Ulster rugby is one of the four professional provincial rugby teams from the island of Ireland that compete in the United Rugby Championship and the Heineken Champions Cup. The team represents the Irish Rugby Football Union Ulster Branch, which is one of the four branches of the IRFU, and plays its home matches at Kingspan Stadium in Belfast, Northern Ireland.
Home Stadium
Ulster rugby plays its home matches at Kingspan Stadium in Belfast, Northern Ireland. The stadium has been the home of Ulster rugby since 1923 and can hold up to 18,196 spectators. Kingspan Stadium was formerly known as Ravenhill Stadium until it was renamed when building materials company Kingspan purchased the naming rights in 2014.
Kingspan Stadium is located in the Ravenhill area of Belfast, about 1.5 miles from Belfast City Centre. The address of the stadium is Kingspan Stadium, 115 Ravenhill Rd, Belfast BT6 0DW.
Training Facilities
In addition to Kingspan Stadium, Ulster rugby utilizes several other training facilities in Northern Ireland:
- UFEC (Ulster Rugby Fitness, Education & Coaching) – Strength and conditioning gym and training facility located at Kingspan Stadium.
- Belfast Harlequins RFC – Used for team training sessions and academy training.
- Queens University Sports Complex – Used for pre-season training camps.
- Institute of Sport – High performance training centre affiliated with Sport Northern Ireland.
Having access to top class training facilities allows Ulster rugby to develop its players and prepare for competitions at the highest level.
Home Region
As Ulster rugby represents the Ulster Branch of the IRFU, its home region is the province of Ulster in Northern Ireland. Ulster is one of the four provinces on the island of Ireland, along with Leinster, Munster and Connacht.
The geographical area that makes up the Ulster region consists of the following 9 counties:
- Antrim
- Armagh
- Down
- Fermanagh
- Londonderry
- Donegal
- Tyrone
- Monaghan
- Cavan
However, as Donegal, Monaghan and Cavan are part of the Republic of Ireland, the rugby Ulster Branch’s remit covers only the six counties of Northern Ireland. Still, Ulster rugby represents the heritage and culture of the entire Ulster province on and off the pitch.
History
Rugby has been played competitively in Ulster since the late 1800s. The Ulster Branch of the Irish Rugby Football Union was founded in 1879, with the first Ulster club competition beginning in 1880. In the early years, club sides like North of Ireland FC, Collegians and Queen’s University represented Ulster in interprovincial competitions.
The Ulster provincial team as it exists today was officially formed in 1946 to compete in the newly established Interprovincial Championship against the other Irish provincial sides. In the 1950s and 60s, Ulster emerged as the dominant team in Ireland, winning six titles in that period.
While the 1970s through the 1990s were leaner years for Ulster, the province returned to competitiveness in the professional era beginning in 1998. Ulster won the Celtic League title in 2006 and first entered the Heineken Cup in 1995. Recently, Ulster appeared in the 2012 and 2013 Heineken Cup quarterfinals and the 2012 final.
Historic Home Grounds
Before moving to Ravenhill (now Kingspan) Stadium in 1923, Ulster played its early home matches at the following grounds:
- Ormeau Park – Ulster’s first official home ground from 1879 to 1880.
- Ballynafeigh – Home ground from 1880 to 1890.
- Methodist College Cricket Ground – Home ground from 1890 to 1923.
Support and Fan Culture
Ulster enjoys a passionate supporter base, with devoted fans backing their team at Kingspan Stadium and across Europe. The province has the highest number of rugby clubs and registered players of any of the Irish provinces.
The main Ulster supporters group is the Amateurs Ulster Rugby Supporters Club (AURSC), founded in 2000. In addition, the provincial branch of the IRFU Charitable Trust runs the Schools Support and Schools Adoption programs to promote grassroots rugby.
Ulster supporters have embraced the province’s heritage and culture. The fans often display symbols of Ulster pride like the Red Hand of Ulster and wave Northern Ireland’s national flag at matches. Popular club anthems include “Stand Up for the Ulstermen” and “Simply the Best,” which the crowd sings together.
Notable Supporters
Some famous supporters of Ulster rugby include:
- Liam Neeson – Actor from Northern Ireland
- Kenneth Branagh – Actor and director born in Belfast
- James Nesbitt – Actor from Northern Ireland
- Snow Patrol – Rock band formed in Northern Ireland
Team Name and Colors
The professional provincial rugby team is simply known as “Ulster” or “Ulster Rugby.” The team has gone by this name since its founding in the 1940s.
Ulster plays in white jerseys with navy shorts and navy socks. These have been the team’s traditional colors since its beginnings. The jerseys often feature logos of Ulster Rugby’s sponsors, such as Bank of Ireland.
Notable Players
Many top Ireland internationals have come from the Ulster rugby system. Some of the most famous players to represent Ulster include:
Player | Position | Ireland Caps |
---|---|---|
Willie John McBride | Lock | 63 |
Mike Gibson | Centre | 69 |
David Humphreys | Fly-half | 72 |
Andrew Trimble | Wing | 70 |
Paddy Jackson | Fly-half | 25 |
Iain Henderson | Lock | 67 |
Coaches
Ulster has been led by several top coaches who have guided the team to success. Notable former coaches include:
- Harry Gregg – Manager from 1980 to 1982
- Alan Solomons – Director of Rugby from 2003 to 2005
- Mark McCall – Head Coach from 2011 to 2013
The current coaching setup features Head Coach Dan McFarland and assistants Jared Payne (Defense), Dan Soper (Scrum) and Roddy Grant (Attack). This group has led Ulster’s resurgence in recent seasons.
Competitions
As one of the four Irish provinces, Ulster annually competes in the following major competitions:
- United Rugby Championship – Top club competition featuring Irish, Welsh, Scottish, South African and Italian teams. Ulster has won the title once in 2006.
- Heineken Champions Cup – Top European club rugby tournament. Ulster has been runner-up once in 2012.
- Ireland Interprovincial Championship – Domestic competition to determine the top Irish province each season.
In addition, Ulster participates in various pre-season friendly matches and tournaments like the British and Irish Cup.
Success in Competitions
Here is a summary of some of Ulster’s best finishes in major competitions:
Competition | Best Finish | Season |
---|---|---|
Celtic League/Pro12/URC | Champions | 2005-06 |
Heineken Champions Cup | Runners-Up | 2011-12 |
Challenge Cup | Semi-finals | 2002-03, 2018-19 |
Conclusion
In summary, Ulster rugby is based primarily out of Belfast and across Northern Ireland. The team represents the Ulster province and plays its home matches at Kingspan Stadium in Belfast. Ulster competes against the other Irish provinces as well as top European clubs. The team has a long, proud history and a passionate fan base that supports Ulster rugby at every match.