Английская Википедия:2019–20 Ulster Rugby season
Шаблон:Use dmy dates Шаблон:EngvarB Шаблон:Infobox rugby club season The 2019–20 season was Ulster's 26th season since the advent of professionalism in rugby union, and Dan McFarland's second season as head coach. Lock Iain Henderson was named captain in place of retired hooker Rory Best. They competed in the Pro14 and the European Rugby Champions Cup. Both competitions were disrupted by the COVID-19 pandemic, he later stages being played in August, September and October 2020. In the Pro14, Ulster finished second in Conference A, making the playoffs and qualifying for next season's Champions Cup. They beat Edinburgh in the semi-final, but lost to Leinster in the final. They finished second in Pool 3 in the Champions Cup, qualifying for the quarter-finals, where they were beaten by Toulouse.
Academy players who made their debuts this season included centre Stewart Moore and wing Ethan McIlroy. Ulster led the league in defence. Scrum-half John Cooney and centre Stuart McCloskey made the Pro14 Dream Team. Cooney and number eight Marcell Coetzee were nominated for European Player of the Year. Cooney was leading scorer with 180 and leading try scorer with ten, and was named Ulster's Player of the Year.
Events
Personnel changes
New signings were Australian lock Sam Carter, from the Brumbies; Ireland and Lions prop Jack McGrath, from Leinster; New Zealand wing Matt Faddes, from the Highlanders; South African-born, Irish-qualified prop Gareth Milasinovich, from Worcester Warriors; former Ireland U20 out-half Bill Johnston, from Munster; and lock David O'Connor, from Lansdowne, joining his older brother Alan at Ulster on a development contract.
Players leaving included flanker Caleb Montgomery to Worcester Warriors, wing David Busby to the Seattle Seawolves, out-half Johnny McPhillips to Leicester Tigers, and lock Alex Thompson to Jersey Reds. Utility back Peter Nelson and wing Jack Owens were released. Centre Darren Cave retired, and so did hooker Rory Best after captaining Ireland at the 2019 World Cup. Iain Henderson was named Ulster's new captain in Best's place.[1]
Six new players joined the academy: wing Aaron Sexton, from Bangor Grammar School; wing Conor Rankin, from Campbell College; hooker Tom Stewart, last seasons' Ulster Schools Player of the Season, from Belfast Royal Academy; Irish-qualified centre Hayden Hyde, from Harlequins academy; prop Callum Reid, from Banbridge RFC;[2] and wing Ethan McIlroy, who joined in January 2020, from Methodist College Belfast.[3]
Scrum coach Aaron Dundon, strength and conditioning coach Kevin Geary and GPS analyst Chris Hagan left the province's support staff.[4]
Rugby World Cup
Three Ulster players were named in the initial Ireland squad for the 2019 Rugby World Cup: hooker Rory Best, captaining the team for his last tournament before retiring, lock Iain Henderson, and wing Jacob Stockdale. Flanker Jordi Murphy and hooker Rob Herring were later called up to replace the injured Jack Conan and Seán Cronin.
Season
With Iain Henderson away with Ireland at the World Cup, Rob Herring was named stand-in captain.[5] When Herring was called up to the World Cup due to injury, the captaincy went to Billy Burns.[6]
The pool stage of the Champions Cup was completed in January 2020, with Ulster finishing second in Pool 3 and qualifying for the quarter-finals.
The 2020 Six Nations Championship began in February 2020. Seven Ulster players, Ian Henderson, Rob Herring, Tom O'Toole, Will Addison, Billy Burns, John Cooney and Jacob Stokdale, were called up for Ireland. Robert Baloucoune included in the training squad as a development player.[7] Stockdale, Henderson, Herring and Cooney appeared in the first three games, before the tournament was suspended due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Ulster's away game against Benetton in the Pro14, scheduled for 29 February 2020, was postponed due to the COVID-19 pandemic, and later recorded as a 0-0 draw. The rest of the season was suspended on 12 March.[8] The knockout stage of the Champions Cup was also postponed.
The Pro14 season resumed in August, the regular season reduced from 21 games to 15,[9] with matches played behind closed doors.[10]
Scrum-half Alby Mathewson[11] and out-half Ian Madigan[12] joined in the summer, and were able to play in these late-season matches, but Ulster were docked a point in the Pro14 table as Madigan played two games before he was properly registered with his new club.[13] Ulster finished second in Conference A an qualified for the playoffs. They beat Edinburgh in the semi-final, but lost to Leinster in the final. The knockout stages of the Champions Cup resumed in September, and Ulster went out in the quarter-finals to Toulouse.
The Six Nations resumed in October. The Ireland squad included four Ulster players, Iain Henderson, Rob Herring, Stuart McCloskey and Jacob Stockdale,[14] and Herring and Stockdale both played in the last two matches.
Academy players Stewart Moore, Azur Allison and Ethan McIlroy made their senior debuts this season.[15]
Ulster had the highest home attendance in the Pro14, averaging 15,295,[16] and led the league in defence.[17] They were fourth in attendance in the Champions Cup, averaging 17,024.[18]
Post-season
Inside centre Stuart McCloskey and scrum-half John Cooney were named on the Pro14 Dream Team.[19] Cooney and number 8 Marcell Coetzee made the longlist for EPCR European Player of the Year.[20]
At the Ulster Rugby Awards, John Cooney was named Player of the Year. Marcell Coetzee won Personality of the Year, Supporters' Club Player of the Year, and Rugby Writers' Player of the Year. Tom O'Toole was Young Player of the Year.
Staff
| Position | Name | Nationality |
|---|---|---|
| Chief executive officer | Jonny Petrie | Шаблон:Flag |
| Operations Director | Bryn Cunningham | Шаблон:Flag |
| Head Coach | Dan McFarland | Шаблон:Flag |
| Attack Coach | Dwayne Peel | Шаблон:Flag |
| Defence Coach | Jared Payne | Шаблон:Flag |
| Forwards Coach | Roddy Grant | Шаблон:Flag |
| Skills Coach | Dan Soper | Шаблон:Flag |
Squad
Senior squad
Players in
- Шаблон:Flagicon Sam Carter from Шаблон:Flagicon Brumbies[21]
- Шаблон:Flagicon Matt Faddes from Шаблон:Flagicon Highlanders[22]
- Шаблон:Flagicon Bill Johnston from Шаблон:Flagicon Munster[23]
- Шаблон:Flagicon Ian Madigan from Шаблон:Flagicon Bristol Bears[24]
- Шаблон:Flagicon Alby Mathewson unattached[25]
- Шаблон:Flagicon Jack McGrath from Шаблон:Flagicon Leinster[26]
- Шаблон:Flagicon Gareth Milasinovich from Шаблон:Flagicon Worcester Warriors[27]
- Шаблон:Flagicon David O'Connor from Шаблон:Flagicon Lansdowne[28]
Promoted from academy
- Шаблон:Flagicon Robert Baloucoune[29]
- Шаблон:Flagicon James Hume[30]
- Шаблон:Flagicon Angus Kernohan[29]
- Шаблон:Flagicon Michael Lowry[30]
- Шаблон:Flagicon Zack McCall[29]
- Шаблон:Flagicon Eric O'Sullivan[30]
- Шаблон:Flagicon Marcus Rea[29]
Players out
- Шаблон:Flagicon Alan Bennie released
- Шаблон:Flagicon Rory Best retired[31]
- Шаблон:Flagicon David Busby to Шаблон:Flagicon Seattle Seawolves[32]
- Шаблон:Flagicon Darren Cave retired[33]
- Шаблон:Flagicon Matthew Dalton released
- Шаблон:Flagicon Wiehahn Herbst to Шаблон:Flagicon Bulls[34]
- Шаблон:Flagicon Johnny McPhillips to Шаблон:Flagicon Leicester Tigers[35]
- Шаблон:Flagicon Caleb Montgomery to Шаблон:Flagicon Worcester Warriors[36]
- Шаблон:Flagicon Ian Nagle to Шаблон:Flagicon Zebre
- Шаблон:Flagicon Peter Nelson released[37]
- Шаблон:Flagicon Jack Owens released[37]
- Шаблон:Flagicon Henry Speight to Шаблон:Flagicon Brumbies
- Шаблон:Flagicon Alex Thompson to Шаблон:Flagicon Jersey Reds[38]
| Ulster Rugby squad[39][40] | ||
|---|---|---|
|
Props
Hookers
Locks
|
Back row
Scrum-halves
Fly-halves
|
Centres
Wings
Fullbacks
|
| (c) denotes the team captain, Bold denotes internationally capped players. Italics denotes academy players who appeared in the senior team. * denotes players qualified to play for Ireland on residency or dual nationality. Players and their allocated positions from the Ulster Rugby website.[41][42]Шаблон:Notelist |
Academy squad
Players in
- Шаблон:Flagicon Ethan McIlroy from Шаблон:Flagicon Methodist College Belfast.[43]
- Шаблон:Flagicon Tom Stewart from Шаблон:Flagicon Belfast Royal Academy
- Шаблон:Flagicon Aaron Sexton from Шаблон:Flagicon Bangor Grammar School
- Шаблон:Flagicon Callum Reid from Шаблон:Flagicon Banbridge RFC;[2]
- Шаблон:Flagicon Conor Rankin from Шаблон:Flagicon Campbell College
- Шаблон:Flagicon Hayden Hyde from Шаблон:Flagicon Harlequins academy
| Ulster Rugby Academy squadШаблон:Efn | ||
|---|---|---|
|
Props Hookers Locks
|
Back row
Scrum-halves
Fly-halves |
Centres
Wings
Fullbacks
|
| (c) denotes the team captain, Bold denotes internationally capped players, number in brackets indicates players stage in the three-year academy cycle. * denotes players qualified to play for Ireland on residency or dual nationality. Players and their allocated positions from the Ulster Rugby website.[44]Шаблон:Notelist |
Ulster 'A'
The following players, other than players from the senior squad and academy, appeared for Ulster 'A this season.
| Players used by Ulster 'A' | ||
|---|---|---|
|
Props
Hookers
|
Locks
|
Fly-halves
Centres
Wings
|
European Rugby Champions Cup
Pool 3
Шаблон:2019–20 European Rugby Champions Cup Pool 3 table
Quarter-final
Pro14
Шаблон:Main Шаблон:2019–20 Pro14 league table
Semi-final
Final
Ulster A
Celtic Cup
| Team | P | W | D | L | PF | PA | PD | TF | TA | TB | LB | Pts | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Шаблон:Flagicon Leinster A (CH) | 7 | 7 | 0 | 0 | 351 | 140 | 211 | 55 | 22 | 7 | 0 | 35 |
| 2 | Шаблон:Flagicon Ulster A (RU) | 7 | 5 | 0 | 2 | 198 | 170 | 28 | 28 | 23 | 5 | 0 | 25 |
| 3 | Шаблон:Flagicon Connacht Eagles | 7 | 5 | 0 | 2 | 191 | 169 | 22 | 24 | 24 | 3 | 0 | 23 |
| 4 | Шаблон:Flagicon Scarlets A | 7 | 4 | 0 | 3 | 217 | 194 | 23 | 29 | 28 | 4 | 2 | 22 |
| 5 | Шаблон:Flagicon Dragons A | 7 | 2 | 0 | 5 | 205 | 236 | -31 | 30 | 34 | 5 | 2 | 15 |
| 6 | Шаблон:Flagicon Munster A | 7 | 2 | 1 | 4 | 165 | 206 | -41 | 22 | 31 | 3 | 0 | 13 |
| 7 | Шаблон:Flagicon Ospreys Development | 7 | 1 | 1 | 5 | 133 | 229 | -96 | 19 | 32 | 2 | 0 | 8 |
| 8 | Шаблон:Flagicon Cardiff Blues A | 7 | 1 | 0 | 6 | 109 | 225 | -116 | 17 | 30 | 2 | 1 | 7 |
If teams are level at any stage, tiebreakers are applied in the following order -
| |||||||||||||
| Green background indicates teams that advance to the final (Q) Qualified for the final (CH) Champions (RU) Runners-up Updated: 5 October 2019 Source: Munster Rugby | |||||||||||||
Final
Home attendance
| Domestic League | European Cup | Total | |||||||||
| League | Fixtures | Average Attendance | Highest | Lowest | League | Fixtures | Average Attendance | Highest | Lowest | Total Attendance | Average Attendance |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2019–20 Pro14 | 7‡ | 13,818 | 17,483 | 10,975 | 2019–20 European Rugby Champions Cup | 3 | 17,024 | 17,923 | 15,466 | 147,796 | 14,780 |
| ‡Match figures include fixtures in which Covid-19 restrictions limited attendance, but exclude fixtures in which no spectators were allowed due to the Covid-19 pandemic. | |||||||||||
Ulster Rugby Awards
The Ulster Rugby Awards ceremony was held on 29 September 2020. Winners were:[45][46][47]
- Player of the Year: John Cooney (nominees: Marcell Coetzee, Alan O'Connor, Sean Reidy)
- Personality of the Year: Marcell Coetzee
- Supporters' Club Player of the Year: Marcell Coetzee (nominees: John Cooney, Stuart McCloskey)
- Rugby Writers' Player of the Year: Marcell Coetzee (nominees: John Cooney, Stuart McCloskey)
- Young Player of the Year: Tom O'Toole (nominees: Robert Baloucoune, James Hume, Michael Lowry)
- Ulster A Player of the Year: Ethan McIlroy (nominees: Ross Adair, Hayden Hyde)
- Academy Player of the Year: David McCann (nominees: Ethan McIlroy, Lewis Finlay)
- Women's Player of the Year - Kathryn Dane (nominees: Vicky Irwin, Neve Jones)
- Referee of the Year: Chris Busby
- Dorrington B. Faulkner (Services to Rugby) Award: Ross Workman, Omagh Academicals RFC
- Youth Player of the Year: Jack Milton, Ballyclare RFC
- U18 Girls' Player of the Year: Ava Fannin, RFC Virginia
- Girls Schools' Player of the Year: Lucy Thompson, Enniskillen Royal Grammar School
- Boys Schools' Player of the Year: Nathan Doak, Wallace High School
- Club Player of the Year: Shea O'Brien, City of Armagh RFC
References
External links
- Ulster Rugby: Who Did What 2019-20, The Front Row Union, 1 October 2020
- "The Ulster depth chart: Madigan and Mathewson add experience", The42, 29 July 2020
- ↑ "Iain Henderson appointed Ulster captain as lock predicts 'exciting' season ahead for the province", Belfast Telegraph, 25 July 2019
- ↑ 2,0 2,1 "Abbey Insurance Ulster Academy 2019/20 Squad Announced", Ulster Rugby, 20 June 2019
- ↑ Gareth Fullerton, "Ulster Rugby Academy squad confirmed for 2020/21 season", Belfast Live, 12 May 2020
- ↑ "Ulster confirm departing players as well as scrum coach Dundon", The42, 23 May 2019
- ↑ Шаблон:Cite web
- ↑ Шаблон:Cite web
- ↑ "Ireland Squad Announced For Guinness Six Nations", Irish Rugby, 15 January 2020
- ↑ Шаблон:Cite web
- ↑ "Pro14 set to resume in late August as league reduced", RTÉ Sport, 18 June 202
- ↑ Dan Sanson, "Guinness PRO14 season to resume in August behind closed doors", Sky Sports, 18 June 2020
- ↑ Шаблон:Cite news
- ↑ Шаблон:Cite news
- ↑ Ulster: "Province docked Pro14 point and fined over error in new fly-half's registration", BBC Sport, 25 September 2020
- ↑ "Ireland Squad Named To Complete 2020 Guinness Six Nations Championship", Irish Rugby, 8 October 2020
- ↑ Ulster Rugby: Who Did What 2019-20, The Front Row Union, 1 October 2020
- ↑ Statbunker: home attendance, Pro14 2019-20
- ↑ URC Team Statistics, retrieved 28 May 2022
- ↑ Statbunker: home attendance, European Champions Cup 2019-20
- ↑ Шаблон:Cite news
- ↑ "EPCR European Player of the Year award 2020 – nominees announced", European Professional Club Rugby, 27 January 2020
- ↑ Шаблон:Cite news
- ↑ Шаблон:Cite news
- ↑ Шаблон:Cite news
- ↑ Шаблон:Cite news
- ↑ Шаблон:Cite news
- ↑ Шаблон:Cite news
- ↑ Шаблон:Cite news
- ↑ Шаблон:Cite news
- ↑ 29,0 29,1 29,2 29,3 Шаблон:Cite news
- ↑ 30,0 30,1 30,2 Шаблон:Cite news
- ↑ Шаблон:Cite news
- ↑ Шаблон:Cite tweet
- ↑ Шаблон:Cite news
- ↑ Шаблон:Cite news
- ↑ Шаблон:Cite news
- ↑ Шаблон:Cite news
- ↑ 37,0 37,1 Шаблон:Cite news
- ↑ Шаблон:Cite news
- ↑ Jason Henessy, "Ulster Rugby Confirm Their Squad For 2019/20 Season", Rugby Lad, 24 June 2019
- ↑ Appearances and scoring stats from ItsRugby.co.uk
- ↑ Шаблон:Cite web
- ↑ Шаблон:Cite news
- ↑ Gareth Fullerton, "Ulster Rugby announce contract news for four more players", Irish Mirror, 2 February 2021
- ↑ Шаблон:Cite news
- ↑ "John Cooney is named Ulster's Player of the Year as Marcel Coetzee wins hat-trick of awards", BBC Sport, 20 September 2020
- ↑ "Ulster Rugby Domestic Rugby Awards: Winners revealed in virtual ceremony", Ulster Rugby, 26 June 2020
- ↑ "Nominees revealed for virtual Heineken Ulster Rugby Awards ceremony", Ulster Rugby, 25 September 2020
