1997–98 Ulster Rugby season

The 1997–98 season was Ulster Rugby's third season under professionalism, during which they competed in the Heineken Cup and the IRFU Interprovincial Championship.

1997–98 Ulster Rugby season
Ground(s)Ravenhill Stadium (Capacity: 12,500)
Coach(es)Davy Haslett
Captain(s)Stephen McKinty
Top scorerStuart Laing (115)
Most triesJan Cunningham (2)
Stan McDowell (2)
League(s)Heineken Cup (4th in pool)
IRFU Interprovincial Championship (3rd of 4)
← 1996–97 1998–99 →

The IRFU offered new contracts for provincial players for this season. Full-time players would receive a retainer of £25,000, plus a win bonus of £500 for Heineken Cup matches. Part-time players would be aid a retainer of £7,500, plus a match fee of £400 for Interprovincial matches and £800 for the Heineken Cup, and a win bonus of £450 for both competitions.[1] Each province could have a maximum of 30 contracted players.[2]

Mark McCall was offered a full-time contract, but turned it down and signed for London Irish, making him unavailable for Ulster this season.[3]

Full-time contracts were also offered to Jan Cunningham and Stephen Bell, and part-time contracts to Clem Boyd (Bedford), Sheldon Coulter (Ballymena), Bryn Cunningham (Bective), Stuart Duncan (Malone), Rab Irwin (Ballymena), Stuart Laing (Portadown), Gary Leslie (Dungannon), Gary Longwell (Ballymena), Richard Mackey (Malone), Andrew Matchett (Ballymena), Denis McBride (Malone)' Dean Macartney (Ballymena), Stephen McKinty (Bangor), Tony McWhirter (Ballymena), John Patterson (Dungannon) and Andy Ward (Ballynahinch).[3]

After the departure of Tony Russ, Clive Griffiths was lined up to take over as head coach, but withdrew in the summer. Davy Haslett, a geography teacher teacher at RBAI, was offered the position on the eve of the 1997 Ireland A rugby union tour of Oceania, on which he was assistant coach. Between returning from that tour and a pre-booked famility holiday, he only had four weeks to work with the team before the season started. Charlie McAleese was appointed assistant coach, and John Kinnear team manager.[4]: 10–12 

Players selected
Ulster Rugby squad

Props

Hookers

Locks

  • Tony McWhirter, Ballymena
  • Gary Longwell, Ballymena
  • Murtagh Rea, Malone
  • Charlie Simpson, Dungannon

Back row

Scrum-halves

  • Andrew Matchett, Ballymena
  • Stephen Bell, Dungannon
  • Kenton Hillman, Instonians

Fly-halves

Centres

Wings

  • James Topping, Ballymena
  • Sheldon Coulter, Ballymena
  • Jan Cunningham, TCD
  • Andy Park, Ballymena
  • Graeme McCluskey, Portadown
  • S. Carroll, Malone

Fullbacks

  • Robin Morrow, Dungannon
(c) denotes the team captain, Bold denotes internationally capped players.
* denotes players qualified to play for Ireland on residency or dual nationality.

    1997–98 Heineken Cup
    Main article: 1997–98 Heineken Cup

    Pool 2
    Team P W D L Tries for Tries against Try diff Points for Points against Points diff Pts
    Wasps 660031121924310413912
    Glasgow 63031415−1132167−356
    Swansea 62041516−1157161−44
    Ulster 6105623−1795195−1002
    8 September 1997
    19:00
    Ulster 12 – 18 Glasgow
    Pen: Laing (3)
    Drop: Laing
    		 Report[6] Try: Craig, Wallace
    Con: Hayes
    Pen: Hayes (2)
    Ravenhill
    Attendance: 2,100
    Ulster lineup
    • 1. Richard Mackey, 2. Stephen Ritchie, 3. Gary Leslie, 4. Tony McWhirter, 5. Gary Longwell, 6. Stephen McKinty, 7. Keith Gallick, 8. Andy Ward, 9. Stephen Bell, 10. Stuart Laing, 11. Sheldon Coulter, 12. James Topping, 13. Maurice Field, 14. Jan Cunningham, 15. Robin Morrow.
    13 September 1997
    14:00
    Swansea 33 – 16 Ulster
    Try: Gibbs
    H. Thomas
    Con: A. Thomas
    Pen: A. Thomas (7)
    		 Report[7][8] Try: Gallick
    Con: Laing
    Pen: Laing (3)
    St. Helen's
    Attendance: 3,000
    Referee: K. McCartney
    Ulster lineup
    • 1. Richard Mackey, 2. Stephen Ritchie, 3. Gary Leslie, 4. Tony McWhirter, 5. Gary Longwell, 6. Stephen McKinty, 7. Keith Gallick, 8. Andy Ward, 9. Stephen Bell, 10. Stuart Laing, 11. Sheldon Coulter, 12. James Topping, 13. Maurice Field, 14. Jan Cunningham, 15. Robin Morrow.


    21 September 1997
    15:00
    London Wasps 56 – 3 Ulster
    Try: Mitchell, Wood, King, Logan (3), Greenstock
    Rosier
    Con: Rees (5)
    Pen: Rees
    		 Report[9][10] Pen: Laing
    Loftus Road Stadium
    Attendance: 4,120
    Ulster lineup
    • 1. Richard Mackey, 2. Stephen Ritchie, 3. Rab Irwin, 4. Tony McWhirter, 5. Gary Longwell, 6. Stephen McKinty, 7. Keith Gallick, 8. Andy Ward, 9. Andrew Matchett, 10. Stuart Laing, 11. Jan Cunningham, 12. Maurice Field, 13. Stan McDowell, 14. James Topping, 15. Robin Morrow. Replacements: C. O'Kane (for Ritchie, 12–24), Roger Wilson (for Gallick, 63), Bryn Cunningham (for Laing, 70), Murtagh Rea (for Longwell, 12–16; for McWhirter, 74), Stephen Bell (for Field, 75)


    27 September 1997
    14:30
    Ulster 28 – 20 Swansea
    Try: Penalty try, Jackson, McWhirter
    Con: Laing (2)
    Pen: Laing (3)
    		 Report[11] Try: Rees (2), Williams
    Con: Williams
    Pen: Williams
    Ravenhill
    Attendance: 2,500
    Referee: George Hughes
    Ulster lineup
    • 1. Rab Irwin, 2. Stephen Ritchie, 3. Gary Leslie, 4. Tony McWhirter, 5. Gary Longwell, 6. Stephen McKinty, 7. Keith Gallick, 8. Andy Ward, 9. Andrew Matchett, 10. Stuart Laing, 11. Jan Cunningham, 12. Maurice Field, 13. Michael Jackson, 14. James Topping, 15. Robin Morrow.


    3 October 1997
    19:30
    Ulster 21 – 38 London Wasps
    Try: Jan Cunningham (2)
    Con: Laing
    Pen: Laing (3)
    		 Report[12][13] Try: Henderson, Rosier, White, Greenstock, Dallaglio
    Con: Rees (5)
    Pen: Rees
    Ravenhill
    Attendance: 3,250
    Ulster lineup
    • 1. Gary Lesie, 2. Stephen Ritchie, 3. Rab Irwin, 4. Tony McWhirter, 5. Gary Longwell, 6. Stephen McKinty, 7. Keith Gallick, 8. Andy Ward, 9. Andrew Matchett, 10. Stuart Laing, 11. Jan Cunningham, 12. Maurice Field, 13. Michael Jackson, 14. James Topping, 15. Stan McDowell. Replacements: Murtagh Rea (for McWhirter, 60), Roger Wilson (for Gallick, 60).
    12 October 1997
    15:00
    Glasgow 30 – 15 Ulster
    Try: Penalty try, Stott, Hayes
    Con: Hayes (3)
    Pen: Hayes (3)
    		 Report[14] Pen: Laing (5)
    Scotstoun Stadium
    Attendance: 4,000
    Ulster lineup
    • 1. Gary Lesie, 2. Stephen Ritchie, 3. Rab Irwin, 4. Tony McWhirter, 5. Gary Longwell, 6. Stephen McKinty, 7. Keith Gallick, 8. Andy Ward, 9. Andrew Matchett, 10. Stuart Laing, 11. Jan Cunningham, 12. Maurice Field, 13. Michael Jackson, 14. James Topping, 15. Stan McDowell. Replacements: Roger Wilson (for Gallick, 56), Murtagh Rea (for McWhirter, 64).

    1997–98 IRFU Interprovincial Championship
    Main article: IRFU Interprovincial Championship
    Team P W D L F A BP Pts Status
    3 2 0 1 61 46 - 8 Champions; qualified for next season's Heineken Cup
    3 2 0 1 56 43 - 8 Qualified for next season's Heineken Cup
    3 1 0 2 59 65 - 4 Qualified for next season's Heineken Cup
    3 1 0 2 42 64 - 4

    Top three teams qualify for next season's Heineken Cup.

    16 August 1997
    Leinster 26-25 Ulster
    Try: Rolland, Hickie, O'Mahony
    Con: Rolland
    Pen: Governey (3)
    		 Report[15] Try: Laing
    Con: Laing
    Pen: Laing (6)
    Donnybrook
    Referee: David McHugh
    Ulster lineup
    • 1. Richard Mackey, 2. Stephen Ritchie, 3. Gary Leslie, 4. Tony McWhirter, 5. Gary Longwell, 6. Roger Wilson, 7. Stephen McKinty, 8. Andy Ward, 9. Kenton Hillman, 10. Stuart Laing, 11. Graeme McCluskey, 12. Stan McDowell, 13. Sheldon Coulter, 14. Jan Cunningham, 15. Robin Morrow. Replacements: Rab Irwin (for Leslie).
    23 August 1997
    Connacht 27-17 Ulster
    Try: McEntee, Murphy, Charlie
    Con: Elwood (3)
    Pen: Elwood (2)
    		 Report[16] Try: McDowell (2)
    Con: Laing (2)
    Pen: Laing
    Galway Sportsgrounds
    Referee: L. Mayne
    Ulster lineup
    • 1. Richard Mackey, 2. Stephen Ritchie, 3. Gary Leslie, 4. Tony McWhirter, 5. Gary Longwell, 6. Stephen McKinty, 7. Roger Wilson, 8. Andy Ward, 9. Stephen Bell, 10. Stuart Laing, 11. Jan Cunningham, 12. Stan McDowell, 13. Sheldon Coulter, 14. Andy Park, 15. Robin Morrow.
    30 August 1997
    Ulster 22-12 Munster
    Try: Park
    Con: Laing
    Pen: Laing (4)
    Drop: Laing
    		 Report[17] Pen: O'Gara (4)
    Ravenhill
    Referee: M. White
    Ulster lineup
    • 1. Richard Mackey, 2. Stephen Ritchie, 3. Gary Leslie, 4. Tony McWhirter, 5. Gary Longwell, 6. Stephen McKinty, 7. Keith Gallick, 8. Andy Ward, 9. Stephen Bell, 10. Stuart Laing, 11. Sheldon Coulter, 12. Maurice Field, 13. Jan Cunningham, 14. Andy Park, 15. Robin Morrow.

    Friendlies
    9 August 1997
    Ulster 22-12 Richmond
    Report[18]
    Palace Grounds, Armagh
    Referee: M. White
    Ulster lineup
    • 1. Richard Mackey, 2. Stephen Ritchie, 3. Gary Leslie, 4. Tony McWhirter, 5. Gary Longwell, 6. Stuart Duncan, 7. Stephen McKinty, 8. Andy Ward, 9. Stephen Bell, 10. Stuart Laing, 11. S. Carroll, 12. Sheldon Coulter, 13. Michael Jackson, 14. Andy Park, 15. Jan Cunningham. Replacements: Murtagh Rea, Kevin McKee, Rab Irwin, Dean Macartney, Roger Wilson, Kenton Hillman, M. Patton, Charlie Simpson, Bryn Cunningham, R. Collins.

    Ulster Rugby Awards

    The inaugural Guinness Ulster Rugby Awards dinner was held on 20 May 1998 at the Balmoral Conference Centre. Winners were:[19]

    References
    1. "Seventy six players win IRFU contracts", Irish Independent, 17 July 1997
    2. Barry Coughlan, "IRFU brings home the message with provincial contracts", Irish Examiner, 1 May 1998
    3. Jim Stokes, "Mark off to join Exiles", Belfast Telegraph, 17 July 1997.
    4. Jonathan Bradley, The Last Amateurs: The Incredible Story of Ulster Rugby's 1999 European Champions, The Blackstaff Press, 2018
    5. Note: not the Roger Wilson who played for Ulster from 2003 to 2008, and from 2021 to 2017.
    6. "Ulster throw away victory", Irish Independent, 9 September 1997
    7. "Thomas gives Ulster the boot", Sunday Independent, 14 September 1997
    8. "Thomas sends Ulster packing", Evening Herald, 13 September 1997
    9. "Ulster badly stung", Irish Independent, 22 September 1997
    10. Peter Llewellyn, "Rugby Union: Wasps bring lasting pain as Logan runs riot", The Independent, 21 September 1997
    11. Micheal McGeary, "Ulster Thriller", Sunday Life, 28 September 1997
    12. Jim Stokes, "Wasps have to fight for Ulster win", Belfast Telegraph, 4 October 1997
    13. "Wasps take sting out of Ulster", Irish Independent, 4 October 1997
    14. "Flat Ulster fail to learn hard lesson", Belfast Telegraph, 13 October 1997
    15. Michael McGeary, "Adding Insult to Injury", Sunday Life, 17 August 1997
    16. Michael McGeary, "Ulster Shamed in Wild West", Sunday Life, 24 August 1997
    17. Micheal McGeary, "Ulster enjoy a field day at last", Sunday Life, 31 August 1997
    18. "Ulster 19 Richmond 41", Sunday Independent, 10 August 1997
    19. Jim Stokes, "Handy Andy is tops", Belfast Telegraph, 21 May 1998
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