Given their poor run of form in the Magners League and faced with an opening game against the Guinness Premiership leaders, Ulster look to have a difficult Heineken Cup campaign ahead of them but they have the squad depth to help them rise to the challenge.
ULSTER RUGBY
Ravenhill (capacity 12,000)
85 Ravenhill Park
Belfast, BT6 0DG
Northern Ireland
Tel: 0044 2890493222
Fax: 0044 2890491522
Ulster Rugby Website
Chief Executive – Michael Reid
Director Of Rugby/Coach – Mark McCall
Team Manager – David Millar
Team Captain – Rory Best
Home Jersey: White/Black/Red; Home Shorts: White; Alternate Jersey: Red/Black/White; Alternate Shorts: Black
2007/08 HEINEKEN CUP POOLS –
Pool 1 – Benetton Treviso, Newport Gwent Dragons, London Irish, Perpignan
Pool 2 – Bourgoin, Gloucester Rugby, Ospreys, Ulster Rugby
Pool 3 – Bristol Rugby, Cardiff Blues, Harlequins, Stade Francais Paris
Pool 4 – Biarritz Olympique Pays Basque, Glasgow Warriors, Saracens, Viadana
Pool 5 – ASM Clermont Auvergne, Llanelli Scarlets, London Wasps, Munster
Pool 6 – Edinburgh, Leicester Tigers, Leinster, Toulouse
ULSTER’S 2007/08 HEINEKEN CUP POOL FIXTURES –
Round 1 – November 9, 2007 – Gloucester Rugby (home)
Round 2 – November 16, 2007 – Bourgoin (away)
Round 3 – December 7, 2007 – Ospreys (away)
Round 4 – December 14, 2007 – Ospreys (home)
Round 5 – tbc – Bourgoin (home)
Round 6 – tbc – Gloucester Rugby (away)
ROUND ONE FIXTURES –
Friday, November 9:
Pool 1 – Perpignan v Newport Gwent Dragons, 9pm, Alan Lewis (Ireland) Canal+ Sport/Sky Sports*)
Pool 2 – Ulster Rugby v Gloucester Rugby, 8pm, Nigel Owens (Wales) (Sky Sports)
Saturday, November 10:
Pool 1 – London Irish v Benetton Treviso, 3pm, Tim Hayes (Wales)
Pool 2 – Ospreys v Bourgoin, 5.30pm, David Pearson (England) (S4C**/Sport+/Sky Sports*)
Pool 3 – Stade Francais Paris v Harlequins, 2.35pm, Alain Rolland (Ireland)
Pool 4 – Viadana v Biarritz Olympique, 2.30pm, Peter Allan (Scotland)
Pool 5 – London Wasps v Munster, 5.30pm, Joel Jutge (France) (Sky Sports/Sport+*)
Pool 6 – Edinburgh v Toulouse, 3.30pm, George Clancy (Ireland) (Sky Sports/FR2)
Pool 6 – Leinster v Leicester Tigers, 1.30pm, Christophe Berdos (France) (Sky Sports)
Sunday, November 11:
Pool 3 – Cardiff Blues v Bristol Rugby, 1pm, Malcolm Changleng (Scotland) (Sky Sports)
Pool 4 – Saracens v Glasgow Warriors, 3pm, Romain Poite (France)
Pool 5 – ASM Clermont Auvergne v Llanelli Scarlets, 4pm, Chris White (England) (FR2/Sky Sports)
* Delayed, ** Highlights
Full 2007/08 Heineken Cup Fixtures
2007/08 ULSTER SQUAD:
Tim Barker – Lock – Born: 19/06/81; Height: 6ft 6in; Weight: 18st 1lb
Mark Bartholomeusz – Utility Back – Born: 30/06/77; Height: 5ft 10in; Weight: 14st
Neil Best – Back Rower – Born: 03/04/79; Height: 6ft 2in; Weight: 15st 8lb
Rory Best – Hooker – Born: 15/08/82; Height: 5ft 11in; Weight: 16st 7lb
Isaac Boss – Scrum Half – Born: 09/04/80; Height: 5ft 10in; Weight: 12st 6lb
Tommy Bowe – Winger – Born: 22/02/84; Height: 6ft 3in; Weight: 14st 6lb
Nigel Brady – Hooker – Born: 09/10/79; Height: 5ft 10in; Weight: 15st 6lb
Ryan Caldwell – Lock – Born: 01/09/84; Height: 6ft 6in; Weight: 17st 11lb
Kieran Campbell – Scrum Half – Born: 06/07/79; Height: 5ft 8in; Weight: 12st 4lb
Jarlath Carey – Prop – Born: 23/04/77; Height: 5ft 6in; Weight: 17st 6lb
Niall Conlon – Prop – Born: 10/10/83; Height: 6ft 1in; Weight: 16st 7lb
Tom Court – Prop – Born: 06/10/80; Height: 6ft 3in; Weight: 19st 2lb
Bryn Cunningham – Full-Back – Born: 30/03/78; Height: 6ft; Weight: 13st 9lb
Simon Danielli – Centre/Winger – Born: 08/09/79; Height: 6ft 4in; Weight: 16st
Kieron Dawson – Back Rower – Born: 29/01/75; Height: 6ft 1in; Weight: 15st 3lb
Carlo Del Fava – Lock – Born: 01/07/81; Height: 6ft 6in; Weight: 18st 1lb
Rob Dewey – Centre/Winger – Born: 19/10/83; Height: 6ft 3in; Weight: 17st 8lb
David Drake – Scrum Half – Born: 15/02/86; Height: 5ft 8in; Weight: 11st 9lb
Stephen Ferris – Back Rower – Born: 02/08/85; Height: 6ft 4in; Weight: 17st 4lb
Declan Fitzpatrick – Prop – Born: 12/12/83; Height: 5ft 11in; Weight: 17st 4lb
Justin Fitzpatrick – Prop – Born: 21/11/73; Height: 6ft 2in; Weight: 18st 1lb
Justin Harrison – Lock – Born: 20/04/74; Height: 6ft 8in; Weight: 17st 6lb
David Humphreys – Out-Half – Born: 10/09/71; Height: 5ft 9in; Weight: 13st 5lb
Seamus Mallon – Centre/Winger – Born: 21/11/80; Height: 6ft 1in; Weight: 14st 6lb
Paul Marshall – Scrum Half – Born: 26/07/85; Height: 5ft 7in; Weight: 11st 11lb
Mark McCrea – Winger – Born: 17/09/87; Height: 6ft 1in; Weight: 14st 6lb
Matt McCullough – Lock/Back Rower – Born: 09/09/81; Height: 6ft 6in; Weight: 17st 4lb
Paul McKenzie – Centre/Winger – Born: 23/01/84; Height: 5ft 11in; Weight: 14st 9lb
Neil McMillan – Back Rower – Born: 15/05/81; Height: 5ft 11in; Weight: 15st 10lb
Matt Miles – Hooker – Born: 23/12/81; Height: 5ft 10in; Weight: 15st 1lb
Niall O’Connor – Out-Half – Born: 07/07/87; Height: 6ft; Weight: 13st 5lb
Stuart Philpott – Hooker – Born: 24/07/85; Height: 5ft 11in; Weight: 15st 6lb
David Pollock – Back Rower – Born: 19/03/87; Height: 6ft 1in; Weight: 15st 10lb
Paul Steinmetz – Centre – Born: 26/01/77; Height: 5ft 11in; Weight: 13st 7lb
Andrew Trimble – Centre/Winger – Born: 20/10/84; Height: 6ft 2in; Weight: 14st 4lb
Paddy Wallace – Out-Half/Full-Back – Born: 27/08/79; Height: 5ft 11in; Weight: 12st 10lb
Roger Wilson – Number 8 – Born: 21/09/81; Height: 6ft 3in; Weight: 16st 9lb
Bryan Young – Prop – Born: 11/06/81; Height: 6ft 1in; Weight: 17st 4lb
MUNSTER – HOME AND AWAY RECORD:
Home – Best Winning Run: 14 matches; Worst Run Without A Victory: 4 matches
Away – Best Winning Run: 4 matches; Worst Run Without A Victory: 8 matches
FULL EUROPEAN RECORD:
1995/96: lost to Cardiff 6-46 (a), lost to Begles-Bordeaux 16-29 (h)
1996/97: beat Caledonia 41-34 (a), lost to NEC Harlequins 15-21 (h), lost to Neath 13-15 (a), lost to Brive 6-17 (h)
1997/98: lost to Glasgow 12-18 (h), lost to Swansea 16-33 (a), lost to Wasps 3-56 (a), beat Swansea 28-20 (h), lost to Wasps 21-38 (h), lost to Glasgow 15-30 (a)
1998/99: drew with Edinburgh Reivers 38-38 (h), lost to Toulouse 3-39 (a), beat Ebbw Vale 61-28 (a), beat Toulouse 29-24 (h), beat Ebbw Vale 43-18 (h), beat Edinburgh Reivers 23-21 (a), Q-F beat Toulouse 15-13 (h), S-F beat Stade Français 33-27 (Ravenhill), FINAL beat Colomiers 21-6 (Lansdowne Road)
1999/00: lost to Bourgoin 12-26 (a), lost to London Wasps 6-19 (h), lost to Llanelli 6-29 (h), lost to Llanelli 3-20 (a), lost to London Wasps 17-49 (a), lost to Bourgoin 27-36 (h)
2000/01: beat Cardiff 32-23 (h), lost to Saracens 25-55 (a), drew with Toulouse 35-35 (a), lost to Toulouse 25-29 (h), lost to Cardiff 16-42 (a), lost to Saracens 13-21 (h)
2001/02: beat Benetton Treviso 33-28 (a), beat London Wasps 42-19 (h), lost to Stade Français 11-40 (a), beat Stade Français 19-16 (h), lost to London Wasps 32-36 (a), beat Benetton Treviso 59-3 (h)
2002/03: lost to Northampton Saints 9-32 (a), beat Cardiff 25-6 (h), beat Biarritz Olympique 13-9 (h), lost to Biarritz Olympique 20-25 (a), beat Cardiff 33-21 (a), beat Northampton Saints 16-13 (h)
2003/04: lost to Newport Gwent Dragons 15-24 (a), beat Stade Français 22-20 (h), beat Leicester Tigers 33-0 (h), lost to Leicester Tigers 7-49 (a), lost to Stade Français 10-13 (a), beat Newport Gwent Dragons 22-0 (h)
2004/05: beat Cardiff Blues 21-16 (h), lost to Gloucester 13-55 (a), lost to Stade Français Paris 10-30 (a), beat Stade Français Paris 18-10 (h), beat Gloucester 14-12 (h), lost to Cardiff Blues 12-16 (a)
2005/06: beat Benetton Treviso 27-0 (h), lost to Biarritz Olympique Pays Basque 19-33 (a), beat Saracens 19-10 (h), lost to Saracens 10-18 (a), lost to Biarritz Olympique Pays Basque 8-24 (h), beat Benetton Treviso 43-26 (a)
2006/07: beat Toulouse 30-3 (h), lost to Llanelli Scarlets 15-21 (a), lost to London Irish 13-29 (a), beat London Irish 29-13 (h), lost to Llanelli Scarlets 11-35 (h), lost to Toulouse 13-28 (a)
ULSTER – SEASON BY SEASON:
1995/96 – Director Of Rugby/Coach: Brian Bloomfield; Captain: Bill Harbinson; Record: Played 2, Won 0, Lost 2; Top Scorers: Points: Mark McCall 12; Tries: Andrew Matchett, Denis McBride 1 each
1996/97 – Director Of Rugby/Coach: Tony Russ; Captain: Denis McBride; Record: Played 4, Won 1, Lost 3; Top Scorers: Points: David Humphreys 52; Tries: Three players 2 each
1997/98 – Director Of Rugby/Coach: Dave Haslett; Captain: Steve McKinty; Record: Played 6, Won 1, Lost 5; Top Scorers: Points: Stuart Laing 65; Tries: Jan Cunningham 2
1998/99 – Director Of Rugby/Coach: Harry Williams; Captain: Mark McCall/David Humphreys; Record: Played 9, Won 7, Drawn 1, Lost 1; Top Scorers: Points: Simon Mason 144; Tries: Steve McKinty 4
1999/00 – Director Of Rugby/Coach: Harry Williams; Captain: David Humphreys; Record: Played 6, Won 0, Lost 6; Top Scorers: Points: Simon Mason 56; Tries: Tyrone Howe 2
2000/01 – Director Of Rugby/Coach: Harry Williams; Captain: David Humphreys; Record: Played 6, Won 1, Drawn 1, Lost 4; Top Scorers: Points: David Humphreys 96; Tries: James Topping 3
2001/02 – Director Of Rugby/Coach: Alan Solomons; Captain: David Humphreys; Record: Played 6, Won 4, Lost 2; Top Scorers: Points: David Humphreys 88; Tries: Tyrone Howe 4
2002/03 – Director Of Rugby/Coach: Alan Solomons; Captain: Andy Ward; Record: Played 6, Won 4, Lost 2; Top Scorers: Points: David Humphreys 60; Tries: Neil McMillan 3
2003/04 – Director Of Rugby/Coach: Alan Solomons; Captain: Andy Ward; Record: Played 6, Won 3, Lost 3; Top Scorers: Points: David Humphreys 69; Tries: Three players 2 each
2004/05 – Director Of Rugby/Coach: Mark McCall; Captain: Andy Ward; Record: Played 6, Won 3, Lost 3; Top Scorers: Points: David Humphreys 67; Tries: David Humphreys 2
2005/06 – Director Of Rugby/Coach: Mark McCall; Captain: Simon Best; Record: Played 6, Won 3, Lost 3; Top Scorers: Points: David Humphreys 38; Tries: Andrew Maxwell 3
2006/07 – Director Of Rugby/Coach: Mark McCall; Captain: Simon Best; Record: Played 6, Won 2, Lost 4; Top Scorers: Points: David Humphreys 52; Tries: Andrew Trimble 3
TEAM RECORDS –
Highest Score: 61 (v Ebbw Vale, 98/99 (a))
Biggest Margin Of Victory: 56 (v Benetton Treviso, 01/02 (h))
Most Tries In A Match: 8 (v Benetton Treviso, 01/02 (h))
Highest Score Against: 56 (v Wasps, 97/98 (a))
Most Tries Against: 8 (v Wasps, 97/98 (a))
Heaviest Margin Of Defeat: 53 (v Wasps, 97/98 (a))
INDIVIDUAL RECORDS –
Most Points In A Match: 37 (David Humphreys v Wasps, 01/02 (h))
Most Tries In A Match: 3 (Andrew Maxwell v Benetton Treviso, 05/06 (a))
Most Conversions In A Match: 7 (Simon Mason v Ebbw Vale, 98/99 (a))
Most Penalty Goals In A Match: 6 (Simon Mason v Colomiers, 98/99 (h)) (David Humphreys v Saracens, 00/01 (a), Toulouse, 00/01 (h), Wasps, 01/02 (h))
Most Drop Goals In A Match: 4 (David Humphreys v Wasps, 01/02 (h))
Leading Points Scorer: 554 David Humphreys
Leading Try Scorer: 14 David Humphreys
Try Hat-Tricks: 1 Andrew Maxwell
Most Points Against: 27 (Neil Jenkins, Cardiff, 00/01 (a))
ULSTER’S TOP HEINEKEN CUP TRY SCORERS:
14 – David Humphreys
10 – Tyrone Howe
7 – Jan Cunningham, Andy Ward
6 – Steve McKinty, James Topping
5 – Neil McMillan, Andrew Trimble
4 – Simon Mason
3 – Tommy Bowe, Ryan Constable, Andrew Maxwell, Tony McWhirter, Penalty tries
ULSTER’S TOP HEINEKEN CUP POINTS SCORERS:
554 – David Humphreys
200 – Simon Mason
68 – Stuart Laing
54 – Paddy Wallace
50 – Tyrone Howe
35 – Jan Cunningham, Andy Ward
30 – Steve McKinty, James Topping
26 – Paul Steinmetz
25 – Neil McMillan, Andrew Trimble
23 – Neil Doak
ULSTER’S MOST-CAPPED HEINEKEN CUP PLAYERS:
55 – David Humphreys
50 – Gary Longwell
44 – Andy Ward
43 – James Topping
42 – Justin Fitzpatrick
39 – Simon Best
35 – Tony McWhirter
34 – Jonny Bell
31 – Bryn Cunningham
28 – Tyrone Howe
26 – Jan Cunningham
25 – Neil Best, Mark Blair
24 – Paul Shields, Paul Steinmetz, Roger Wilson
ULSTER – HEINEKEN CUP ATTENDANCES:
1995/96 – 1 match – Total Attendance: 2,500 – Average Attendance: 2,500
1996/97 – 2 matches – Total Attendance: 11,000 – Average Attendance: 5,750
1997/98 – 3 matches – Total Attendance: 9,850 – Average Attendance: 3,283
1998/99 – 4 matches – Total Attendance: 35,000 – Average Attendance: 8,750
1999/00 – 3 matches – Total Attendance: 26,000 – Average Attendance: 8,666
2000/01 – 3 matches – Total Attendance: 37,500 – Average Attendance: 12,500
2001/02 – 3 matches – Total Attendance: 35,500 – Average Attendance: 11,833
2002/03 – 3 matches – Total Attendance: 35,150 – Average Attendance: 11,717
2003/04 – 3 matches – Total Attendance: 34,468 – Average Attendance: 11,489
2004/05 – 3 matches – Total Attendance: 28,355 – Average Attendance: 9,452
2005/06 – 3 matches – Total Attendance: 36,852 – Average Attendance: 12,284
2006/07 – 3 matches – Total Attendance: 37,797 – Average Attendance: 12,599
TOTALS – 34 matches – 330,472 – 9,720
NUMBERS GAME:
8,000,000 – The Heineken Cup will welcome its 8 millionth fan in the latter rounds of this season’s pool stages
4,500 – If the tournament can produce over 400 tries in a season for the fourth time then the 4,500th Heineken Cup try could be scored. 405 tries are needed to reach the 4,500 mark
21 – The number of points which Ulster scored when they famously beat Colomiers at Lansdowne Road on January 30, 1999 in the Heineken Cup final
HEINEKEN CUP CHAMPIONS:
2007 – London Wasps
2006 – Munster
2005 – Toulouse
2004 – London Wasps
2003 – Toulouse
2002 – Leicester Tigers
2001 – Leicester Tigers
2000 – Northampton Saints
1999 – Ulster
1998 – Bath
1997 – Brive
1996 – Toulouse
– Statistics courtesy of Westgate Sports Agency
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