140-765: Ulster Rugby is one of the four professional provincial rugby union teams from the island of Ireland . They compete in the Irish regional pool of the United Rugby Championship and in the European Rugby Champions Cup , each of which they have won once. Ulster were the first Irish team and the first team outside England and France to win the European Cup in 1999. The team represents the IRFU Ulster Branch, which
280-570: A British Isles team visited Australia and New Zealand—although a private venture, it laid the foundations for future British and Irish Lions tours; and the 1888–89 New Zealand Native football team brought the first overseas team to British spectators. During the early history of rugby union, a time before commercial air travel, teams from different continents rarely met. The first two notable tours both took place in 1888—the British Isles team touring New Zealand and Australia, followed by
420-497: A haka before each match, leading Welsh Rugby Union administrator Tom Williams to suggest that Wales player Teddy Morgan lead the crowd in singing the Welsh National Anthem, Hen Wlad Fy Nhadau , as a response. After Morgan began singing, the crowd joined in: the first time a national anthem was sung at the start of a sporting event. In 1905 France played England in its first international match. Rugby union
560-493: A crowd of 44,000 and the result was in the balance right up until the final whistle, but Leicester walked off 34–30 winners. Munster reached the 2001–02 final with quarter-final and semi-final victories on French soil against Stade Français and Castres . Leicester pipped Llanelli in the last four, after the Scarlets had halted Leicester's 11-match Heineken Cup winning streak in the pool stages. A record crowd saw Leicester become
700-594: A limited number of games, and Cambridge and Oxford continued their annual University Match . The first officially sanctioned international rugby sevens tournament took place in 1973 at Murrayfield, one of Scotland's biggest stadiums, as part of the Scottish Rugby Union centenary celebrations. In 1987, the first Rugby World Cup was held in Australia and New Zealand, and the inaugural winners were New Zealand. The first World Cup Sevens tournament
840-415: A lineout throw is generally awarded to the opposition at the spot on the sideline where they left the field. Exceptions include a kick out "on the full" (i.e. the ball did not land in the field-of-play before going into touch) in which case the lineout would still take place on the sideline but back in line with where the ball was kicked, or when a team takes a free kick from a penalty where they would retain
980-661: A major role, but Toulouse survived to win. In 2003–04 the Welsh Rugby Union (WRU) voted to create regions to play in the Celtic League and represent Wales in European competition. Henceforth, Wales entered regional sides rather than the club sides that had previously competed. English side London Wasps had earned their first final appearance by beating Munster 37–32 in a Dublin semi-final while Toulouse triumphed 19–11 in an all-French contest with Biarritz in
1120-409: A new procedure in place. In lieu of the draw that used to determine the semi-final pairing, EPCR announced that the fixed semi-final bracket would be set in advance, and that the home team would be designated based on "performances by clubs during the pool stages as well as the achievement of a winning a quarter-final match away from home" . Semi-final matches must have been played at a neutral ground in
1260-569: A packed Stade Chaban-Delmas in Bordeaux. The 2004 final saw Wasps defeat defending champions Toulouse 27–20 at Twickenham to win the Heineken Cup for the first time. The match was widely hailed as one of the best finals. With extra time looming at 20–20, a late opportunist try by scrum half Rob Howley settled the contest. The tenth Heineken Cup final saw the inaugural champions Toulouse battle with rising stars Stade Français when Murrayfield
1400-407: A place in the 2025–26 European Challenge Cup. Q : qualified for play-offs. H : home field advantage secured for quarter-and semi-final. h ; home field advantage secured for quarter-final X : cannot reach play-offs. E : qualified for Champions Cup. Pool B The current crest was introduced in 2003. The new, stylised crest is made specific to Ulster Rugby as it incorporates
1540-534: A preferred or standard 68 metre width, this is often used unless a ground has been specifically designed to accommodate a 70-metre rugby field. 100 metres is the typical length, with a line (see below) often marked at halfway with "50" on it, representing 50 metres from each goal line. The variations have been allowed in the Laws, possibly to accommodate older grounds (perhaps even pre-metrification when yards and feet were specified) and developing nations. The field of play
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#17327913490301680-525: A rain-soaked Murrayfield final. Solomons was succeeded by Mark McCall , former captain of the province and a member of Ulster's Heineken Cup winning squad, with former teammate Allen Clarke as his assistant, and Ulster's unbeaten home run in Europe was extended to four years. Dominant forward play by Australian lock Justin Harrison , New Zealand-born Irish scrum-half Isaac Boss , and a rapid maturing of
1820-797: A row. Following the November 2015 Paris attacks , all Round 1 games due to take place in France that weekend were called off, along with the Round 2 fixture between Stade Français and Munster . Rescheduling of some matches was difficult, partly caused by fixture congestion due to the 2015 Rugby World Cup . Saracens won their first title defeating Racing 92 in Lyon 21–9 in 2016 final and followed it up with their second in 2017, beating Clermont 28–17 in Edinburgh. In 2017–18 season, Leinster overcame
1960-637: A semi-final against reigning Pro12 champions Scarlets. Leinster defeated Scarlets to face Racing 92 in Champions Cup Final in Bilbao. Leinster defeated Racing 92 by a scoreline of 15–12, becoming only the second team in history to earn four European titles. Leinster also won the Pro14 title to become the first Pro14 side to win the domestic-European 'Double'. Saracens won the 2018–19 competition, defeating defending champions Leinster 20–10 in
2100-424: A shared title in 1982. Their most sustained period of success began under Jimmy Davidson . In his first season, 1983, Ulster finished third, before he led them to three straight undefeated championships in 1984-86. Harry Williams succeeded him, and under him Ulster shared the title in 1987 and won three straight undefeated titles in 1988-90. Then Davy McMaster led Ulster to two undefeated titles in 1991 and 1992, and
2240-575: A shared title in 1991. Under these three coaches, Ulster won or shared ten Interprovincial Championships in a row. Brian Bloomfield was the final coach of the amateur era, coming joint second in 1994. After rugby union was declared open to professionalism in 1995, the IRFU gradually developed the provincial sides as professional teams. The Heineken Cup was launched in 1995 to provide a new level of European cross-border competition, and Ulster, coached by Harry Williams and captained by David Humphreys , became
2380-483: A similar position at Gloucester Rugby . Following Humphreys' departure, Mark Anscombe was sacked by the province and was replaced by Ireland defence coach Les Kiss on an interim basis. The 2014–15 season was Ulster's first under director of rugby Les Kiss and head coach Neil Doak . The redeveloped Ravenhill, renamed the Kingspan Stadium, now had a capacity of 18,196. Rory Best was named captain after
2520-539: A single point to claim their first major honour. England supplied two of the 2000–01 semi-finalists – Leicester Tigers and Gloucester – with Munster and French champions Stade Français also reaching the last four. Both semi-finals were close, Munster going down by a point 16–15 to Stade Français in Lille and the Tigers beating Gloucester 19–15 at Vicarage Road , Watford. The final, at Parc des Princes , Paris, attracted
2660-472: A single-legged quarterfinals, semi-finals and final. The 2022-23 campaign will retain the same pool format, but, like 2020–21, all knockout stage games will be single-legged. Twickenham has been the most common venue for the final, holding the event on six occasions. The Millennium Stadium in Cardiff has held five finals, and its predecessor stadium on the same site a further two, but the latter stadium
2800-462: A six-month trial. Out-half Ian Humphreys left for London Irish . Centre Nevin Spence died in an accident at the family farm. Ulster started the season with 13 consecutive wins in all competitions, the longest unbeaten run in their history. They finished top of their group in the Heineken Cup, qualifying for the quarter-finals, where they lost to Northampton Saints . They finished top of the table in
2940-483: A small crowd, the competition gathered momentum and crowds grew. Toulouse went on to become the first European cup winners, eventually beating Cardiff in extra time in front of a crowd of 21,800 at Cardiff Arms Park. Clubs from England and Scotland joined the competition in 1996–97. European rugby was further expanded with the advent of the European Challenge Cup for teams that did not qualify for
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#17327913490303080-470: A successful penalty kick or a drop goal each score 3 points. The values of each of these scoring methods have been changed over the years. According to World Rugby's Laws of the Game, a typical rugby ground, formally known as the "playing enclosure", is formed by two major zones: The referee (and their assistants) generally have full authority and responsibility for all players and other officials inside
3220-475: A three-year unbeaten home record in the Heineken Cup. In the 2003–04 season, Ulster finished second in the Celtic League, only overtaken by Llanelli on the final day of the campaign. Two of Ulster's most impressive achievements in this period were a 33–0 win over English giants Leicester Tigers in the Heineken Cup in January 2004, and winning the inaugural Celtic Cup on 20 December 2003, beating Edinburgh in
3360-535: A tournament record 81,076 fans. During competition there was uncertainty over the future of the tournament after the 2006–07 season as French clubs had announced that they would not take part because of fixture congestion following the Rugby World Cup and an ongoing dispute between English clubs and the RFU. It was speculated that league two teams might compete the next season, the RFU saying "If this situation
3500-796: A two-year contract in May. Ulster finished sixth in the URC, going out in the quarter-finals to Leinster , and went out of the Champions Cup at the pool stage, dropping into the Challenge Cup where they made the quarter-finals. Flanker David McCann was Player of the Season. Prop Scott Wilson made his debut from the academy. Before the 2024–25 season , Richie Murphy 's first full season in charge, there were significant changes. Out-half Billy Burns left for Munster ; prop Steven Kitshoff returned to
3640-485: A youthful home-grown three-quarter line made Ulster champions of the 2005–06 Celtic League . On the last day of the season, the title came down between Ulster and Leinster , before being decided in Ulster's favour by a 40-metre David Humphreys drop goal against Ospreys . Ulster started the 2006–07 season well, including beating Toulouse 30–3 in the Heineken Cup. But this form did not continue, they were eliminated from
3780-538: Is Chatswood Oval in Sydney, Australia, an elliptically shaped cricket ground which is the home of Gordon rugby club, that has curved dead-ball lines to maximise the available in-goal space. Where multiple sports share a field (e.g. a rugby league and a rugby union club sharing one field), lines may be overlaid on top of each other, sometimes in different colours. However, particularly for television, rugby union line markings are generally painted white. Some exceptions include
3920-457: Is a close-contact team sport that originated at Rugby School in England in the first half of the 19th century. Rugby is based on running with the ball in hand. In its most common form, a game is played between two teams of 15 players each, using an oval-shaped ball on a rectangular field called a pitch. The field has H-shaped goalposts at both ends. Rugby union is a popular sport around
4060-408: Is considered "out-of-bounds" for the ball and the players, normally resulting in the non-infringing team receiving possession of the ball at a restart. The perimeter area can be divided into two areas: For the purposes of determining if a ball is "out-of-bounds" (i.e. has left the playing area), the perimeter area extends indefinitely away from the playing area. When a ball or player goes into touch,
4200-445: Is divided by a solid "halfway" line, drawn perpendicular to the sidelines at their midpoint. A 0.5m line is marked perpendicular to the halfway lines at its midpoint, designating the spot where the kickoffs shall be taken. The areas between each goal line and the halfway line are known as "halves" as in other football codes. A pair of solid lines are also drawn perpendicular to the sidelines, 22 metres (formerly 25 yards) from each end of
4340-418: Is not resolved, the RFU owes it to the sport to keep this competition going...We have spoken to our FDR clubs, and if they want to compete we will support them.". A subsequent meeting led to the announcement that the tournament would be played in 2007–08, with clubs from all the six nations. On 20 May it was announced that both French and English top-tier teams would be competing In the 2008 final, Munster won
Ulster Rugby - Misplaced Pages Continue
4480-527: Is one of the four primary branches of the IRFU and is responsible for rugby union throughout the geographical Irish province of Ulster , comprising Northern Ireland ( Antrim , Armagh , Down , Fermanagh , Londonderry and Tyrone ) and three counties in the Republic of Ireland which are Donegal , Monaghan and Cavan . Prior to professionalisation, Ulster were a representative amateur team taking part in
4620-440: Is the third and final row of the forward positions, who are often referred to as the loose forwards. The three positions in the back row are the two flankers and the number 8 . The two flanker positions, known as the blindside flanker and openside flanker, are the final row in the scrum. They are usually the most mobile forwards in the game. Their main role is to win possession through 'turn overs'. The number 8 packs down between
4760-432: Is the top-tier competition for clubs who compete in a predominantly European league. Clubs qualify for the Champions Cup via their final positions in their respective national/regional leagues ( English Premiership , French Top 14 , and United Rugby Championship ) or via winning the second-tier Challenge Cup ; those that do not qualify are instead eligible to compete in the second-tier Challenge Cup. Between 1995 and 2014,
4900-454: The 2016–17 season , Nick Williams left for Cardiff Blues and Dan Tuohy for Bristol Bears , and Ian Humphreys retired. Ulster signed back row forward Marcell Coetzee , fullback Charles Piutau and lock Kieran Treadwell . Academy flanker Nick Timoney made his debut. Ulster finished the season bottom of their pool in the Heineken Cup, and fifth in the Pro12. Charles Piutau was Player of
5040-549: The 2020–21 competition took on a revised format based on a hybrid of the round-robin and Swiss systems . A similar, but revised 24 team format took place for 2021–22 and 2022-23 . On 31 August 2023, Investec , a bank and wealth management company with operations in South Africa and Europe, and the European Professional Club Rugby announced Investec would take over as title sponsor of
5180-530: The 2023–24 season included prop Steven Kitshoff and flanker Dave Ewers . After a difficult first half of the season, McFarland left his position, to be replaced by assistant coach Dan Soper until after the Six Nations Under 20s Championship , after which Ireland under-20 coach Richie Murphy would take over until the end of the season. Chief Executive Jonny Petrie left not long after, replaced on an interim basis by Hugh McCaughey. Murphy signed
5320-503: The Bulls before the end of the season. Academy players Cormac Izuchukwu , Nathan Doak , David McCann , Callum Reid and Aaron Sexton all made their senior debuts this season. Lock Alan O'Connor was Player of the Year. In 2021–22 the Pro14 became the United Rugby Championship , with the addition of four new South African teams. Ulster made the semi-finals, where they narrowly lost to
5460-771: The Bunnings NPC in New Zealand, the League One in Japan and the Currie Cup in South Africa. Other transnational club competitions include the United Rugby Championship of club teams from Ireland, Italy, Scotland, South Africa and Wales, European Rugby Champions Cup in Europe, and Super Rugby in Australia, New Zealand and the Pacific Islands. Primitive forms of football included harpastum , played by
5600-464: The COVID-19 pandemic in Europe the 2020–21 competition took on a revised format. In this edition, the teams were split up into two separate pools of 12, in which they would play four games against opponents from their pool, before the top four teams from each of the two pools advanced to the knockout stage, made up of two-legged quarterfinals, and a single legged semi-finals and final. However, due to
5740-745: The IRFU Interprovincial Championship . They have also competed in the now defunct Celtic Cup (2003–05). Their development team, Ulster A, formerly known as the Ulster Ravens, have competed in the British and Irish Cup (2009–18) and a revived Celtic Cup (2018–20). A number of clubs were operating in Ulster prior to the foundation of the Irish Rugby Football Union and the Ulster branch. The Belfast -based North of Ireland F.C. , founded in 1868,
Ulster Rugby - Misplaced Pages Continue
5880-484: The Millennium Stadium , Cardiff , 23–19. It was third time lucky for the Irish provincial side, who had previously been denied the ultimate prize twice by Northampton and Leicester in finals, in addition to a series of tight semi-final losses. Munster's history of heartbreaking near misses, large away followings and their enduring close connection to the tournament provided much of the romantic narrative of
6020-617: The Pro12 after the addition of two Italian teams, and Ulster finished sixth. Brian McLaughlin was replaced as head coach by Mark Anscombe . Flanker Chris Henry was Player of the Year. New signings for the 2012–13 season included back row forward Nick Williams from the now defunct Aironi , wing Tommy Bowe , returning from his four-year stay at the Ospreys , back row forward Roger Wilson , returning from Northampton Saints , and Irish-qualified South African hooker Rob Herring , initially on
6160-558: The Stormers in Cape Town . In the Champions Cup, they made the knockout stage, but went out in a two-legged round of sixteen playoff against Toulouse by an aggregate score of 50–49. Centre James Hume was Player of the Year. New signings for the 2022-23 season included prop Jeffery Toomaga-Allen . Lock Harry Sheridan and centre Jude Postlethwaite made their senior debuts. Despite a poor run of results in mid-season, Ulster made
6300-837: The Stormers , where he was joined by flanker Dave Ewers ; utility back Will Addison signed for Sale Sharks ; and centre Luke Marshall retired. New signings included wing Werner Kok from the Sharks and Irish-qualified out-half Aidan Morgan from the Hurricanes . Ireland Sevens player of the year Zac Ward , son of former Ulster captain Andy Ward , joined Ulster on a trial basis. Jimmy Duffy replaced Roddy Grant as forwards coach, Sam Dodge joined as head of athletic performance, and skills coach Craig Newby left for Ealing Trailfinders . Gold background denotes champions Silver background denotes runner-up * After dropping into
6440-588: The final . The Premium Stand opened in 2009. In 2011, the Northern Ireland Executive announced that it had granted £138m for various stadium redevelopment projects throughout Northern Ireland. Ulster Rugby received £14.5m, which was used to redevelop Ravenhill and expand its capacity from 12,000 to 18,000. The rest of the redevelopment took place from 2012 to 2014. In 2012, Ulster Rugby confirmed that three new stands would be built at Ravenhill, with work commencing in late 2012. Two new stands at
6580-702: The "pool of death" consisting of Glasgow Warriors (who finished the 2017–18 season top of the Pro14), Montpellier (who finished the 2017–18 season top of the TOP 14) and Exeter (who finished the 2017–18 season top of the English Premiership), beating all three teams both home and away. Leinster went on to face the back to back Champions Saracens , dispatching a defeat at the Aviva Stadium in Dublin, to set up
6720-456: The 1830s, "running in" with the ball in hand was allowed but subject to hacking and "collaring". Former Rugby School student Albert Pell is credited with having formed the first "football" team while a student at Cambridge University . Major private schools each used different rules during this early period, with former pupils from Rugby and Eton attempting to carry their preferred rules through to their universities. A significant event in
6860-528: The 1946–47 season, the provinces played against each other in the annual Irish Interprovincial Championship . Ulster won this tournament 26 times in total, with eight of these titles being shared. Ulster first appointed a coach in 1969. The first three coaches enjoyed great success in the Interprovincial Championship. Under Ken Armstrong Ulster won the title unbeaten in 1969 and 1970, and finished second, losing only once, in 1971. He
7000-425: The Challenge Cup will earn a place regardless of league position. Team distribution is typically: Until 2018–19, the final team each season qualified through a play-off competition between the best placed unqualified teams. For the pool stage teams are placed into pools via a draw. The teams are ranked based on domestic league performance the previous season, and arranged into four tiers. Teams are then drawn from
7140-579: The Champions Cup and were entered into the Challenge Cup . They progressed to the semi-finals, where they were beaten by Leicester Tigers . The season's final competition was the Pro14 Rainbow Cup , pitting the Pro14's European teams against the four South African teams who were leaving Super Rugby . Ulster's form in this competition was poor, and they finished tenth in the European pool. Marcell Coetzee cut short his contract and left for
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#17327913490307280-714: The Heineken Champions Cup. Although they are technically two separate competitions, run by different organisations, the European Rugby Cup and the European Rugby Champions Cup are recognised as one title chain of elite club championships in Europe, with teams that have won multiple titles ranked, for example, by the aggregate of their wins in both versions. French clubs have the highest number of victories (12 wins), followed by England (10 wins) and Ireland (7 wins). England has
7420-462: The Heineken Cup. The Heineken Cup now had 20 teams divided into four pools of five. Only Leicester and Brive reached the knock-out stages with 100 per cent records and ultimately made it to the final, Cardiff and Toulouse falling in the semi-finals. After 46 matches, Brive beat Leicester 28–9 in front of a crowd of 41,664 at Cardiff Arms Park , the match watched by an estimated television audience of 35 million in 86 countries. The season 1997–98 saw
7560-513: The Laws: Generally, points where the dashed lines intersect other lines will be marked with a "T" or cross shape, although the extensions of dashed lines are generally not drawn within 5 metres of the goal lines or sidelines, to allow a clear demarcation of the field of play's boundaries. The Laws require the playing area to be rectangular in shape, however variations may be permitted with the approval of relevant unions. A notable example
7700-630: The Memorial and Aquinas ends of the stadium were completed while the main stand was demolished and rebuilt. The major refurbishment was completed in April 2014. After the rest of the redevelopment was completed, the stadium was renamed the Kingspan Stadium. Up to date as of the 2023–24 season. Props Hookers Locks Back row Scrum-halves Fly-halves Centres Wings Fullbacks Rugby union Rugby union football , commonly known simply as rugby union or often just rugby ,
7840-820: The New Zealand team touring Europe. Traditionally the most prestigious tours were the Southern Hemisphere countries of Australia, New Zealand and South Africa making a tour of a Northern Hemisphere, and the return tours made by a joint British and Irish team. Tours would last for months, due to long traveling times and the number of games undertaken; the 1888 New Zealand team began their tour in Hawkes Bay in June and did not complete their schedule until August 1889, having played 107 rugby matches. Touring international sides would play Test matches against international opponents, including national, club and county sides in
7980-490: The Pro12, earning a home semi-final, in which they defeated Scarlets 27–16 in the last match before the old grandstand was demolished. The redevelopment of Ravenhill meant the final against Leinster had to be played at the RDS Arena in Dublin. Leinster won 24–18. Lock Alan O'Connor made his debut from the academy this season. Wing Andrew Trimble was Player of the Year. The 2013–14 season proved trophyless again. For
8120-476: The Romans, where two opposing teams competed to throw a large ball into an opposition net, fighting for possession of the ball. Medieval Irishmen played caid , carrying an inflated bladder and using arched trees as goals. The Welsh played an inter-parish game using a wooden ball called cnapan . Frenchmen played soule and Georgians played lelo. "Football" as a game was well established by 1803 at Rugby School and by
8260-537: The United States , Canada and Eastern Europe , its growth occurring during the expansion of the British Empire and through French proponents ( Rugby Europe ) in Europe. Countries that have adopted rugby union as their de facto national sport include Fiji , Georgia, Madagascar , New Zealand, Samoa , Tonga , and Wales . International matches have taken place since 1871 when the first game
8400-480: The Wallabies (Australia's national team) who often have yellow markings. Local clubs may use black, yellow, or other colours on grass, with other surfaces possibly requiring different marking techniques. Unlike association football, where on-field advertising is strictly forbidden in the laws, World Rugby allows sponsors logos to be painted on the playing surface. This is another way in which clubs can make money in
8540-416: The Year. For the 2017–18 season , the Pro12 became the Pro14 with the addition of two South African teams. Head coach Neil Doak 's contract was not renewed and he was replaced by Jono Gibbes . Assistant coach Allen Clarke also left, replaced by Dwayne Peel . All-time appearance holder Roger Wilson retired, and scrum-half Ruan Pienaar was blocked by the IRFU from extending his contract. John Cooney
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#17327913490308680-500: The academy. Ulster finished the season as quarter-finalists in the Champions Cup, and semi-finalists in the Pro14, losing to Glasgow Warriors . Rory Best and Darren Cave retired at the end of the season. Centre Stuart McCloskey was Player of the Year for the second time. Lock Iain Henderson was named captain for the 2019–20 season . Ulster were again quarter-finalists in the Champions Cup, going out to Toulouse , and reached
8820-636: The academy. The season saw an improvement in Ulster's Heineken Cup form, including their first away win in England against Bath , but they finished eighth in the Celtic League. Flanker Chris Henry was Player of the Year. At the end of the season, scrum-half Isaac Boss left for Leinster , and prop Justin Fitzpatrick retired. The 2010-11 season saw significant improvement. Ulster signed key players including 2007 Rugby World Cup winning Springboks Ruan Pienaar and Johann Muller . Out-half Paddy Jackson . and centre Luke Marshall made their debuts from
8960-467: The academy. Ulster made the semi-finals of the Celtic League and the quarter-finals of the Heineken Cup. Ruan Pienaar was Player of the Year. New signings for the 2011-12 season included prop John Afoa and utility back Jared Payne . Academy lock Iain Henderson made his senior debut. Ulster reached the Heineken Cup final , losing to Leinster at Twickenham . The Celtic League had been renamed
9100-431: The backs and the forwards is that the backs are expected to have superior kicking and ball-handling skills, especially the fly-half, scrum-half, and full-back. The half-backs consist of two positions, the scrum-half and the fly-half , also known in the Southern Hemisphere as half-back and first five-eighth respectively. The fly-half is crucial to a team's game plan, orchestrating the team's performance. They are usually
9240-422: The ball is kicked into touch by a player who had at least one foot on or behind their own 22-metre line, the line-out formed at the spot where the ball crossed the touch-line instead of being taken in line with the spot from where it was kicked. Additional broken or dashed lines (of 5 metre dash lengths, according to the Laws ) are drawn in each half or on each side of, the field, each with specific purposes under
9380-417: The ball. Forwards play a vital role in tackling and rucking opposing players. Players in these positions are generally bigger and stronger and take part in the scrum and line-out. The forwards are often collectively referred to as the 'pack', especially when in the scrum formation. The front row consists of three players: two props (the loosehead prop and the tighthead prop) and the hooker . The role of
9520-591: The case of Northern Hemisphere rugby, or provincial/state sides in the case of Southern Hemisphere rugby. Between 1905 and 1908, all three major Southern Hemisphere rugby countries sent their first touring teams to the Northern Hemisphere: New Zealand in 1905, followed by South Africa in 1906 and Australia in 1908. All three teams brought new styles of play, fitness levels and tactics, and were far more successful than critics had expected. The New Zealand 1905 touring team performed
9660-411: The club's European record or current status in the Heineken Champions Cup." There were no Saracens representatives at the launch of the 2019–20 competition, held in Cardiff on 6 November 2019. EPCR released a statement saying they were "disappointed to learn of Saracens' decision to make their club representatives unavailable for today's official 2019–20 season launch". Because of the COVID-19 pandemic
9800-539: The clubs that had favoured the Rugby Rules formed the Rugby Football Union in 1871, and their code became known as " rugby football ". In 1895, there was a major schism within rugby football in England in which numerous clubs from Northern England resigned from the RFU over the issue of reimbursing players for time lost from their workplaces. The split highlighted the social and class divisions in
9940-458: The competition early, and finished fifth in the Celtic League. Back row forward Roger Wilson was Player of the Year. The team began the 2007-08 season with a poor run of results, and Mark McCall resigned in November following Ulster's embarrassing 32–14 home defeat to Gloucester in the opening round of the 2007–08 Heineken Cup . Assistant coach Steve Williams took temporary charge, and Matt Williams took charge in February, but failed to turn
10080-490: The competition from the Champions Cup/Heineken Cup Pink background indicates teams that are in play-off places and earn a place in the 2025–26 European Challenge Cup Yellow background indicates the team that won the 2024–25 European Challenge Cup and thus qualify for the 2025–26 European Champions Cup, but are not in a play-off place Plain background indicates teams that earn
10220-530: The competition. The tournament moved away from the COVID-19 influenced hybrid system back toward a more straightforward, if still modified, round-robin pool format, while retaining the balance of four pool matches and four knock-out weekends. Typically, a total of 24 teams qualify for the competition, the same number as used to qualify for the Heineken Cup. At least 23 of the 24 teams qualify automatically based on position in their respective leagues. The winner of
10360-637: The cup for their second time ever by beating Toulouse at the Millennium Stadium in Cardiff. Leinster won the title in 2009 in their first ever final after beating Munster in the semi-final in front of a then world record Rugby Union club match attendance in Croke Park . They beat the Leicester Tigers in the final at Murrayfield Stadium in Edinburgh. They also beat Harlequins 6–5 in the quarter-finals at Twickenham Stoop , in
10500-438: The designated home team's country. Since 2018–19, the higher-seeded team will have home country/venue advantage for each semi-final regardless of whether they won their quarter-final at home or on the road. The EPCR may now also use its discretion to allow semi-finals to be played at a qualified club's home venue. The winners of the semi-finals will contest the final, which will be held in May each season. Because of
10640-496: The early development of rugby football was the production of a written set of rules at Rugby School in 1845, followed by the Cambridge Rules that were drawn up in 1848. Formed in 1863, the national governing body The Football Association (FA) began codifying a set of universal football rules. These new rules specifically banned players from running with the ball in hand and also disallowed hacking (kicking players in
10780-407: The early years of the competition. The 2006–07 Heineken Cup would be distributed to over 100 countries following Pitch International's securing of the rights. That season was the first time in the history of the competition that two teams went unbeaten in pool play, with both Llanelli Scarlets and Biarritz doing so. Biarritz went into their final match at Northampton Saints with a chance to become
10920-545: The end of the season. Ulster finished third in their Champions Cup pool, and fourth in Conference B of the Pro14, failing to qualify for the playoffs and needing to win a playoff to qualify for the next season's Champions Cup. Former Ireland captain Brian O'Driscoll described the province as "a bit of a basket case", facing "Administration issues, senior players retiring, the well documented court case, now no number 10 to build
11060-404: The end of the season. Wing Craig Gilroy was named Player of the Year. In 2015–16 , Ulster were knocked out of the Champions Cup at the group stage despite a memorable back to back win over Toulouse. They finished fourth in the Pro12 but reached the semi-finals, losing to Leinster . Wing Jacob Stockdale made his debut from the academy. Centre Stuart McCloskey was Player of the Year. Before
11200-412: The equivalent competition was known as the Heineken Cup and was run by European Rugby Cup . Following disagreements between its shareholders over the structure and governance of the competition, it was taken over by EPCR and its name was changed to the European Rugby Champions Cup, without title sponsorship. Heineken returned as sponsor for the 2018–19 season, resulting in the competition being known as
11340-488: The famous Bloodgate scandal. In the 2010 final, Toulouse defeated Biarritz Olympique in the Stade de France to claim their fourth title, a Heineken Cup record. The 16th Heineken Cup tournament in 2011 resulted in an Irish province lifting the title for the fourth time in six years as Leinster recorded their second triumph in the competition. They defeated former multiple Heineken Cup winners Leicester and Toulouse in
11480-486: The field are divided into eight forwards (two more than in rugby league ) and seven backs . There are typically significantly more forwards on the bench than backs with, for example, South Africa having a 7-1 split in favour of forwards in their August 2023 match against New Zealand in Twickenham. A 6-2 or 5-3 split is more common. The main responsibilities of the forward players are to gain and retain possession of
11620-401: The field of play and called the 22-metre lines, or "22"s. An area at each end, also known as the "22", is bounded by, but does not include, the sidelines, goal line and 22-metre line. In this area, a defensive player who cleanly catches a ball kicked by the other team, without the ball having already touched the ground after the kick, is entitled to claim a free kick, or " mark ". Additionally, if
11760-498: The field to accommodate fitter and faster (or heavier) players. Fixed cameras on tripods and advertising hoardings are often the main culprits for injuring players in the perimeter area. European Rugby Champions Cup The European Rugby Champions Cup (known as the Investec Champions Cup for sponsorship reasons) is an annual rugby union tournament organised by European Professional Club Rugby (EPCR). It
11900-402: The final at Lansdowne Road , Dublin. Ulster then carried home the trophy after a 21–6 win over Colomiers in front of a capacity 49,000 crowd. English clubs returned in 1999–00. The pool stages were spread over three months to allow the competition to develop alongside the nations' own domestic competitions, and the knockout stages were scheduled to take the tournament into the early spring. For
12040-403: The final of the Pro14, losing to Leinster . Centre Stewart Moore and wing Ethan McIlroy made their debuts from the academy, and scrum-half John Cooney was Player of the Year for the second time. The 2020–21 season was shortened by the COVID-19 pandemic, and games were played behind closed doors. Ulster finished second in Conference A of the Pro14, but failed to make the knockout stages of
12180-516: The final. Saracens were in breach of the Premiership salary cap during this edition and the previous year, in which they qualified for the 2018–19 cup. However, the EPCR have confirmed that Premiership ruling will not affect the results of the Heineken Champions Cup for 2018–19 or previous years, stating: "The Saracens decision is based on Gallagher Premiership Rugby regulations and does not affect
12320-597: The first Irish team to win it in the 1998–99 season, beating beat French side US Colomiers 21–6 in the final at Lansdowne Road in Dublin . The Celtic League , featuring all four Irish provinces plus teams from Scotland and Wales, was launched in 2001. From 2001 to 2004, the Ulster team was coached by Alan Solomons , a former assistant coach of the Springboks and head coach of The Stormers and Western Province in his native South Africa . Solomons coached Ulster to
12460-420: The first laws were written by pupils at Rugby School; other significant events in the early development of rugby include the decision by Blackheath F.C. to leave The Football Association in 1863 and, in 1895, the split between rugby union and rugby league . Historically rugby union was an amateur sport, but in 1995 formal restrictions on payments to players were removed, making the game openly professional at
12600-518: The first season of the tournament in the 1995–96 season. Toulouse are the current European champions, having beaten the second-most successful club, Leinster 22–31 in the 2024 final in London , England. Toulouse completed "the Double" (Heineken Cup/European Rugby Champions Cup-National Championship) 3 times (1995-1996, 2020-2021 and 2023-2024), a record in Europe. The Heineken Cup was launched in
12740-564: The first side to successfully defend their title. From 2002, the European Challenge Cup winner now automatically qualified for the Heineken Cup. Toulouse's victory over French rivals Perpignan in 2003 meant that they joined Leicester as the only teams to win the title twice. Toulouse saw a 19-point half-time lead whittled away as the Catalans staged a dramatic comeback in a match in which the strong wind and showers played
12880-537: The first team ever to score bonus-point wins in all their pool matches, but were only able to score two of the four tries needed. Leicester defeated Llanelli Scarlets to move into the final at Twickenham, with the possibility of winning a Treble of championships on the cards, having already won the Anglo-Welsh Cup and the English Premiership. However, Wasps won the final 25 points to 9 in front of
13020-430: The first time clubs from four nations – England, Ireland, France and Wales – made it through to the semi-finals. Munster's defeat of Toulouse in Bordeaux ended France's record of having contested every final and Northampton Saints ' victory over Llanelli made them the third English club to make it to the final. The competition was decided with a final between Munster and Northampton, with Northampton coming out on top by
13160-422: The first time, Ulster won all their Heineken Cup group games, with away victories against Montpellier and Leicester Tigers being the highlight. They were knocked out at the quarterfinal stage with a 17–15 home defeat to Saracens. The Pro12 season was racked with inconsistency and Ulster finished the league season in fourth place. This set up an away semi-final with Leinster, and for the fourth time in four seasons
13300-425: The first to receive the ball from the scrum-half following a breakdown, lineout, or scrum, and need to be decisive with what actions to take and be effective at communicating with the outside backs. Many fly-halves are also their team's goal kickers. The scrum-half is the link between the forwards and the backs. They receive the ball from the lineout and remove the ball from the back of the scrum, usually passing it to
13440-537: The fly-half. They also feed the scrum and sometimes have to act as a fourth loose forward. There are four three quarter positions: two centres (inside and outside) and two wings (left and right). In the Southern Hemisphere, the inside centre is commonly referred to as the second five-eighth, while the outside centre is simply known as the centre. The centres will attempt to tackle attacking players; whilst in attack, they should employ speed and strength to breach opposition defences. The wings are generally positioned on
13580-443: The four pools gain home advantage in the round of 16, with the teams finishing third and fourth playing away The quarter-finals are unbracketed, and follow the standard 1v8, 2v7, 3v6, 4v5 format, as found in the Heineken Cup. The winners of the quarter-finals will contest the two semi-finals, Up to and including the 2014–15 season, matches and home country advantage were determined by a draw by EPCR. In 2015–16, EPCR decided to put
13720-414: The goal lines, equivalent to American football's "end zones". The in-goal areas must be between 6 and 22 metres (6.6 and 24.1 yards) deep and cover the full width of the field. A ball grounded in this area by an attacking player will generally result in a try being awarded, unless there has been a previous infringement, or the player has gone out-of-bounds whilst in possession of the ball. The perimeter area
13860-441: The highest Heineken Cup final winning margin. The performance broke a number of Heineken Cup Final records. Leinster became only the second team to win back-to-back titles, and the only team ever to win three championships in four years. In addition, the game had the highest attendance at a final (81,774), the highest number of tries (5) and points (42) scored by one team and the highest points difference (28). The final edition of
14000-671: The highest level for the first time. Rugby union spread from the Home Nations of the United Kingdom and Ireland , with other early exponents of the sport including Australia , New Zealand , South Africa and France . The sport is followed primarily in the United Kingdom, Ireland, France, New Zealand, Australia, Pacific Islands - Fiji , Tonga , Samoa , Georgia , Oceania , Southern Africa , Argentina , and in recent times also, Italy , Japan , South America ,
14140-413: The increasing spread of the virus, only two rounds were played before the competition was suspended, and instead the top eight teams from each of the two pools advanced to the knockout stage, with all matches being single-legged affairs. A similar format remained for 2021–22 , with the top eight teams from each of the two pools advancing to the knockout stage, which featured a two-legged Round of 16 before
14280-410: The introduction of a home and away format in the pool games. The five pools of four teams, which guaranteed each team a minimum of six games, and the three quarter-final play-off matches all added up to a 70-match tournament. Brive reached the final again but were beaten late in the game by Bath with a penalty kick. Ironically, English clubs had decided to withdraw from the competition in a dispute over
14420-588: The knockout stage of the Champions Cup , going out in the round of 16 to Leinster. They became the first European team in the URC to win all four league games against South African opposition, and secured a home quarter-final with a home win over the Bulls in March, which they lost to Connacht . Hooker Tom Stewart was named Player of the Year after scoring 16 tries in the URC, a league record, and 17 tries in all competitions, an Ulster record. New signings for
14560-402: The largest number of winning teams, with six clubs having won the title. The competition has been won by thirteen different clubs, eight of which have won it more than once, and five successfully defended their title including a unique three-in-a-row made by Toulon between 2012–13 and 2014–15 . Toulouse is the most successful club in the tournament's history, having won it 6 times, including
14700-414: The most important attributes of a good full-back are dependable catching skills and a good kicking game. Rugby union is played between two teams – the one that scores more points wins the game. Points can be scored in several ways: a try , scored by grounding the ball in the in-goal area (between the goal line and the dead-ball line), is worth 5 points and a subsequent conversion kick scores 2 points;
14840-414: The outside of the backline. Their primary function is to finish off moves and score tries. Wings are usually the fastest players in the team and are elusive runners who use their speed to avoid tackles. The full-back is normally positioned several metres behind the back line. They often field opposition kicks and are usually the last line of defence should an opponent break through the back line. Two of
14980-440: The playing area and perimeter area, although depending on how large the perimeter is, other surfaces such as dirt, artificial turf, etc. may be used outside of a "sliding" perimeter from the bounds of the playing area. For the most part, the "playing area" is where the majority of play occurs. The ball is generally considered live whilst in this area, so long as players do not infringe, with special rules applied to specific zones of
15120-442: The playing area. The playing area consists of: A typical "field of play" is generally 100 metres long by 68–70 metres wide for senior rugby, depending on the specific requirements of each ground. The Laws require the field of play to be between 94 and 100 metres (103 and 109 yards) long, with a width of between 68 and 70 metres (74 and 77 yards). As other football codes, such as association football and rugby league, have specified
15260-432: The playing enclosure. Fences or ropes (particularly at amateur clubs) are generally used to mark the extent of this area, although in modern stadia this may include the entire arena floor or other designated space. The Laws, above all, require that the playing enclosure's surface be safe, whilst also permitting grass, sand, clay, snow or conforming artificial turf to be used; the surface would generally be uniform across both
15400-659: The pre-1995 period of rugby union was marked by frequent accusations of " shamateurism ", including an investigation in Britain by a House of Commons Select committee in early 1995. Following the introduction of professionalism trans-national club competitions were started, with the Heineken Cup in the Northern Hemisphere and Super Rugby in the Southern Hemisphere. The Tri Nations , an annual international tournament involving Australia, New Zealand and South Africa, kicked off in 1996. In 2012 , this competition
15540-415: The professional era and is also often used by host nations, professional leagues and tournaments as additional revenue streams, particularly when games are broadcast. In recent years, augmented reality technology has been used to replace painting to protect the surface or save costs on painting fields, producing a similar effect for broadcast albeit sometimes with poorer results. The in-goal areas sit behind
15680-623: The quarter- and semi-finals. At the Millennium Stadium in Cardiff, in front of 72,000 spectators, Leinster fought back from a 22–6 half-time deficit in the final against Northampton Saints , scoring 27 unanswered points in 26 second-half minutes, winning 33–22 in one of the tournament's greatest comebacks. Johnny Sexton won the man-of-the-match award, having scored 28 of Leinster's points total, which included two tries , three conversions , and four penalties . Leinster successfully defended their crown in 2012 at Twickenham, eclipsing fellow Irish province and former champions Ulster 42–14 to establish
15820-438: The red hand from the provincial flag of Ulster with two rugby balls. The Ulster Rugby crest is on all official club merchandise including replica jerseys. The Ravenhill Stadium , known for sponsorship reasons as the Kingspan Stadium since 2014, opened in 1923. It has hosted two Rugby World Cup matches, several Ireland national team matches, the 2015 Pro12 Grand Final and many 2017 Women's Rugby World Cup matches, including
15960-547: The result of each game, with teams receiving four points for a win, and two for a draw. Teams can also earn bonus points for scoring four or more tries and/or for losing a match by seven points or fewer. Following the completion of the pool stage, 16 teams qualify for the knock-out stage of the Champions Cup with a further 4 of the remaining 8 dropping into the Challenge Cup. The final four teams are eliminated The sixteen remaining teams are seeded from 1–16 based on performance in their respective pool. The top two teams in each of
16100-536: The retirement of Johann Muller . New signings included out-half Ian Humphreys , returning from London Irish , lock Franco van der Merwe from the Lions , outside back Louis Ludik from Agen , and flanker Sean Reidy from Counties Manukau . Ulster were knocked out of the new European Champions Cup at the group stage. They finished fourth in the Pro12 but narrowly lost in the playoff semifinal to eventual champions Glasgow Warriors . Prop Declan Fitzpatrick retired at
16240-425: The right to throw-in. The perimeter area should be clear and free of obstructions and heavy, solid objects which could pose a danger to players for at least 5 metres from the playing area, according to the Laws. Players often leave the playing area whether accidentally or due to being forced off of the field, sometimes sliding or needing to slow down from a sprint. Many venues at elite levels leave larger spaces around
16380-438: The season around, with Ulster finishing 9th in the 10 team Celtic League. Centre Darren Cave made his debut from the academy. At the end of the season wing Tommy Bowe , who was named Player of the Year, left for Ospreys . Roger Wilson went to Northampton Saints . Out-half David Humphreys retired, and was appointed the province's Director of Operations. The following season out-half Ian Humphreys , David's younger brother,
16520-465: The season was ended by their old foes with a 13–9 defeat. Centre Stuart McCloskey and prop Andrew Warwick made their debuts from the academy. Andrew Trimble was Player of the Year for the second year running. The season ended with the retirements of captain Johann Muller , centre Paddy Wallace , and flanker Stephen Ferris . Director of Rugby David Humphreys also left the province to take up
16660-590: The shins), both of which were legal and common tactics under the Rugby School's rules of the sport. In protest at the imposition of the new rules, the Blackheath Club left the FA followed by several other clubs that also favoured the "Rugby Rules". Although these clubs decided to ban hacking soon afterwards, the split was permanent, and the FA's codified rules became known as " association football " whilst
16800-427: The sport in England. Although the rules of the game were not a factor in the split, the breakaway teams subsequently adopted some rule changes and this became the separate code of " rugby league ". The RFU's code thereafter took on the name "rugby union" to differentiate it from rugby league, but both versions of the sport are known simply as "rugby" throughout most of the world. The first rugby football international
16940-534: The summer of 1995 on the initiative of the then Five Nations Committee to provide a new level of professional cross border competition. Twelve sides representing Ireland, Wales, Italy, Romania and France competed in four pools of three with the group winners going directly into the semi-finals. English and Scottish teams did not take part in the inaugural competition. From an inauspicious beginning in Romania, where Toulouse defeated Farul Constanţa 54–10 in front of
17080-432: The tallest players in the team and specialise as line-out jumpers. The main role of the lock in line-outs is to make a standing jump, often supported by the other forwards, to either collect the thrown ball or ensure the ball comes down on their side. Locks also have an important role in the scrum, binding directly behind the three front row players and providing forward drive. The back row, not to be confused with 'Backs',
17220-669: The team around, no coach next year, struggling for Champions Cup rugby next season." Scrum-half John Cooney was named Player of the Year. For the 2018–19 season Dan McFarland was brought in as the new head coach. Jared Payne , Tommy Bowe , Andrew Trimble and Chris Henry all retired, and Charles Piutau left for Bristol Bears . Out-half Billy Burns was signed from Gloucester , prop Marty Moore from Wasps , flanker Jordi Murphy from Leinster , and utility back Will Addison from Sale Sharks . Prop Eric O'Sullivan , wing Robert Baloucoune , centre James Hume , fullback Michael Lowry and flanker Marcus Rea all made their debuts from
17360-412: The tiers into pools at random, with the restriction that no team will be drawn in the same pool as another team from the same league and tier. The nature of the draw means that sides will have a relatively even spread of matches across venues, leagues and tiers. Teams will play the two other teams in their pool from each different league once, at home or away, and match points will be awarded depending on
17500-424: The tournament as constituted as the Heineken Cup was won for a second time by Toulon at the Millennium Stadium in Cardiff in May 2014. The tournament began on 17 October 2014, with Harlequins playing Castres Olympique in the first ever Champions Cup game. Toulon retained their title, beating Clermont 24–18 in a repeat of the 2013 Heineken Cup Final , thereby becoming the first club to win three European titles in
17640-424: The two locks at the back of the scrum. The role of the number 8 in the scrum is to control the ball after it has been heeled back from the front of the pack, and the position provides a link between the forwards and backs during attacking phases. The role of the backs is to create and convert point-scoring opportunities. They are generally smaller, faster and more agile than the forwards. Another distinction between
17780-453: The two props is to support the hooker during scrums, to provide support for the jumpers during line-outs and to provide strength and power in rucks and mauls. The third position in the front row is the hooker. The hooker is a key position in attacking and defensive play and is responsible for winning the ball in the scrum. Hookers normally throw the ball in at line-outs. The second row consists of two locks or lock forwards. Locks are usually
17920-599: The way it was run. Without English clubs, the 1998–99 tournament revolved around France, Italy and the Celtic nations. Sixteen teams took part in four pools of four. French clubs filled the top positions in three of the groups and for the fourth consecutive year a French club, in the shape of Colomiers from the Toulouse suburbs, reached the final. Despite this it was to be Ulster 's year as they beat Toulouse (twice) and reigning French champions Stade Français on their way to
18060-616: The world, played by people regardless of gender, age or size. In 2023, there were more than 10 million people playing worldwide, of whom 8.4 million were registered players. World Rugby , previously called the International Rugby Football Board (IRFB) and the International Rugby Board (IRB), has been the governing body for rugby union since 1886, and currently has 116 countries as full members and 18 associate members. In 1845,
18200-463: Was extended to include Argentina , a country whose impressive performances in international games (especially finishing in third place in the 2007 Rugby World Cup) was deemed to merit inclusion in the competition. As a result of the expansion to four teams, the tournament was renamed The Rugby Championship. Each team starts the match with 15 players on the field and typically seven or eight substitutes but this varies at amateur level. The 15 players on
18340-704: Was held at Murrayfield in 1993. Rugby Sevens was introduced into the Commonwealth Games in 1998 and was added to the Olympic Games of 2016. Both men and women's Sevens took place at the 2020 Olympic Games in Tokyo. Rugby union was an amateur sport until the IRB declared the game "open" in August 1995 (shortly after the completion of the 1995 World Cup), removing restrictions on payments to players. However,
18480-599: Was included as an event in the Olympic Games four times during the early 20th century. No international rugby games and union-sponsored club matches were played during the First World War, but competitions continued through service teams such as the New Zealand Army team . During the Second World War no international matches were played by most countries, though Italy, Germany and Romania played
18620-881: Was mostly overseen by the Irish Football Union, with the Northern Football Union of Ireland controlling the game in Belfast . The two unions amalgamated in 1879, with the provincial branches of Ulster, Leinster and Munster being founded as part of the terms of this arrangement. The final Irish provincial side, Connacht , was founded in 1885. During the amateur era Irish players primarily played for their respective clubs, with provincial games effectively treated as Irish trial matches. The provincial teams were also used to provide competitive club opposition for touring international sides. Inter-provincial games were played on an irregular basis but starting in
18760-522: Was played between Scotland and England at Raeburn Place in Edinburgh. The Rugby World Cup , first held in 1987, is held every four years. The Six Nations Championship in Europe and The Rugby Championship in the Southern Hemisphere are other important international competitions that are held annually. National club and provincial competitions include the Premiership in England, the Top 14 in France,
18900-652: Was played on 27 March 1871 between Scotland and England in Edinburgh . Scotland won the game by one goal and one try to one goal. By 1881 both Ireland and Wales had representative teams and in 1883 the first international competition, the Home Nations Championship had begun. 1883 is also the year of the first rugby sevens tournament, the Melrose Sevens , which is still held annually. Two important overseas tours took place in 1888:
19040-559: Was signed from Connacht to replace him. Before the season started, out-half Paddy Jackson and centre Stuart Olding were charged with rape and suspended from playing pending trial. Both would be acquitted, but have their contracts revoked. Australian out-half Christian Lealiifano was signed on loan. Prop Tom O'Toole made his debut from the academy. After a poor run of form over the Christmas period, Les Kiss resigned as Director of Rugby, and Gibbes cut his contract short, leaving at
19180-477: Was signed from Leicester Tigers . Ulster finished third in their Heineken Cup group and eighth in the Celtic League, and Williams resigned. Hooker Rory Best was Player of the Year. For the 2009-10 season a new management structure was put in place, with David Humphreys as director of rugby and Brian McLaughlin as head coach, assisted by Jeremy Davidson and Neil Doak . New signings included lock Dan Tuohy from Exeter . Centre Nevin Spence made his debut from
19320-450: Was succeeded by Maurice Crabbe, under whom Ulster shared the title in 1972, came third in 1973, and won it in 1974. George Spotswood then led Ulster to a shared title in 1975, an unbeaten championship in 1976, and another shared title in 1976. Under Cecil Watson, Ulster came third in 1978 and fourth in 1979, and came third in 1980 under Matt Gillen, before form began to return under Willie John McBride , who led them to second place in 1981 and
19460-406: Was the earliest club to operate in the province. Clubs from this era still in existence include Dungannon and Queen's University . The first Irish inter-provincial game took place in 1875 between Ulster and Leinster , with Ulster being the victors. In Ireland 's first international match, which was played in 1875 against England , eight Ulster-based players took part. Rugby in Ulster at this time
19600-453: Was the first Scottish venue to host the final. Fabien Galthié 's Paris side led until two minutes from the end of normal time before Frédéric Michalak levelled the contest for Toulouse with his first penalty strike. He repeated this in the initial stages of extra time and then sealed his side's success with a superb opportunist drop-goal. Toulouse became the first team to win three Heineken Cup titles. In 2006, Munster defeated Biarritz in
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