Ulster Rugby/2020-2021

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In Dan McFarland's third season as Ulster head coach, Ulster finished second in Conference A of the Pro14. In a season truncated by the Covid 19 pandemic, there were no playoffs to qualify for, only a final between the top teams in each conference. The second half of the season was the Pro14 Rainbow Cup, with the twelve European teams in one pool and four South African teams in the other, with the top teams in each pool playing the final. Ulster finished tenth of twelve in the European pool.

The Heineken Cup was reorganised into two pools of twelve. Ulster finished ninth in their pool and were entered into the the European Rugby Challenge Cup, where they beat Harlequins in the round of 16 and Northampton Saints in the quarter-finals, before losing to Leicester Tigers in the semi-finals.

South African Number 8 Marcell Coetzee left before the end of the season to join the Vodacom Bulls.

Coaching team

 * Dan McFarland, head coach
 * Dwayne Peel, assistant coach
 * Jared Payne, defence coach
 * Roddy Grant, forwards coach
 * Dan Soper, skills coach

Squad

 * Loosehead prop: Eric O'Sullivan, Andrew Warwick, Jack McGrath, Kyle McCall, Callum Reid
 * Hooker: John Andrew, Rob Herring, Adam McBurney, Bradley Roberts
 * Tighthead prop: Marty Moore, Tom O'Toole, Ross Kane, Gareth Milasinovich
 * Locks: Alan O'Connor, Kieran Treadwell, Sam Carter, Iain Henderson, David O'Connor, Cormac Izuchukwu
 * Blindside flanker: Matty Rea, Sean Reidy, Greg Jones, Nick Timoney, David McCann, Jordi Murphy
 * Openside flanker: Jordi Murphy, Sean Reidy, Marcus Rea, David McCann
 * Number 8: Nick Timoney, Marcell Coetzee, David McCann
 * Scrum-half: John Cooney, Alby Matthewson, Dave Shanahan, Nathan Doak
 * Out-half: Billy Burns, Ian Madigan, Michael Lowry, Bill Johnston, Angus Curtis
 * Left wing: Rob Lyttle, Ethan McIlroy, Jacob Stockdale, Craig Gilroy, Louis Ludik, Matt Faddes, Aaron Sexton
 * Inside centre: Stuart McCloskey, Stewart Moore, Ben Moxham
 * Outside centre: James Hume, Luke Marshall, Stuart Moore, Will Addison
 * Right wing: Matt Faddes, Craig Gilroy, Robert Baloucoune, Rob Lyttle
 * Fullback: Michael Lowry, Jacob Stockdale, Ethan McIlroy

New signings

 * Ian Madigan from Bristol Bears
 * Alby Mathewson (unattached, formerly of Munster Rugby)

Promoted from Academy

 * Stewart Moore

Transfers

 * Angus Kernohan to Ealing Trailfinders

Released

 * Zack McCall
 * Clive Ross
 * Tommy O'Hagan

Season

 * Pro14 Round 1 02/10/20 Ulster Rugby 35-24 Benetton Rugby (stats, highlights)
 * Debut: David McCann, Gareth Milasinovich


 * Pro14 Round 2 10/10/20 Ospreys 12-24 Ulster Rugby (stats, extended highlights, highlights)
 * Pro14 Round 3 25/10/20 Ulster Rugby 40-17 Dragons (stats, highlights)
 * Pro14 Round 4 02/11/20 Cardiff Blues 7-11 Ulster Rugby (stats, highlights)

05/11/20 Ireland squad announced for 2020 Autumn Nations Cup (13-21 November). Ulster players called up: Billy Burns, Iain Henderson, Rob Herring, Stuart McCloskey, Jacob Stockdale

Ulster sign hooker Bradley Roberts from Rainey Old Boys as injury cover in Herring's absence.


 * Pro14 Round 5 09/11/20 Ulster Rugby 40-15 Glasgow Warriors (stats, highlights)
 * Pro14 Round 6 16/11/20 Zebre 14-57 Ulster Rugby (stats, highlights)
 * Pro14 Round 7 22/11/20 Ulster Rugby 24-22 Scarlets (stats, highlights)
 * Pro14 Round 8 30/11/20 Edinburgh Rugby 14-43 Ulster Rugby (stats, highlights)
 * Debut: Bradley Roberts, Aaron Sexton


 * Heineken Cup Round 1 11/12/20 Ulster Rugby 22-29 Stade Toulousain (stats)
 * Heineken Cup Round 2 19/12/20 Gloucester Rugby 38-34 Ulster Rugby (stats)

26/12/20 It is announced that Marcell Coetzee will leave the club at the end of the season.


 * Pro14 Round 9 27/12/20 Connacht 19-32 Ulster (stats, highlights)
 * Debut: Ben Moxham


 * Pro14 Round 10 2/1/21 Ulster Rugby 15-10 Munster Rugby (stats, highlights)
 * Debut: Nathan Doak, Callum Reid


 * Pro14 Round 11 08/01/21 Leinster Rugby 24-12 Ulster Rugby (stats, highlights)

25/01/21 Ireland squad announced for 2021 Six Nations (6 February - 26 March). Ulster players called up: Billy Burns, John Cooney, Iain Henderson, Rob Herring, Stuart McCloskey, Tom O'Toole


 * Pro14 Round 12 19/02/21 Glasgow Warriors 13-19 Ulster Rugby (stats, highlights)
 * Debut: Cormac Izuchukwu


 * Pr014 Round 13 26/02/21 Ulster Rugby 21-7 Ospreys (stats, highlights)
 * Pro14 Round 14 06/03/21 Ulster Rugby 19-38 Leinster Rugby (stats, highlights)
 * Pro14 Round 15 13/03/21 Dragons 22-26 Ulster Rugby (stats, highlights)
 * Pro14 Round 16 19/03/21 Ulster Rugby 49-3 Zebre (stats, highlights)
 * European Rugby Challenge Cup Round of 16 04/04/21 Harlequins F.C. 21-57 Ulster Rugby (stats)
 * European Rugby Challenge Cup Quarter-Final 10/04/21 Northampton Saints 27-35 Ulster Rugby (stats)
 * Pro14 Rainbow Cup Round 1 23/04/21 Ulster Rugby 24-26 Connacht Rugby (stats)
 * European Rugby Challenge Cup Semi-Final 30/04/21 Leicester Tigers 33-24 Ulster Rugby (stats)

Marcell Coetzee was released from his contract at the end of April, having last played against Leinster on 6 March.

06/05/21 British & Irish Lions squad for summer tour to South Africa announced. Ulster player called up: Iain Henderson


 * Pro14 Rainbow Cup Round 2 07/05/21 Munster Rugby 38-10 Ulster Rugby (stats)
 * Pro14 Rainbow Cup Round 3 14/05/21 Leinster Rugby 21-17 Ulster Rugby (stats)
 * Pro14 Rainbow Cup Round 4 29/05/21 Ulster Rugby 0-0 Scarlets - Ulster withdrew after several positive Covin 19 results, Scarlets awarded 4 points
 * Pro14 Rainbow Cup Round 5 05/06/21 Edinburgh Rugby 31-34 Ulster Rugby (stats)


 * Pro14 Rainbow Cup: 10th of 12 in European pool


 * Heineken Cup 2020-2021: 9th of 12 in Pool B
 * European Rugby Challenge Cup: semi-finalists

Awards

 * Ulster Rugby Awards
 * Personality of the Year: Iain Henderson
 * Player of the Year: Alan O'Connor
 * Supporters Club Player of the Year: John Cooney
 * Rugby Writers Player of the Year: Nick Timoney
 * Young Player of the Year: James Hume


 * FRU player of the year: John Cooney


 * Top try scorer: Marcell Coetzee (9)
 * Top points scorer: John Cooney (174)
 * Top tackler: Alan O'Connor (242, 94.9%)
 * Most turnovers: Nick Timoney (13)


 * Players' Player of the Season: Marcell Coetzee
 * Pro14 Team of the year: Michael Lowry, John Cooney, Marcell Coetzee, Eric O'Sullivan

Links

 * Front Row Union review of the season