Ulster Rugby vs Munster

IRFU ULSTER BRANCH

PRESIDENT’S WELCOME

OFFICERS John Kinnear / / P resident Bobby Stewart / / S enior Vice President John McKibbin / / J unior Vice President John McKibbin / / H onorary Secretary Michael Boyd / / H onorary Treasurer Denis Gardiner / / C ompetitions Secretary EXECUTIVE TEAM Shane Logan / / C hief Executive Chris Webster / / D omestic Rugby Manager Audrey Robinson / / Financial Controller Fiona Hampton / / H ead of Sales & Marketing

It gives me great pleasure to welcome you here to Kingspan Stadium for this Guinness PRO12 match against Munster Rugby.

Following wins over Connacht and Munster, they take on Leinster today and are well placed to claim the title. Last week, I was fortunate to witness four days of Maxol Mini Rugby Festivals at the stadium. The children who were on the pitch are the future of the game here in the province and it was brilliant to watch the high standard of rugby that was played by players so young. Tonight is my final regular-season game as President of the IRFU Rugby football in the province is growing in popularity and remains the best sport to both play and watch. I want to wish my successor, Bobby Stewart, every success in his 12 months as President when he takes up the office in the summer. As always thank you for your support and Stand up for the Ulster men. Yours in Rugby, John Kinnear // President IRFU (Ulster Branch) (Ulster Branch). I have had a fantastic year and have been fortunate to travel across the province, visiting clubs and watching this great game being played by all ages, sexes and creeds.

I would particularly like to welcome the officials, players and supporters who have made the trip from Munster, especially the Senior Vice President of the Munster Branch, Bertie Smith. Interprovincial matches are one of the great highlights of the Irish sporting calendar. We saw a fortnight ago, that when the best players on the island face each other, they produce matches of the performances of the season to get that win and they will have to match the excellent form from that game to get the victory this evening. Huge credit must go to both Munster and Ulster for securing a play off place in this season’s Guinness PRO12. Regardless of this evening’s result, both provinces know that they will have at least two more matches left in the competition. It would be fantastic for Irish Rugby if both Ulster and Munster were in the final; here at Kingspan Stadium on 30th May, however, one suspects Glasgow Warriors and Ospreys will have something to say about that. I would like to congratulate Ulster Juniors who have had a fantastic start to their interprovincial series. highest intensity and quality. Ulster produced one of their

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

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