Ulster Rugby/2018-2019

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In Dan McFarland's first season as head coach, Ulster qualified for the playoffs in the Pro14 by finishing second in Conference B, beating Connacht Rugby in the quarter-finals and losing to Glasgow Warriors in the semifinal. In the Heineken Cup, they finished second in Pool 4, qualifying for the knockout stage, but lost to Leinster Rugby in the quarter-finals.

Squad

 * Loosehead prop: Eric O'Sullivan, Andrew Warwick, Kyle McCall, Tommy O'Hagan
 * Hooker: Rob Herring, Rory Best, Adam McBurney, John Andrew
 * Tighthead prop: Marty Moore, Ross Kane, Tom O'Toole, Wiehahn Herbst
 * Locks: Kieran Treadwell, Alan O'Connor, Iain Henderson, Ian Nagle, Matthew Dalton
 * Blindside flanker: Sean Reidy, Marcell Coetzee, Nick Timoney, Matty Rea, Clive Ross, Greg Jones, Chris Henry
 * Openside flanker: Jordi Murphy, Sean Reidy, Nick Timoney, Clive Ross, Greg Jones
 * Number 8: Marcell Coetzee, Nick Timoney, Greg Jones, Sean Reidy, Jean Deysel, Matty Rea, Clive Ross, Marcus Rea
 * Scrum-half: John Cooney, Dave Shanahan, Johnny Stewart
 * Out-half: Billy Burns, Johnny McPhillips, Michael Lowry, Peter Nelson
 * Left wing: Jacob Stockdale, Henry Speight, Rob Lyttle, Angus Kernohan, Louis Ludik, Robert Baloucoune
 * Inside centre: Stuart McCloskey, James Hume, Darren Cave, Peter Nelson, Angus Curtis
 * Outside centre: Darren Cave, Will Addison, Luke Marshall, James Hume, Angus Curtis, Louis Ludik
 * Right wing: Robert Baloucoune, Craig Gilroy, Henry Speight, Angus Kernohan, Rob Lyttle, David Busby, Louis Ludik
 * Fullback: Michael Lowry, Louis Ludik, Peter Nelson, Will Addison, Jacob Stockdale, Jack Owens

Pre-season
After the resignation of Jono Gibbes, Dan McFarland was announced as Ulster's new head coach on 30 April 2018. Initially he was to serve his notice as Scotland's forwards coach and join Ulster in January 2019, with Simon Easterby to act as interim head coach until then. But in August, an agreement was reached with Scotland for McFarland to join Ulster before the new season. Jared Payne, who retired as a player at the end of last season, became the new defence coach. Rory Best remained captain.

Ulster were still in need of an experienced fly-half after the end of Christian Lealiifano's loan period and the termination of Paddy Jackson's contract. in June they attempted to sign South African fly-half Elton Jantjies, but were blocked by the IRFU, who insisted they needed to sign an Irish-qualified player. Leinster's Joey Carbery and Ross Byrne were talked about, but Carbery opted to sign for Munster and Byrne stayed at Leinster. On 18 July, Billy Burns, who qualified for Ireland through his Irish grandfather, was signed from Gloucester Rugby.


 * Friendly 18/8/18 Ulster 17-29 Gloucester (full match)

New signings

 * Marty Moore from Wasps
 * Jordi Murphy from Leinster Rugby
 * Will Addison from Sale Sharks
 * Alexander Thompson from Terenure
 * Billy Burns from Gloucester Rugby
 * Alan Bennie from Lansdowne
 * Henry Speight from Brumbies (short-term deal)
 * Ian Nagle from Leinster Rugby (loan deal)

Promoted from Academy

 * Nick Timoney (back row)
 * Greg Jones (back row)
 * Adam McBurney (hooker)
 * Johnny Stewart (scrum-half)
 * Angus Curtis (centre)
 * Tom O'Toole (prop)

Transfers

 * Charles Piutau to Bristol Bears
 * Callum Black to Worcester Warriors
 * Brett Herron to Jersey Reds
 * Callum Patterson to Cornish Pirates
 * Stuart Olding to Brive
 * Paddy Jackson to Perpignan
 * Aaron Cairns to Ballynahinch
 * Rodney Ah You to Newcastle Falcons
 * Wiehahn Herbst to Bulls

Retired

 * Tommy Bowe
 * Paul Marshall
 * Andrew Trimble
 * Jared Payne
 * Peter Browne
 * Jean Deysel
 * Chris Henry

Released

 * Robbie Diack
 * Schalk van der Merwe

Season

 * Pro14 2018-2019: second in Conference B, semi-finalists
 * Heineken Cup 2018-2019: quarter-finalists
 * Top try scorer: Rob Herring (8)
 * Top points scorer: John Cooney (142)
 * Top tackler: Nick Timoney (303, 96%)
 * Most turnovers: Marcell Coetzee (23)
 * Pro14 team of the year: John Cooney, Stuart McCloskey
 * FRU player of the year: Marcell Coetzee
 * Ireland call-ups:
 * 2018 summer tour of Australia: Rory Best, John Cooney, Rob Herring, Iain Henderson, Jacob Stockdale
 * Autumn internationals 2018: Will Addison, Rory Best, John Cooney, Rob Herring, Iain Henderson, Stuart McCloskey, Jordi Murphy, Jacob Stockdale
 * Six Nations 2019: Will Addison, Rory Best, John Cooney, Iain Henderson, Jordi Murphy, Jacob Stockdale
 * Rugby World Cup 2019: Rory Best, Rob Herring, Iain Henderson, Jordi Murphy, Jacob Stockdale

Results

 * Pro14 Round 1 1/9/18 Ulster 15-13 Scarlets (stats, highlights)
 * Debut: Will Addison, Billy Burns, Angus Kernohan, Eric O'Sullivan, Henry Speight


 * Pro14 Round 2 7/9/18 Ulster 30-29 Edinburgh (stats, highlights)
 * Debut: Jordi Murphy


 * Pro14 Round 3 16/9/18 Southern Kings 7-28 Ulster (stats, highlights)
 * Pro14 Round 4 21/9/18 Cheetahs 39-39 Ulster (stats)
 * Pro14 Round 5 29/9/18 Munster 64-7 Ulster (stats)
 * Debut: James Hume, Michael Lowry


 * Pro14 Round 6 5/10/18 Ulster 15-22 Connacht (stats)
 * Heineken Cup Round 1 13/10/18 Ulster 24-10 Leicester Tigers
 * Debut: Marty Moore


 * Heineken Cup Round 2 20/10/18 Racing 92 44-12 Ulster
 * Pro14 Round 7 26/10/18 Ulster 36-18 Dragons (stats)
 * Debut: Robert Baloucoune


 * Pro14 Round 8 3/11/18 Benetton 10-15 Ulster (stats)
 * Pro14 Round 9 23/11/18 Scarlets 29-12 Ulster (stats)
 * Debut: Ian Nagle


 * Pro14 Round 10 1/12/18 Ulster 16-12 Cardiff Blues (stats)
 * Heineken Cup Round 3 7/12/18 Scarlets 24-25 Ulster
 * Heineken Cup Round 4 14/12/18 Ulster 30-15 Scarlets
 * Pro14 Round 11 21/12/18 Ulster 19-12 Munster (stats)
 * Pro14 Round 12 28/12/18 Connacht 21-12 Ulster (stats)
 * Debut: Tommy O'Hagan


 * Pro14 Round 13 5/1/19 Leinster 40-7 Ulster (stats)
 * Heineken Cup Round 5 12/1/19 Ulster 26-22 Racing 92
 * Heineken Cup Round 6 19/1/19 Leicester 13-14 Ulster
 * Pro14 Round 14 25/1/19 Ulster 17-17 Benetton (stats)
 * Pro14 Round 15 15/2/19 Ospreys 0-8 Ulster
 * Pro14 23/2/19 Round 16 Ulster 54-7 Zebre (stats)
 * Pro14 Round 17 3/3/19 Dragons 15-28 Ulster (stats)
 * Pro14 23/3/19 Round 18 Ulster 33-19 Southern Kings (stats)
 * Heineken Cup Quarter-Final 30/3/19 Leinster 21-18 Ulster (full match)
 * Pro14 Round 19 5/4/19 Glasgow Warriors 30-7 Ulster (stats)
 * Pro14 Round 20 12/4/19 Edinburgh 7-29 Ulster (stats)
 * Pro14 Round 21 27/4/19 Ulster 14-13 Leinster (stats)
 * Debut: Marcus Rea


 * Pro14 Quarter-Final 4/5/19 Ulster 21-13 Connacht (stats, full match)
 * Pro14 semi-final 17/5/19 Glasgow Warriors 50-20 Ulster (stats, full match)

Awards
2019 Heineken Ulster Rugby Awards
 * Player of the Year: Stuart McCloskey
 * Personality of the Year: Rory Best
 * Young Player of the Year: Eric O'Sullivan
 * Rugby Writers Player of the Year: Marcell Coetzee
 * Supporters Club Player of the Year: Stuart McCloskey
 * Academy Player of the Year: Michael Lowry
 * Ulster A Player of the Year: Aaron Sexton

Links

 * Front Row Union review of the season
 * Every try from the 2018/19 season | Ulster rugby, Youtube