2009–10 Ulster Rugby season

The 2009–10 Ulster Rugby season was Ulster's 16th season since the advent of professionalism in rugby union, and their first under director of rugby David Humphreys and head coach Brian McLaughlin. They finished second in their Heineken Cup pool, failing to qualify for the knockout stage, and 8th in the Celtic League.

2009–10 Ulster Rugby season
Ground(s)Ravenhill Stadium (Capacity: 12,500)
Coach(es)David Humphreys (Director of Rugby)
Brian McLaughlin (Head Coach)
Captain(s)Rory Best
Top scorerIan Humphreys (177)
Most triesSimon Danielli (9)
League(s)Heineken Cup (2nd in pool)
Celtic League (8th)
1st kit
2nd kit
← 2009–10 2010–11 →

Following the departure of previous head coach Matt Williams, Ulster put a new management structure in place. David Humphreys was director of rugby, with overall responsibility for the senior team, the Ulster 'A' team (renamed the Ulster Ravens), the Ulster under-20s and the academy; and Brian McLaughlin was head coach, assisted by forwards coaches Jeremy Davidson and Peter Sharp, and backs coach Neil Doak.[1]

Chief Executive Michael Reid announced he was stepping down in September 2009 after twelve years in the job.[2] Shane Logan was appointed as his replacement in early 2010.[3]

Squad
Ulster Rugby squad

Props

Hookers

Locks

Back row

Scrum-halves

Fly-halves

Centres

Wings

Fullbacks

(c) denotes the team captain, Bold denotes internationally capped players.
* denotes players qualified to play for Ireland on residency or dual nationality.
Players and their allocated positions from the Ulster Rugby website.

    Player transfers

    Players in (Season 2009/2010)

    Players Out (Season 2009/2010)

    Heineken Cup
    Main article: 2009–10 Heineken Cup

    Pool 4
    Team P W D L Tries for Tries against Try diff Points for Points against Points diff TB LB Pts
    Stade Français (6) 6402117412495291118
    Ulster 6402116512794330117
    Edinburgh 6303310−76494−300113
    Bath 610568−284116−32037
    9 October 2009
    19:30
    Ulster 26–12 Bath
    Try: Nagusa 13' c
    Faloon 52' c
    Con: Humphreys (2/2)
    Pen: Humphreys (3/4) 10', 56', 78'
    Drop: Humphreys 42'
    		 Report Pen: Davis (4/4) 8', 20', 48', 54'
    Ravenhill, Belfast
    Attendance: 10,914
    Referee: James Jones (Wales)
    17 October 2009
    15:45
    Edinburgh 17–13 Ulster
    Try: Visser 70' m
    Pen: Godman (4/6) 2', 21', 67', 80'
    		 Report Try: Nagusa 22' c
    Con: Humphreys (1/1)
    Pen: Humphreys (2/3) 29', 45'
    Murrayfield, Edinburgh
    Attendance: 5,747
    Referee: Dave Pearson (England)
    12 December 2009
    13:35
    Ulster 23–13 Stade Français
    Try: Brady 20' c
    Danielli 48' c
    Con: Humphreys (2/2)
    Pen: Humphreys (3/4) 13', 34', 47'
    		 Report Try: Arias 74' c
    Con: Oelschig (1/1)
    Pen: Beauxis (2/3) 18', 28'
    Ravenhill, Belfast
    Attendance: 11,000
    Referee: Dave Pearson (England)
    20 December 2009
    15:00
    Stade Français 29–16 Ulster
    Try: Szarzewski 9' c
    Kayser 66' c
    Con: Beauxis (2/2)
    Pen: Beauxis (5/5) 4', 16', 22', 32', 60'
    		 Report Try: Trimble 69' c
    Con: Humphreys (1/1)
    Pen: Humphreys (3/3) 2', 14', 37'
    Stade Jean-Bouin, Paris[4]
    Attendance: 3,700
    Referee: Chris White (England)
    15 January 2010
    20:00
    Ulster 21–13 Edinburgh
    Try: Cave 28' m
    Boss 55' c
    Con: Humphreys (1/2)
    Pen: Humphreys (2/2) 45', 69'
    O'Connor (1/1) 80'
    		 Report Try: Thompson 61' c
    Con: Paterson (1/1)
    Pen: Paterson (2/2) 22', 36'
    Ravenhill, Belfast
    Attendance: 8,262
    Referee: Christophe Berdos (France)
    23 January 2010
    15:45
    Bath 10–28 Ulster
    Try: Banahan 20' c
    Con: Little (1/1)
    Pen: Little (1/2) 53'
    		 Report Try: Trimble 42' m
    Cave 49' c
    Wallace 77' c
    Con: O'Connor (2/3)
    Pen: O'Connor (3/3) 5', 19', 33'
    Recreation Ground, Bath
    Attendance: 10,845
    Referee: Jérôme Garces (France)

    Celtic League
    Main article: 2009–10 Celtic League
    Team Pld W D L PF PA PD TF TA Try bonus Losing bonus Pts
    1 Leinster 181305359295+6427291255
    2 Ospreys 181116384298+8637263352
    3 Glasgow Warriors 181125390321+6931242151
    4 Munster 18909319282+3733203645
    5 Cardiff Blues 181008349315+3433282244
    6 Edinburgh 188010385391−640404541
    7 Newport Gwent Dragons 18819333378−4532373239
    8 Ulster 187110357370−1339354236
    9 Scarlets 185013361382−2135351829
    10 Connacht 185112254459−20520530426

    Under the standard bonus point system, points are awarded as follows:

    • 4 points for a win
    • 2 points for a draw
    • 1 bonus point for scoring 4 tries (or more) (Try bonus)
    • 1 bonus point for losing by 7 points (or fewer) (Losing bonus)
    Green background (rows 1 to 4) are play-off places.
    Source: RaboDirect PRO12
    6 September 2009
    14:05
    Newport Gwent Dragons 23 – 6 Ulster
    Try: Bew
    Fussell
    Young
    Con: Tovey
    Pen: Arlidge (2)
    		 Report Pen: Humphreys (2)
    Rodney Parade
    Attendance: 4,561
    Referee: Carlo Damasco
    12 September 2009
    18:30
    Ospreys 16 – 20 Ulster
    Try: Walker
    Jones
    Pen: Hook (2)
    		 Report Try: Tuohy
    Danielli (2)
    Con: Humphreys
    Pen: Humphreys
    Liberty Stadium
    Attendance: 7,072
    Referee: Alan Lewis
    18 September 2009
    20:00
    Ulster 13 – 16 Edinburgh
    Try: Ferris
    Schifcofske
    Con: Humphreys
    		 Report Try: Visser
    Con: Paterson
    Pen: Paterson (2)
    Drop: Godman
    Ravenhill
    Attendance: 8,899
    Referee: Nigel Owens
    25 September 2009
    20:00
    Connacht 6 – 30 Ulster
    Pen: Keatley (2)
    		 Report Try: Cave
    Botha
    Nagusa
    Humphreys
    Con: Humphreys (2)
    Pen: Humphreys (2)
    Sportsgrounds
    Attendance: 2,435
    Referee: George Clancy
    2 October 2009
    19:05
    Ulster 45 – 24 Scarlets
    Try: Faloon
    Trimble (2)
    Nagusa
    Whitten
    Con: Humphreys (4)
    Pen: Humphreys (4)
    		 Report Try: Davies (2)
    Con: Jones
    Pen: Jones (4)
    Ravenhill
    Attendance: 8,141
    Referee: Peter Allan
    24 October 2009
    18:00
    Ulster 16 – 14 Leinster
    Try: Boss
    Con: Humphreys
    Pen: Humphreys (3)
    		 Report Try: Berne
    Fitzgerald
    Con: Berne
    Sexton
    Ravenhill
    Attendance: 11,523
    Referee: Andrew Small
    31 October 2009
    17:00
    Munster 24 – 10 Ulster
    Try: De Villiers
    Wallace
    Earls
    Warwick
    Con: O'Gara (2)
    		 Report Try: Humphreys
    Con: Humphreys
    Pen: Humphreys
    Thomond Park
    Attendance: 23,298
    Referee: Alain Rolland
    4 December 2009
    20:00
    Ulster 13 – 25 Glasgow Warriors
    Try: Court
    Con: Humphreys
    Pen: Humphreys (2)
    		 Report Try: Evans
    Con: Parks
    Pen: Parks
    Ravenhill
    Attendance: 8,761
    Referee: James Jones
    26 December 2009
    17:30
    Leinster 15 – 3 Ulster
    Try: Kearney
    Heaslip
    Con: Berne
    Pen: Berne
    		 Report Pen: O'Connor
    RDS Arena
    Attendance: 18,140
    Referee: George Clancy
    2 January 2010
    18:00
    Ulster 15 – 10 Munster
    Try: Danielli (2)
    Con: Humphreys
    Pen: Humphreys
    		 Report Try: De Villers
    Con: Warwick
    Pen: Warwick
    Ravenhill
    Attendance: 11,800
    Referee: Dudley Phillips
    19 February 2010
    19:05
    Ulster 22 – 22 Newport Gwent Dragons
    Try: Wallace
    Danielli
    Pen: Humphreys
    		 Report Try: Jones
    Con: Tovey
    Pen: Tovey (4)
    Drop: Tovey
    Ravenhill
    Attendance: 7,909
    Referee: Peter Allan
    5 March 2010
    19:05
    Scarlets 25 – 8 Ulster
    Try: Fenby
    Knoyle
    Priestland
    Con: Priestland (2)
    Pen: Priestland (2)
    		 Report Try: Wallace
    Pen: Humphreys
    Parc y Scarlets
    Attendance: 6,266
    Referee: Peter Allan
    26 March 2010
    19:05
    Cardiff Blues 19 – 9 Ulster
    Try: Molitika
    Con: Blair
    Pen: Blair (4)
    		 Report Pen: O'Connor (3)
    Cardiff City Stadium
    Attendance: 7,532
    Referee: Neil Patterson
    3 April 2010
    19:30
    Ulster 24 – 33 Cardiff Blues
    Try: Ferris
    Henry
    Con: Humphreys
    Pen: O'Connor (4)
    		 Report Try: Laulala
    Rush
    Hewitt
    Con: Sweeney (2)
    Halfpenny
    Pen: Halfpenny (4)
    Ravenhill
    Attendance: 7,334
    Referee: Andy Macpherson
    13 April 2010
    19:30
    Ulster 27 – 38 Ospreys
    Try: Danielli
    Trimble
    Con: O'Connor
    Pen: O'Connor (5)
    		 Report Try: Williams
    Hook (2)
    Bowe
    Con: Biggar (3)
    Pen: Biggar (4)
    Ravenhill
    Attendance: 7,649
    Referee: Neil Paterson
    16 April 2010
    19:05
    Glasgow Warriors 25 – 18 Ulster
    Try: Morrison
    Con: Parks
    Pen: Parks (2)
    Drop: Parks (4)
    		 Report Try: Marshall
    Smith
    Con: Humphreys
    Pen: Humphreys (2)
    Firhill Stadium
    Attendance: 3,766
    Referee: Tim Hayes
    25 April 2010
    16:05
    Edinburgh 25 – 37 Ulster
    Try: Visser (2)
    Turnbull
    Con: Godman (2)
    Pen: Godman (2)
    		 Report Try: Smith
    Danielli
    Whitten
    Humphreys
    Ferris
    Con: O'Connor
    Humphreys (2)
    Pen: O'Connor
    Humphreys
    Murrayfield
    Attendance: 3,759
    Referee: Nigel Owens
    7 May 2010
    19:30
    Ulster 41 – 10 Connacht
    Try: Danielli
    Humphreys
    Kyriacou
    Whitten
    Tuohy
    Smith
    Con: Humphreys (4)
    Pen: Humphreys
    		 Report Try: Loughney
    Con: Keatly
    Pen: Keatly
    Ravenhill
    Attendance: 7,755
    Referee: Dudley Phillips

    Ulster Ravens

    British and Irish Cup
    Main article: 2009–10 British and Irish Cup

    Pool C
    Team P W D L PF PA PD TF TB LB Pts
    Ulster Ravens 541016562103223021
    London Welsh 54011377859183120
    Bedford Blues 53029294-2111013
    Aberavon 520351131-804019
    Llanelli 5113106117-1111118
    Moseley 500569138-6910101
    Points breakdown:
    *4 points for a win
    *2 points for a draw
    *1 bonus point for a loss by seven points or less
    *1 bonus point for scoring four or more tries in a match
    20 November 2009
    19:30
    Ulster Ravens 29 – 3 Bedford Blues
    Stats
    Ravenhill
    Attendance: 1,132
    27 November 2009
    19:30
    Moseley 21 – 32 Ulster Ravens
    Stats
    Billesley Common
    Attendance: 750
    12 February 2010
    19:15
    Llanelli 21 – 21 Ulster Ravens
    Stats
    Parc y Scarlets
    Attendance: 500
    26 February 2010
    19:30
    Ulster Ravens 21 – 17 London Welsh
    Stats
    Ravenhill
    Attendance: 739
    12 March 2010
    19:30
    Ulster Ravens 62 – 0 Aberavon
    Stats
    Ravenhill
    Attendance: 793

    Semi-final
    24 April 2010
    15:30
    Munster A 27 – 3 Ulster Ravens
    Try: J Manning (2), D Williams, S Archer
    Con: D Cusack (2/4)
    Pen: D Cusack (1)
    		 Report
    Stats    		 Pen: J McKinney (1)
    Thomond Park, Limerick
    Attendance: 24,112

    Ulster Rugby Awards

    The Ulster Rugby Awards ceremony was held on 20 May 2010. Winners were:[5]

    References
    1. "McLaughlin Confirmed As New Ulster Coach", Irish Rugby, 23 June 2009
    2. "Reid’s Ulster rugby reign was rollercoaster ride", Belfast Telegraph, 4 September 2009
    3. Inquiry into Participation in Sport and Physical Activity in Northern Ireland — Ulster Rugby, Northern Ireland Assembly, 18 March 2010
    4. This match was originally scheduled to be held at King Baudouin Stadium in Brussels, but heavy snowfall forced it to be moved to Paris.
    5. Richard Mulligan, "Henry hat-trick caps super year", News Letter, 21 May 2010
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