1995–96 Ulster Rugby season

The 1995–96 season was Ulster Rugby's first season under professionalism, during which they competed in the IRFU Interprovincial Championship and the inaugural Heineken Cup. Brian Bloomfield was in his second season as coach.[1] 35-year-old Malone RFC centre Bill Harbinson, who first played for Ulster in 1986, was captain,[2] in his final season before retirement from the game.[3]

1995–96 Ulster Rugby season
Ground(s)Ravenhill Stadium (Capacity: 12,500)
Coach(es)Brian Bloomfield
Captain(s)Bill Harbinson
Top scorerMark McCall (55)
League(s)Heineken Cup (3rd in pool)
IRFU Interprovincial Championship (2nd of 5)
← 1994–95 1996–97 →

At this stage the Irish provinces were still representative teams, not professional clubs.[4] Many involved in the game were concerned that domestic clubs could not afford to pay players, who could be lost to professional teams in England.[5] In September, the IRFU confirmed that, for this season, only senior international players would be paid,[6] with a one-year moratorium on payment for club and provincial players.[7] Up to 35 Ireland players would be offered £26,000 contracts for the 1996 Five Nations Championship.[8] That squad included Ulster players Jonathan Bell, Allen Clarke, Jeremy Davidson, Maurice Field, David Humphreys, Paddy Johns, Denis McBride and Mark McCall. As the situation developed, match fees became available for Heineken Cup and Interprovincial matches, with players who appeared in all six matches in line to receive almost £3,000.[9]

Players selected
Ulster Rugby squad

Props

Hookers

Locks

Back row

Scrum-halves

  • Neil Doak, NIFC
  • Andrew Matchett, Ballymena
  • Stephen Bell, Malone

Fly-halves

Centres

  • Bill Harbinson, Malone (c)
  • Maurice Field, Malone
  • Michael Rainey, Ballymena

Wings

  • Jan Cunningham, TCD
  • James Topping, Ballymena
  • Andy Park, NIFC
  • Colin Christie, NIFC
  • S. Smyth
  • C. Dobbin
  • Graeme McCluskey, Instonians

Fullbacks

  • Jonathan Bell, Northampton
  • Stan McDowell, Dungannon
  • Colin Wilkinson, Malone
  • Robin Morrow, QUB
(c) denotes the team captain, Bold denotes internationally capped players.
* denotes players qualified to play for Ireland on residency or dual nationality. Small text denotes players who only appeared in friendlies.

    Heineken Cup
    Main article: 1995–96 Heineken Cup

    The Heineken Cup was launched in the summer of 1995 on the initiative of the then Five Nations Committee to provide a new level of professional cross border competition.[11] Twelve sides representing Ireland, Wales, Italy, Romania and France competed in four pools of three with the group winners going directly into the semi-finals.[12] English and Scottish teams did not take part in the inaugural competition.[13]

    Ulster were beaten 46-6 away by Cardiff in their first Heineken Cup match. Cardiff, in common with other Welsh sides, had adopted the relatively new tactic of lifting in the lineout; Irish teams had not, and Ulster players were unable to deal with it.[14] Their second and final match in the competition, at home to Bègles-Bordeaux, was close until the final five minutes, when, at 16-22, Denis McBride was stopped short of the try line. Soon after, Bègles-Bordeaux's Sebastien Loubsens intercepted an Ulster pass, leading to a try by Julien Berthe that put the French side too far ahead to catch. The match finished 16-29.[15]

    Ulster finished bottom of the pool, failing to make the semi-finals. Toulouse went on to become the first European cup winners, beating Cardiff in extra time in front of a crowd of 21,800 at Cardiff Arms Park.[12]

    Pool 2
    Team P W D L Tries for Tries against Try diff Points for Points against Points diff Pts Status
    Cardiff 21107166020403Advanced to the semi finals
    Bègles-Bordeaux 21106334330133Eliminated
    Ulster 2002211−92275−530
    28 November 1995
    19:15
    Cardiff 46–6 Ulster
    Try: Hall, John, Davies, Moore (2)
    Con: Davies (5)
    Pen: Davies (2)
    		 Report[16] Pen: McCall (2)
    Cardiff Arms Park
    Attendance: 3,600
    Referee: Gerald Borreani
    Ulster lineup
    • 1. Richard Mackey, 2. Allen Clarke, 3. Gary Leslie, 4. Jeremy Davidson, 5. Gary Longwell, 6. Stuart Duncan, 7. Denis McBride, 8. David Erskine, 9. Neil Doak, 10. Mark McCall, 11. Jan Cunningham, 12. Bill Harbinson (c), 13. Maurice Field, 14. James Topping, 15. Jonathan Bell. Replacements: Roger Wilson (for McBride, 77 mins)


    13 December 1995
    19:00
    Ulster 16–29 Bègles-Bordeaux
    Try: Matchett, McBride
    Pen: McCall (2)
    		 Report[17] Try: Fauthoux, Bernat-Salles, Loubsens, Berthe
    Con: Fauthoux, Berthe
    Ravenhill
    Attendance: 2,500
    Referee: Derek Bevan
    Ulster lineup
    • 1. Richard Mackey, 2. Allen Clarke, 3. Gary Leslie, 4. Davy Tweed, 5. Gary Longwell, 6. Stuart Duncan, 7. Denis McBride, 8. Paddy Johns, 9. Andrew Matchett, 10. Mark McCall, 11. Andy Park, 12. Bill Harbinson (c), 13. Maurice Field, 14. James Topping, 15. Jonathan Bell.

    IRFU Interprovincial Championship
    Main article: IRFU Interprovincial Championship

    Ulster opened their Interprovincial campaign at home against defending champions Munster,[18] winning 14-10 in an uninspiring encounter,[19] with Richard Mackey scoring the winning try 12 minutes from time.[20] The weekend after their heavy defeat to Cardiff in the Heineken Cup, they beat Connacht 27-9 in Galway, based on the hard work of their back row, Stuart Duncan, Paddy Johns and Denis McBride,[21] and lock Davy Tweed's dominance in the lineout.[22] They dominated the Irish Exiles at home, winning 29-3, and setting up a championship decider against Leinster.[23] Leinster won their first Interprovincial title for twelve years with a 31-3 win at Donnybrook.[24] Paul Wallace scored the opening try after fifteen seconds, and Leinster raced to a 22-0 lead in the first twenty minutes. Ulster had plenty of possession, with Paddy Johns coming close to scoring on two occasions before half-time, but Leinster defended strongly, and only conceded one Mark McCall penalty.[25]

    Team P W D L F A Pts Status
    4 4 0 0 133 53 16 Champions; qualified for next season's Heineken Cup
    4 3 0 1 73 53 12 Qualified for next season's Heineken Cup
    4 2 0 2 91 58 8 Qualified for next season's Heineken Cup
    4 1 0 3 71 113 4
    4 0 0 4 51 142 0

    Top three provincial teams qualify for next year's Heineken Cup.

    25 November 1995
    Ulster 14–10 Munster
    Try: Mackey
    Pen: McCall (3)
    		 Report[19][26] Try: Walsh
    Con: Smith
    Pen: Smith
    Ravenhill
    Referee: A. Lewis
    Ulster lineup
    • 1. Richard Mackey, 2. Allen Clarke, 3. Gary Leslie, 4. Jeremy Davidson, 5. Davy Tweed, 6. Stuart Duncan, 7. Denis McBride, 8. Paddy Johns, 9. Neil Doak, 10. Mark McCall, 11. Jan Cunningham, 12. Bill Harbinson (c), 13. Maurice Field, 14. James Topping, 15. Jonathan Bell.


    2 December 1995
    Connacht 9–27 Ulster
    Pen: Elwood (3)
    		 Report[21] Try: Topping, Field
    Con: McCall
    Pen: McCall (5)
    Galway Sportsgrounds
    Referee: D. McHugh
    Ulster lineup
    • 1. Richard Mackey, 2. Allen Clarke, 3. Gary Leslie, 4. Jeremy Davidson, 5. Davy Tweed, 6. Stuart Duncan, 7. Denis McBride, 8. Paddy Johns, 9. Neil Doak, 10. Mark McCall, 11. Jan Cunningham, 12. Bill Harbinson (c), 13. Maurice Field, 14. James Topping, 15. Jonathan Bell.


    16 December 1995
    Ulster 29–3 Irish Exiles
    Try: Cunningham, Tweed, Harbinson
    Con: McCall
    Pen: McCall (4)
    		 Report[27] Pen: Corcoran
    Ravenhill
    Referee: R. McDowell
    Ulster lineup
    • 1. Richard Mackey, 2. Allen Clarke, 3. Gary Leslie, 4. Jeremy Davidson, 5. Davy Tweed, 6. Stuart Duncan, 7. Denis McBride, 8. Paddy Johns, 9. Andrew Matchett, 10. Mark McCall, 11. Jan Cunningham, 12. Bill Harbinson (c), 13. Maurice Field, 14. James Topping, 15. Jonathan Bell. Replacements: Simon Booth (for Mackey, 59)


    23 December 1995
    Leinster 31–3 Ulster
    Try: Wallace, Jameson, Gavin
    Con: McGowan (2)
    Pen: McGowan (4)
    		 Report[25] Pen: McCall
    Donnybrook
    Referee: C. White
    Ulster lineup
    • 1. Richard Mackey, 2. Allen Clarke, 3. Gary Leslie, 4. Jeremy Davidson, 5. Davy Tweed, 6. Stuart Duncan, 7. Denis McBride, 8. Paddy Johns, 9. Andrew Matchett, 10. Mark McCall, 11. Jan Cunningham, 12. Bill Harbinson (c), 13. Maurice Field, 14. James Topping, 15. Jonathan Bell.

    Friendlies
    26 August 1995
    Côte Basque 28–26 Ulster
    Preview[28]
    Report[29]    		 Try: Topping, Doak
    Con: Humphreys (2)
    Pen: Humphreys (3)
    Drop: Humphreys

    Ulster lineup
    • 1. Richard Mackey, 2. Allen Clarke, 3. Gary Leslie, 4. Jeremy Davidson, 5. Gary Longwell, 6. Bruce Cornelius, 7. Kevin McKee, 8. Roger Wilson, 9. Neil Doak, 10. David Humphreys, 11. Jan Cunningham, 12. Bill Harbinson (c), 13. Jonathan Bell, 14. James Topping, 15. Stan McDowell.


    6 September 1995
    Ballymena R.F.C. 11–27 Ulster
    Try: Matchett
    Pen: McAleese (2)
    		 Report[30] Try: Doak, Christie, Dobbin, Rea
    Con: McCall (2)
    Drop: McDowell
    Eaton Park
    Referee: B. Stirling
    Ulster lineup
    • 1. Richard Mackey, 2.Richard Weir, 3. Gary Leslie, 4. Murtagh Rea, 5. S. Crawford, 6. Bruce Cornelius, 7. Roger Wilson, 8. Stephen McKinty, 9. Neil Doak, 10. Mark McCall, 11. Colin Christie, 12. Bill Harbinson (c), 13. Maurice Field, 14. S. Smyth, 15. Stan McDowell. Replacements: Stephen Bell (for Doak), C. Dobbin (for Christie)


    1 November 1995
    Ulster 54–10 Griqualand West
    Try: Topping (3), Wilkinson, McKinty, Cunningham, Penalty try
    Con: McCall (5)
    Pen: McCall
    Drop: Wilkinson (2)
    		 Report[31] Try: Ross
    Buys
    Ulster lineup
    • 1. Richard Mackey, 2. Allen Clarke, 3. Gary Leslie, 4. Davy Tweed, 5. Jeremy Davidson, 6. Stephen McKinty, 7. Denis McBride, 8. Paddy Johns, 9. Neil Doak, 10. Mark McCall, 11. Jan Cunningham, 12. Bill Harbinson (c), 13. Maurice Field, 14. James Topping, 15. Colin Wilkinson.


    9 November 1995
    Ulster 25–8 New Zealand Federation U23
    Try: Park, Doak, Field, Mackey
    Con: McCall
    Pen: McCall
    		 Report[32] Try: McKearney
    Pen: Mathie
    Ravenhill
    Referee: D. Henderson
    Ulster lineup
    • 1. Richard Mackey, 2. Stephen Ritchie, 3. Gary Leslie, 4. Gary Longwell, 5. Jeremy Davidson, 6. Bruce Cornelius, 7. Kevin McKee, 8. Stephen McKinty, 9. Neil Doak, 10. Mark McCall, 11. Graeme McCluskey, 12. Michael Rainey, 13. Maurice Field, 14. Andy Park, 15. Colin Wilkinson.


    14 November 1995
    Ulster 20–30 Combined Services
    Report[33]
    Ravenhill
    Referee: P. O'Brien
    Ulster lineup
    • 1. Simon Booth, 2. Stephen Ritchie, 3. Gary Leslie, 4. Gary Longwell, 5. Davy Tweed, 6. Bruce Cornelius, 7. Kevin McKee, 8. Roger Wilson, 9. Andrew Matchett, 10. D. Callaghan, 11. Graeme McCluskey, 12. Mark McCall, 13. Bill Harbinson (c), 14. Andy Park, 15. Robin Morrow. Replacement: Stuart Duncan (for Wilson).


    9 December 1995
    Ulster 23–24 Edinburgh District
    Try: McCall
    Pen: McCall (6)
    		 Report[34] Try: Mather, Penalty try
    Con: Donaldson
    Pen: Donaldson (3)
    Drop: Lang
    Ulster lineup
    • 1. Richard Mackey, 2. Stephen Ritchie, 3. D. Scott, 4. Murtagh Rea, 5. Gary Longwell, 6. Stephen McKinty, 7. Kevin McKee, 8. David Erskine, 9. Andrew Matchett, 10. Mark McCall, 11. Andy Park, 12. Bill Harbinson (c), 13. Maurice Field, 14. Graeme McCluskey, 15. Colin Wilkinson.


    6 February 1996
    Ulster 40–33[35] New South Wales
    Try: Humphreys, McCall, Topping (2), Cunningham
    Con: Humphreys (3)
    Pen: Humphreys
    Drop: Humphreys, Wilkinson
    		 Try: Gavin, O'Kane, Bond, Harvey
    Con: Wallace (2)
    Pen: Wallace (3)
    Ravenhill
    Referee: A. Lewis
    Ulster lineup
    • 1. Richard Mackey, 2. Allen Clarke, 3. Gary Leslie, 4. Davy Tweed, 5. Paddy Johns, 6. Stuart Duncan, 7. Kevin McKee, 8. Stephen McKinty, 9. Andrew Matchett, 10. David Humphreys, 11. Jan Cunningham, 12. Maurice Field, 13. Mark McCall, 14. James Topping, 15. Colin Wilkinson. Replacement: Gary Longwell (for Duncan).

    References
    1. Jim Stokes, "Future looks bleak for Ulster side", Belfast Telegraph, 29 December 1995
    2. Micheal McGeary, "Skipper's role fits the Bill", Sunday Life, 19 November 1995
    3. Jim Stokes, "Bill's final Ulster curtain", Belfast Telegraph, 21 December 1995
    4. Peter O'Reilly, "Ulster coach warns on power balance", The Sunday Tribune, 22 September 1996
    5. Jim Stokes, "IRFU tackle 'pro' issue", Belfast Telegraph, 28 August 1995
    6. Jim Stokes, "International players only to 'cash in'", Belfast Telegraph, 12 September 1995
    7. Jimmy Davidson, "Market forces takes strangle hold on rugby", Belfast Telegraph, 4 November 1995
    8. Jim Stokes, "Irish international players to pocket £26,000", Belfast Telegraph, 23 October 1995
    9. Tyrone Howe, "Local game needs a professional outlook", Belfast Telegraph, 13 January 1996
    10. Note: not the Roger Wilson who played for Ulster from 2003 to 2008, and from 2021 to 2017.
    11. "European Rugby Cup : History". ERC. Archived from the original on 8 February 2007. Retrieved 21 March 2007.
    12. "European Rugby Cup : Heineken Cup History 1995/96". ERC. Archived from the original on 15 March 2007. Retrieved 21 March 2007.
    13. Rees, Paul (30 March 2006). "Big boys plan for more lucrative Heineken Cup". The Guardian. London. Retrieved 21 March 2007.
    14. Ciarán Ó Raghallaigh, "How Ulster endured a real nightmare start in Europe before 1999 Heineken Cup success", Belfast Telegraph 17 September 2020
    15. Jim Stokes, "Ulster's festive gift to Begles", Belfast Telegraph, 14 December 1995
    16. Kieran Rooney, "Quick-fire Cardiff leave Ulster trailing in wake", Irish Independent, 29 November 1995
    17. Kieran Rooney, "Brave Ulster denied", Irish Independent, 14 December 1995
    18. Jim Stokes, "Tough test for Ulster", Belfast Telegraph, 24 November 1995
    19. David Walsh, "Munster Capitulation", Sunday Independent, 26 November 1995
    20. Micheal McGeary, "Seconds out for Munster", Sunday Life, 26 November 1995
    21. John O'Sullivan, "Ulster bounce back from Cardiff Mauling", Sunday Independent, 3 December 1995
    22. John Fallon, "Connacht are a cakewalk for Ulster", Sunday Life, 3 December 1995
    23. Micheal McGeary, "Ulster swat Exiles", Sunday Life, 17 December 1997
    24. Micheal McGeary, "Ulster stuffed", Sunday Life, 24 December 1995
    25. David Walsh, "Christmas cheer for the boys in blue", Sunday Independent, 24 December 1995
    26. "Ulster 14–10 Munster". Munster Rugby. Retrieved 7 June 2019.
    27. John O'Sullivan, "Gallagher gets no chance to prove himself", Sunday Independent, 17 December 1995
    28. "Ulster's key French trial", Belfast Telegraph, 12 August 1995
    29. "Ulster lose in France", Sunday Life, 27 August 1995
    30. "Ulster ease home", Belfast Telegraph, 7 September 1995
    31. "Ulster thrash the tourists", Irish Independent, 2 November 1995
    32. "Ulster fail to impress", Irish Independent, 10 November 1995
    33. ""A bridge too far for Ulster", Belfast Telegraph, 15 November 1995
    34. "Mark and Ulster lose out at last", Sunday Life, 10 December 1995
    35. Kieran Rooney, "Humphreys Stakes Claim", Irish Independent, 7 February 1996
    This article is issued from Wikipedia. The text is licensed under Creative Commons - Attribution - Sharealike. Additional terms may apply for the media files.