact in this inaugural Champions Cup.

MATCH PREVIEW

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ULSTER RUGBY

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