And it's ... Mac

As mentioned on the UAFC last week, the BBC have confirmed that Ulster's new Head Coach will be Brian McLaughlin, former PE teacher and recently during Eddie O' Sullivans reign as Ireland skills coach...

McLaughlin was Ireland skills coach during Eddie O'Sullivan's reign
Belfast teacher Brian McLaughlin will be confirmed as the new Head Coach of Ulster on Tuesday.

The appointment of the 50-year-old former Ireland skills coach was finally agreed by the Irish RFU last week.

McLaughlin will sign a two-year deal and is scheduled to be unveiled to the media on Thursday.

The Head of PE was granted a second career break by RBAI so that he could fill the vacancy created by the sudden departure in May of Matt Williams.

The choice of McLaughlin as coach had been anticipated but, before everything was confirmed, due process had to be observed in relation to the IRFU, RBAI and his personal contract.

It is a dream job for the Newtownards-born McLaughlin who always wanted to coach his home province.

Ulster officials are understood to have earmarked McLaughlin for the job after conducting interviews earlier in June.

McLaughlin now faces a massive task to lift Ulster's fortunes after a disappointing 2008-09 season.

While McLaughlin may not be the big name coach many had hoped for, he still has plenty of experience and knows most of the players.

His three years working with Eddie O'Sullivan's Ireland squad was a success in relative terms.

An excellent technical coach, McLaughlin is a stickler for the basics, but is not afraid to promote flair and a little ingenuity.

McLaughlin's rugby life started with his home town club Ards where he was a back-row forward alongside Ireland stars Philip Matthews and Nigel Carr before injury interrupted his career.

He had success at Ulster and Ireland age group level winning the Five Nations Grand Slam alongside O'Sullivan in the early 1990s.

His other coaching duties included spells at club sides Malone and Instonians while behind the scenes he quietly guided Division Two outfit Ballynahinch to a clean sweep of titles last season.

He is most recognised, however, for his work at schools level. He coached Wallace to a couple of cup finals and then guided RBAI to seven cup finals in 12 years, winning five of them.

He also won the inter-provincial title with the Ulster Under-21 side where he coached the current captain Rory Best.

McLaughlin will continue with the same backroom staff who were in position at Ravenhill, with Jeremy Davidson and former pupil at Wallace Neil Doak his main assistants.

Forum Discussion

The dogs are barking...

The dogs in the street have been up all night howling that Richard Hill, lately of Bristol, is the new Director of rugby at Ulster. Reports (from the BeleTele) say that Hill just has to finalise some details to his contract will become the coach in the next couple of days. The dogs reckon it will be announced mid-week!

The article states; "A salary has been agreed, as have almost all the terms and conditions of his contract. The only issues remaining are finalisation of bonus payment in the event of a successful Heineken European Cup run, and ratification of his appointment by the IRFU, the latter a rubber-stamping exercise."

It goes on to say, "Both principal parties are happy; members of the Ravenhill hierarchy see Hill as being capable of moving things forward on the pitch and he wants the job. Agreement is tantalisingly close, with Hill said to be “poised to sign”. With no-one else in the frame at this stage and no resistance from either side, the way was clear for completion of the deal within days."

Forum Discussion

Ulster's loss

43 - 17

Ulster finish the season as they started; with a loss against the Scarlets. Ulster's performance left a lot to be desired, and against a weakened Scarlets side, they showed a lack of commitment and spark that hopefully doesn't reflect any progress they have made this year.

Match Report

Forum Discussion

Ulster team named

V

Matt William has made 5 changes to the team that lost to Cardiff last weekend.Tom Court starts as loose head prop, ahead of Bryan Young, who's on the bench. Ed O’Donoghue also starts, with Carlo Del Fava on the bench. Chris Henry is open side flanker while Ian Whitten and Timoci Nagusa replace Paddy Wallace and Andrew Trimble in the starting lineup.

Ulster:
(1-8) Tom Court, Rory Best (Capt), BJ Botha, Ed O'Donoghue, Ryan Caldwell, Stephen Ferris, Chris Henry, Robbie Diack.

(15-9) Clinton Schifcofske, Simon Danielli, Darren Cave, Ian Whitten, Timoci Nagusa, Niall O'Connor, Paul Marshall

Ulster Replacements:
(16-22) Nigel Brady, Bryan Young, Carlo Del Fava, Isaac Boss, Ian Humphreys, Rob Dewey

Forum Discussion

URSC Player of the Month Award

The Ulster Rugby Supporters Club (URSC) Player of the Month Award for January 2009, sponsored by Crystal Clear Glass Engravers, 37a Lisburn Road, Belfast , has been presented to Ulster Flanker Stephen Ferris by URSC secretary David Halleren .

Stephen was given the award for his constructive and destructive performances in the great Ulster wins against Harlequins at Ravenhill and Munster at Thomond Park. Stephen is delighted with the outcome. “I’m thrilled. We had a couple of great wins in January and to be recognised as a key contributor in those games is great.”

Ten years to the day

It's been ten years to the day since Ulster’s 1999 European Cup win, and it still seems like yesterday to many of the fans who were there.

The whole of Ireland were behind the team on that magical day, emotions were high and everyone knew that something special was going to happen. Politicians from all sides were there, and the team received a message from the then PM Tony Blair. Yes, it was a grand day out!

Take a look at our special reminder of the final, and watch the videos, see the news reports and read the memories of the first win for an Irish side of the European Cup.

Newspaper reports (in Word format)

The group stages and semifinal

The final!

Seven players re-sign for Ulster

Ulster Rugby has announced the re-signings of; Bryn Cunningham (30); David Pollock (21); Darren Cave (21); Niall O'Connor (21); Mark McCrea (21) and Thomas Anderson (21) until 2011, and Willie Faloon (22) until 2010.

Read more

Saturday night's alright for Shoutin'

The chronicles of an Ulsterfan, as he makes his way through life on the sidelines. A journey of epic proportions and massive efffort as he follows the Red hand, through Thick 'n' Thin, to home and away games, and when he can't make it, to the local..., where like-minded individuals gather to wile the nights away, spinnin' yarns and swapping tall stories...

Feel the atmosphere, experience the tension, and stir the soul, for those Ravenhill nights.

Ravenhill Nights