Ulster Rugby Ulster Rugby is one of the four professional provincial rugby union teams from the island of Ireland. They compete in the Irish regional pool of the United Rugby Championship and in the European Rugby Champions Cup, each of which they have won ...

United Rugby Championship The United Rugby Championship (URC) is an annual rugby union competition involving professional teams from Ireland, Italy, Scotland, South Africa, and Wales. For sponsorship reasons the league is known as the Vodacom United Rugby Championship in ...

European Rugby Champions Cup The European Rugby Champions Cup (known as the Investec Champions Cup for sponsorship reasons) is an annual rugby union tournament organised by European Professional Club Rugby (EPCR). It is the top-tier competition for clubs who compete in a pr ...

Dan McFarland Dan McFarland (born 10 April 1972) is an English rugby union coach and former player. He was head coach of Ulster Rugby from 2018 to 2024. He played loosehead prop for Richmond, Stade Français and Connacht, retiring in 2006. He was forwards co ...

Lions The lion (''Panthera leo'') is a large cat of the genus ''Panthera'', native to Sub-Saharan Africa and India. It has a muscular, broad-chested body; a short, rounded head; round ears; and a dark, hairy tuft at the tip of its tail. It is se ...

Munster Munster ( or ) is the largest of the four provinces of Ireland, located in the south west of the island. In early Ireland, the Kingdom of Munster was one of the kingdoms of Gaelic Ireland ruled by a "king of over-kings" (). Following the Nor ...

Leinster Leinster ( ; or ) is one of the four provinces of Ireland, in the southeast of Ireland. The modern province comprises the ancient Kingdoms of Meath, Leinster and Osraige, which existed during Gaelic Ireland. Following the 12th-century ...

Sharks Sharks are a group of elasmobranch cartilaginous fish characterized by a ribless endoskeleton, dermal denticles, five to seven gill slits on each side, and pectoral fins that are not fused to the head. Modern sharks are classified within the ...

Zebre Zebre Parma (, meaning " Zebras") are an Italian professional rugby union team competing in the United Rugby Championship and EPCR competitions from the 2012–13 season. They are based in Parma (Emilia-Romagna), Italy. They are operated by t ...

Sale Sharks Sale Sharks are a professional rugby union club from Greater Manchester, England, United Kingdom. Its team play in Premiership Rugby, and have been in England's top division of rugby union continuously since 1995. Originally founded in 1861 as ...

La Rochelle La Rochelle (, , ; Poitevin-Saintongeais: ''La Rochéle'') is a city on the west coast of France and a seaport on the Bay of Biscay, a part of the Atlantic Ocean. It is the capital of the Charente-Maritime Departments of France, department. Wi ...

Aviva Stadium Aviva Stadium, also known as Lansdowne Road (, ) or Dublin Arena (during UEFA competitions), is a List of stadiums in Ireland by capacity, sports stadium located in Dublin, Republic of Ireland, Ireland, with a capacity for 51,711 spectators ...

Connacht Connacht or Connaught ( ; or ), is the smallest of the four provinces of Ireland, situated in the west of Ireland. Until the ninth century it consisted of several independent major Gaelic kingdoms (Uí Fiachrach, Uí Briúin, Uí Maine, C ...

Stormers The Stormers (known for sponsorship reasons as the DHL Stormers) and the academic team DHL Stormers is a South African professional rugby union team based in Cape Town in the Western Cape that competes in the United Rugby Championship, a tra ...

Bulls Bulls may refer to: *The plural of bull, an adult male bovine * Bulls, New Zealand, a small town in the Rangitikei District Sports *Bucking bull, used in the sport of bull riding *Bulls (rugby union), a South African rugby union franchise operated ...

Stuart McCloskey Stuart McCloskey (born 6 August 1992) is a professional rugby union player from Northern Ireland, who plays as a centre for United Rugby Championship club Ulster and the Ireland national team. He has been Ulster's player of the year twice, an ...

Stewart Moore Stewart Moore (born 8 August 1999) is an Irish rugby union player who plays centre for Ulster. Ulster coach Dan McFarland describes him as "a lovely balanced runner who can cause defences problems".Harry Sheridan and centre Jude Postlethwaite made their debuts this season. Hooker

Rob Herring Rob Herring is an English former professional motocross racer and current film industry stuntman. Herring began his racing career in South Africa after his father emigrated there from the United Kingdom. He returned to the U.K. at the age of 17 ...

became the most-capped Ulster player, reaching 229 appearances for the province. Ulster women finished last in the

IRFU Women's Interprovincial Series The IRFU Women's Interprovincial Series, previously known as the IWRFU Interprovincial Championship, is the top level women's rugby union competition in Ireland. It is organised by the Irish Rugby Football Union. It is the women's equivalent of ...

. Centre Kelly McCormill was Ulster women's player of the year, and prop Sadhbh McGrath was young women's player of the year. In the All-Ireland League, City of Armagh were promoted after topping Division 1B, Queen's University were promoted after topping Division 2A, and

Instonians Instonians is a sports club based in Belfast, Northern Ireland, that incorporates rugby union, men's and ladies' hockey and cricket sections. There is also a golf society that plays under the Instonians name. Instonians Rugby Football, Cricket ...

were promoted after topping Division 2C.

Banbridge Banbridge ( ) is a town in County Down, Northern Ireland. It lies on the River Bann and the A1 road and is named after a bridge built over the Bann in 1712. It is in the civil parish of Seapatrick and the historic barony of Iveagh Upper ...

and

Malone Malone () is an Irish surname. From the Irish "''Mael Eóin''", the name means a servant or a disciple of Saint John. People * Gilla Críst Ua Máel Eóin (died 1127), historian and Abbot of Clonmacnoise, Ó Maoil Eoin * Adrian Malone (1937 ...

were both relegated from Division 1B. Ulster junior champions Clogher Valley were promoted to senior level after winning the provincial playoffs.

Events

Personnel changes

Ulster appointed a new defence coach, Jonny Bell, returning to his home province from a spell at

Worcester Warriors Worcester Warriors are a professional rugby union club based in Worcester, England. They most recently played in Premiership Rugby, the top division of English rugby union, before being suspended by the Rugby Football Union, RFU in September 2 ...

, in place of the departing

Jared Payne Jared Benjamin Payne (born 13 October 1985) is a former rugby union centre who played for Ulster and the Ireland national team. He was a member of the 2017 British & Irish Lions tour to New Zealand, but did not play a test match. On his retirem ...

. New signings include Irish-qualified flanker Sean Reffell, from

Saracens file:Erhard Reuwich Sarazenen 1486.png, upright 1.5, Late 15th-century History of Germany, German woodcut depicting Saracens ''Saracen'' ( ) was a term used both in Greek language, Greek and Latin writings between the 5th and 15th centuries to ...

, lock Frank Bradshaw Ryan from French club

Nevers Nevers ( , ; , later ''Nevirnum'' and ''Nebirnum'') is a city and the Prefectures in France, prefecture of the Nièvre Departments of France, department in the Bourgogne-Franche-Comté Regions of France, region in central France. It was the pr ...

, out-half Jake Flannery from

Munster Munster ( or ) is the largest of the four provinces of Ireland, located in the south west of the island. In early Ireland, the Kingdom of Munster was one of the kingdoms of Gaelic Ireland ruled by a "king of over-kings" (). Following the Nor ...

, former All-Black tighthead prop

Jeffery Toomaga-Allen Jeffery Latu Toomaga-Allen (born 19 November 1990) is a rugby union footballer who previously played as a tighthead prop for Samoa, and for Ulster in the United Rugby Championship. He also previously played for Wellington Lions in the ITM Cup and ...

from

Wasps A wasp is any insect of the narrow-waisted suborder Apocrita of the order Hymenoptera which is neither a bee nor an ant; this excludes the broad-waisted sawflies (Symphyta), which look somewhat like wasps, but are in a separate suborder. Th ...

,"All-Black Toomaga-Allen is coming to Ulster"
Ulster Rugby, 30 May 2022 and fullback

Shea O'Brien A list of players who have appeared for Ulster Rugby since rugby union was declared open to professionalism on 26 August 1995. Current players Jacob Boyd Loosehead prop. Son of former Ulster prop Clem Boyd. Captained RBAI to the Ulster Schools' ...

from

City of Armagh RFC The City of Armagh Rugby Football Club is a rugby union club based in Armagh, Northern Ireland Northern Ireland ( ; ) is a Countries of the United Kingdom, part of the United Kingdom in the north-east of the island of Ireland. It has been ...

, on a development contract. Hooker Declan Moore, who was signed as temporary injury cover from

Munster Munster ( or ) is the largest of the four provinces of Ireland, located in the south west of the island. In early Ireland, the Kingdom of Munster was one of the kingdoms of Gaelic Ireland ruled by a "king of over-kings" (). Following the Nor ...

last season, made his move to Ulster permanent. Academy centre Jude Postlethwaite signed a development contract, to be upgraded to a full senior contract after a year. After the collapse of Worcester Warriors,

Scotland Scotland is a Countries of the United Kingdom, country that is part of the United Kingdom. It contains nearly one-third of the United Kingdom's land area, consisting of the northern part of the island of Great Britain and more than 790 adjac ...

and

Lions The lion (''Panthera leo'') is a large cat of the genus ''Panthera'', native to Sub-Saharan Africa and India. It has a muscular, broad-chested body; a short, rounded head; round ears; and a dark, hairy tuft at the tip of its tail. It is se ...

international loosehead prop Rory Sutherland joined until the end of the season. Hooker

Bradley Roberts Bradley Roberts is a former rugby union player who played as a hooker for United Rugby Championship side Dragons RFC. He was called up to play international rugby for Wales in 2021. Roberts was born in Durban, South Africa where he attended Dur ...

, now a Wales international, left for the

Dragons A dragon is a magical legendary creature that appears in the folklore of multiple cultures worldwide. Beliefs about dragons vary considerably through regions, but dragons in Western cultures since the High Middle Ages have often been depict ...

, prop Ross Kane and lock David O'Connor left for

Ealing Trailfinders Ealing Trailfinders Rugby Club is an English professional rugby union club based in West London. The club's first team are the reigning RFU Championship champions of 2024–25 but were considered ineligible for promotion to Premiership Rugby a ...

, and lock

Mick Kearney Mick Kearney (born 29 March 1991) is an Irish rugby union player, currently playing for Irish side Ulster in the United Rugby Championship. His primary position is lock, though he has also played as a flanker. Career Club Kearney, who is ori ...

, prop Jack McGrath and flanker

Sean Reidy Sean Reidy (born 10 May 1989) is a New Zealand-born Irish rugby union player who played Flanker (rugby union), flanker for Ulster Rugby from 2014 to 2022, and has two caps for Ireland national rugby union team, Ireland. Born in Auckland, New Ze ...

were released.Neil Treacy
"McGrath and Reidy among five Ulster departures"
RTÉ Sport, 26 May 2022 Five new players joined the academy: last season's Ulster Schools Player of the Year,

Campbell College Campbell College located in Belfast, Northern Ireland and founded in 1894 comprises a preparatory school department (junior age) and a senior Northern Ireland 'Voluntary Grammar' school, the latter meaning, in terms of provision of education, a ...

lock Joe Hopes; QUB flanker Lorcan McLaughlin; Cambridge House Grammar flanker James McNabney; Coleraine Grammar fullback Rory Telfer; and Wallace High School prop Scott Wilson.

Summer internationals

Seven Ulster players were selected for Ireland's tour to New Zealand: hooker

Rob Herring Rob Herring is an English former professional motocross racer and current film industry stuntman. Herring began his racing career in South Africa after his father emigrated there from the United Kingdom. He returned to the U.K. at the age of 17 ...

, prop Tom O'Toole, locks

Iain Henderson William Iain Henderson (born 21 February 1992) is a professional rugby union player who plays as a lock for United Rugby Championship club Ulster and the Ireland national team, and has been selected for two tours with the British & Irish Lions ...

and Kieran Treadwell, flanker

Nick Timoney Nick Timoney (born 1 August 1995) is an Irish rugby union player, who plays in the back row for Ulster and Ireland. He is regarded as a "hybrid" player, an athletic forward with the pace of a back.Stuart McCloskey Stuart McCloskey (born 6 August 1992) is a professional rugby union player from Northern Ireland, who plays as a centre for United Rugby Championship club Ulster and the Ireland national team. He has been Ulster's player of the year twice, an ...

and

James Hume James Hume may refer to: * James Hume (architect) (1798–1868), architect in Sydney, Australia * James Hume (cricketer) (1858–1909), Scottish-born New Zealand cricketer * James Hume (magistrate) (1808–1862), British magistrate and political co ...

, and fullback

Michael Lowry Michael Lowry may refer to: * Michael Lowry (politician) Michael Lowry (born 13 March 1953) is an Irish independent politician who has served as a Teachta Dála (TD) since 1987, currently for the Tipperary North constituency. He previously se ...

. Treadwell, Herring and O'Toole made test appearances. Hume, Timoney, Lowry and McCloskey appeared in non-test matches against the

Māori All Blacks The Māori All Blacks, previously called the New Zealand Maori, New Zealand Maoris and New Zealand Natives, are a rugby union team from New Zealand. They are a representative team of the New Zealand Rugby Union, and a prerequisite for playing is ...

. Henderson injured his knee before the opening match, and Hume injured his groin in the opening match against the Māori All Blacks. James McCormick, Adam McNamee,

Reuben Crothers A list of players who have appeared for Ulster Rugby since rugby union was declared open to professionalism on 26 August 1995. Current players Jacob Boyd Loosehead prop. Son of former Ulster prop Clem Boyd. Captained RBAI to the Ulster Schools' ...

, Josh Hanlon, Charlie Irvine, Lorcan McLoughlin, James McNabney, Reece Malone, Scott Wilson and Joseph Mawhinney all appeared for Ireland U20s in the summer.

Pre-season

Ulster's pre-season campaign opened on 2 September with a home friendly against

Exeter Chiefs Exeter Chiefs (officially Exeter Rugby Club) is an England, English professional rugby union club based in Exeter, Devon. They play in Premiership Rugby, England's top division of rugby. The club was founded in 1871 and since 2006 has played i ...

, which they won 31–12.

Jacob Stockdale Jacob Alexander Stockdale (born 3 April 1996) is a professional rugby union player who plays as a wing for United Rugby Championship club Ulster and the Ireland national team. From 2018 to 2025 he held the record for tries scored in a single S ...

scored a try on his return from injury, and new scrum-half Michael McDonald was named man of the match. A second friendly, away to

Glasgow Warriors The Glasgow Warriors are a professional rugby union side from Scotland. The team plays in the United Rugby Championship league and in the European Professional Club Rugby tournaments. In the 2014–15 season they won the Pro12 title and beca ...

, arranged for 9 September, was cancelled following the

death of Queen Elizabeth II Elizabeth II, Queen of the United Kingdom and the other Commonwealth realms, died on 8 September 2022 at Balmoral Castle in Scotland, at the age of 96. Elizabeth's reign of 70 years and 214 days was the longest of any British monarch. She was ...

the day before.

Emerging Ireland tour

Ten Ulster players were selected for the

Emerging Ireland Emerging Ireland is an Irish international rugby union team that represents Irish Rugby Football Union, Ireland in selected matches, tours and competitions. Composed of Ireland qualified players only, mostly uncapped or at the beginning of their c ...

tour to South Africa for the

Toyota Challenge The Toyota Challenge is a rugby union competition hosted in South Africa by the Cheetahs, a team sponsored by Toyota SA. The first tournament took place at the Toyota Stadium in Bloemfontein between 13 November and 26 November 2021. In 2021, f ...

at the end of September: wings Robert Baloucoune and

Ethan McIlroy Ethan McIlroy (born 10 August 2000) is an Irish rugby union player who plays wing or fullback for Ulster in the United Rugby Championship and the European Rugby Champions Cup. He attended Methodist College Belfast, playing fullback in the Meth ...

; centre

Stewart Moore Stewart Moore (born 8 August 1999) is an Irish rugby union player who plays centre for Ulster. Ulster coach Dan McFarland describes him as "a lovely balanced runner who can cause defences problems".Jake Flannery; scrum-halves

Nathan Doak Nathan Doak (born 17 December 2001) is a ginger Irish rugby union player who plays scrum-half and out-half for Ulster in the United Rugby Championship and the European Rugby Champions Cup. The son of the former Ulster scrum-half and head co ...

and Michael McDonald; loosehead prop Callum Reid; hooker Tom Stewart; lock Cormac Izuchukwu; and flanker David McCann.

First block

The team opened the season with a 36–10 home victory over

Connacht Connacht or Connaught ( ; or ), is the smallest of the four provinces of Ireland, situated in the west of Ireland. Until the ninth century it consisted of several independent major Gaelic kingdoms (Uí Fiachrach, Uí Briúin, Uí Maine, C ...

in the URC. Hooker Tom Stewart made his first senior start, scored a try and was named Player of the Match."Ulster produce dominant display to start season with win over Connacht"
United Rugby, 17 September 2022 After a high-scoring away win against

Scarlets The Scarlets () are one of the four professional Welsh rugby union teams and are based in Llanelli, Wales. Their home ground is the Parc y Scarlets stadium. They play in the United Rugby Championship and in European Professional Club Rugby c ...

, in which John Cooney scored 30 points,"Ulster overcome battling Scarlets in Llanelli thriller"
United Rugby, 24 September 2022 Ulster lost at home to

Leinster Leinster ( ; or ) is one of the four provinces of Ireland, in the southeast of Ireland. The modern province comprises the ancient Kingdoms of Meath, Leinster and Osraige, which existed during Gaelic Ireland. Following the 12th-century ...

in heavy rain."Leinster triumph over Ulster in top-of-the-table clash in Belfast"
United Rugby, 30 September 2022 There followed a 47–17 win over

Ospreys The osprey (; ''Pandion haliaetus''), historically known as sea hawk, river hawk, and fish hawk, is a diurnal, fish-eating bird of prey with a cosmopolitan range. It is a large raptor, reaching more than in length and a wingspan of . It is ...

, in which Luke Marshall and Sam Carter scored two tries each."Ulster bounce back to cruise past Ospreys"
United Rugby, 8 October 2022 Ulster then became the first northern hemisphere team to win in South Africa this season, beating the

Lions The lion (''Panthera leo'') is a large cat of the genus ''Panthera'', native to Sub-Saharan Africa and India. It has a muscular, broad-chested body; a short, rounded head; round ears; and a dark, hairy tuft at the tip of its tail. It is se ...

in

Johannesburg Johannesburg ( , , ; Zulu language, Zulu and Xhosa language, Xhosa: eGoli ) (colloquially known as Jozi, Joburg, Jo'burg or "The City of Gold") is the most populous city in South Africa. With 5,538,596 people in the City of Johannesburg alon ...

."Ulster make extra man count in narrow victory over Emirates Lions"
United Rugby, 15 October 2022 Their next match, against the

Sharks Sharks are a group of elasmobranch cartilaginous fish characterized by a ribless endoskeleton, dermal denticles, five to seven gill slits on each side, and pectoral fins that are not fused to the head. Modern sharks are classified within the ...

in

Durban Durban ( ; , from meaning "bay, lagoon") is the third-most populous city in South Africa, after Johannesburg and Cape Town, and the largest city in the Provinces of South Africa, province of KwaZulu-Natal. Situated on the east coast of South ...

, was postponed after an outbreak of

E. coli ''Escherichia coli'' ( )Wells, J. C. (2000) Longman Pronunciation Dictionary. Harlow ngland Pearson Education Ltd. is a gram-negative, facultative anaerobic, rod-shaped, coliform bacterium of the genus ''Escherichia'' that is commonly foun ...

and

norovirus Norovirus, also known as Norwalk virus and sometimes referred to as the winter vomiting disease, is the most common cause of gastroenteritis. Infection is characterized by non-bloody diarrhea, vomiting, and stomach pain. Fever or headaches may ...

meant they were unable to field a team. Ulster narrowly beat

Munster Munster ( or ) is the largest of the four provinces of Ireland, located in the south west of the island. In early Ireland, the Kingdom of Munster was one of the kingdoms of Gaelic Ireland ruled by a "king of over-kings" (). Following the Nor ...

away, with Rory Sutherland making his debut and John Andrew making his 100th appearance for the province, both off the bench, and went into the international break second in the URC table.

Autumn international break

Eight Ulster players were called up to the

Ireland Ireland (, ; ; Ulster Scots dialect, Ulster-Scots: ) is an island in the North Atlantic Ocean, in Northwestern Europe. Geopolitically, the island is divided between the Republic of Ireland (officially Names of the Irish state, named Irelan ...

squad for the 2022 end-of-year internationals: Robert Baloucoune,

Rob Herring Rob Herring is an English former professional motocross racer and current film industry stuntman. Herring began his racing career in South Africa after his father emigrated there from the United Kingdom. He returned to the U.K. at the age of 17 ...

,

Michael Lowry Michael Lowry may refer to: * Michael Lowry (politician) Michael Lowry (born 13 March 1953) is an Irish independent politician who has served as a Teachta Dála (TD) since 1987, currently for the Tipperary North constituency. He previously se ...

,

Stuart McCloskey Stuart McCloskey (born 6 August 1992) is a professional rugby union player from Northern Ireland, who plays as a centre for United Rugby Championship club Ulster and the Ireland national team. He has been Ulster's player of the year twice, an ...

, Tom O'Toole,

Jacob Stockdale Jacob Alexander Stockdale (born 3 April 1996) is a professional rugby union player who plays as a wing for United Rugby Championship club Ulster and the Ireland national team. From 2018 to 2025 he held the record for tries scored in a single S ...

,

Nick Timoney Nick Timoney (born 1 August 1995) is an Irish rugby union player, who plays in the back row for Ulster and Ireland. He is regarded as a "hybrid" player, an athletic forward with the pace of a back.Kieran Treadwell. Two more,

James Hume James Hume may refer to: * James Hume (architect) (1798–1868), architect in Sydney, Australia * James Hume (cricketer) (1858–1909), Scottish-born New Zealand cricketer * James Hume (magistrate) (1808–1862), British magistrate and political co ...

and

Marty Moore William Martin Moore (born March 19, 1971) is a former professional American football linebacker who played eight seasons in the National Football League (NFL) for the New England Patriots and Cleveland Browns. Moore was the first Mr. Irrelev ...

, were selected for the panel for Ireland 'A' to play a

New Zealand New Zealand () is an island country in the southwestern Pacific Ocean. It consists of two main landmasses—the North Island () and the South Island ()—and List of islands of New Zealand, over 600 smaller islands. It is the List of isla ...

XV.

Second block

After the international break, Ulster had a comfortable home win over

Zebre Parma Zebre Parma (, meaning "Zebras") are an Italian professional rugby union team competing in the United Rugby Championship and EPCR competitions from the 2012–13 season. They are based in Parma (Emilia-Romagna), Italy. They are operated by the ...

, with Tom Stewart scoring two tries. They then travelled to

Leinster Leinster ( ; or ) is one of the four provinces of Ireland, in the southeast of Ireland. The modern province comprises the ancient Kingdoms of Meath, Leinster and Osraige, which existed during Gaelic Ireland. Following the 12th-century ...

, and led the league leaders at half time, before Leinster fought back to win the game 38–29. This began a three-game losing streak, as Ulster lost their opening two games in the Champions Cup. After poor weather caused travel disruption, they capitulated 39–0 away to

Sale Sharks Sale Sharks are a professional rugby union club from Greater Manchester, England, United Kingdom. Its team play in Premiership Rugby, and have been in England's top division of rugby union continuously since 1995. Originally founded in 1861 as ...

. A frozen pitch at Ravenhill meant Ulster's home game against reigning champions

La Rochelle La Rochelle (, , ; Poitevin-Saintongeais: ''La Rochéle'') is a city on the west coast of France and a seaport on the Bay of Biscay, a part of the Atlantic Ocean. It is the capital of the Charente-Maritime Departments of France, department. Wi ...

had to be relocated to Dublin's

Aviva Stadium Aviva Stadium, also known as Lansdowne Road (, ) or Dublin Arena (during UEFA competitions), is a List of stadiums in Ireland by capacity, sports stadium located in Dublin, Republic of Ireland, Ireland, with a capacity for 51,711 spectators ...

at the last minute, with the match played behind closed doors. La Rochelle built a 29-0 half-time lead, but Ulster improved enough in the second half to earn two bonus points in a 29–36 defeat. Returning to the URC, Ulster halted their losing streak with a close away win against

Connacht Connacht or Connaught ( ; or ), is the smallest of the four provinces of Ireland, situated in the west of Ireland. Until the ninth century it consisted of several independent major Gaelic kingdoms (Uí Fiachrach, Uí Briúin, Uí Maine, C ...

, featuring another two-try display from Tom Stewart. After last-minute defeats to

Munster Munster ( or ) is the largest of the four provinces of Ireland, located in the south west of the island. In early Ireland, the Kingdom of Munster was one of the kingdoms of Gaelic Ireland ruled by a "king of over-kings" (). Following the Nor ...

(during which flanker Sean Reffell made a URC record 42 tackles, and tighthead prop

Marty Moore William Martin Moore (born March 19, 1971) is a former professional American football linebacker who played eight seasons in the National Football League (NFL) for the New England Patriots and Cleveland Browns. Moore was the first Mr. Irrelev ...

's season was ended by an anterior cruciate ligament injury) and Benetton in the URC and La Rochelle in the Champions Cup, Ulster secured qualification for the last 16 of the Champions Cup with a home win over Sale. They reached the Six Nations break with a bonus point home win against the

Stormers The Stormers (known for sponsorship reasons as the DHL Stormers) and the academic team DHL Stormers is a South African professional rugby union team based in Cape Town in the Western Cape that competes in the United Rugby Championship, a tra ...

, sitting at third in the URC table and second in the Irish shield. Academy lock Harry Sheridan made his senior debut in the away defeat to La Rochelle.

Six Nations international break

Five Ulster players were called up to the initial Ireland squad for the

2023 Six Nations Championship The men's 2023 Six Nations Championship (known as the Guinness Six Nations for sponsorship reasons) was the 24th Six Nations Championship, an annual rugby union competition contested by the men's national teams of England, France, Ireland, Italy ...

: Iain Henderson, Rob Herring, Tom O'Toole, Stuart McCloskey and Jacob Stockdale. Tom Stewart was later added to the squad as cover for the injured Ronan Kelleher, Nick Timoney was added to the squad ahead of the fourth match against Scotland, and Kieran Treadwell was called up for the fifth match against England. James McNabney, Rory Telfer and

Joe Hopes A list of players who have appeared for Ulster Rugby since rugby union was declared open to professionalism on 26 August 1995. Current players Jacob Boyd Loosehead prop. Son of former Ulster prop Clem Boyd. Captained RBAI to the Ulster Schools' ...

all featured for Ireland in the U20 Six Nations. During the Six Nations, Ulster played three away games, losing to

Glasgow Warriors The Glasgow Warriors are a professional rugby union side from Scotland. The team plays in the United Rugby Championship league and in the European Professional Club Rugby tournaments. In the 2014–15 season they won the Pro12 title and beca ...

, before travelling to

Durban Durban ( ; , from meaning "bay, lagoon") is the third-most populous city in South Africa, after Johannesburg and Cape Town, and the largest city in the Provinces of South Africa, province of KwaZulu-Natal. Situated on the east coast of South ...

to defeat the

Sharks Sharks are a group of elasmobranch cartilaginous fish characterized by a ribless endoskeleton, dermal denticles, five to seven gill slits on each side, and pectoral fins that are not fused to the head. Modern sharks are classified within the ...

in a fixture rearranged from October, and then defeating

Cardiff Cardiff (; ) is the capital city, capital and List of urban areas in the United Kingdom, largest city of Wales. Cardiff had a population of in and forms a Principal areas of Wales, principal area officially known as the City and County of Ca ...

. This left Ulster in third. Centre Jude Postlethwaite made his senior debut in the away win against Cardiff.

Third block

Ulster finished the URC regular season with three home games. In the first of these three, they defeated the

Bulls Bulls may refer to: *The plural of bull, an adult male bovine * Bulls, New Zealand, a small town in the Rangitikei District Sports *Bucking bull, used in the sport of bull riding *Bulls (rugby union), a South African rugby union franchise operated ...

, with Tom Stewart scoring a hat-trick. This result made them the first European team in the URC to beat all four South African sides in the same season. The following week they went out of the Champions Cup in the round of 16, losing 30–15 to Leinster at the Aviva Stadium. Back in the URC, they moved into second with a bonus point win against the

Dragons A dragon is a magical legendary creature that appears in the folklore of multiple cultures worldwide. Beliefs about dragons vary considerably through regions, but dragons in Western cultures since the High Middle Ages have often been depict ...

40–21, with Tom Stewart scoring another hat-trick. The following week they secured second place with a home win over

Edinburgh Edinburgh is the capital city of Scotland and one of its 32 Council areas of Scotland, council areas. The city is located in southeast Scotland and is bounded to the north by the Firth of Forth and to the south by the Pentland Hills. Edinburgh ...

, earning a home quarter-final against

Connacht Connacht or Connaught ( ; or ), is the smallest of the four provinces of Ireland, situated in the west of Ireland. Until the ninth century it consisted of several independent major Gaelic kingdoms (Uí Fiachrach, Uí Briúin, Uí Maine, C ...

, which they lost 10–15. Wing

Jacob Stockdale Jacob Alexander Stockdale (born 3 April 1996) is a professional rugby union player who plays as a wing for United Rugby Championship club Ulster and the Ireland national team. From 2018 to 2025 he held the record for tries scored in a single S ...

made his 100th appearance for the province, and hooker

Rob Herring Rob Herring is an English former professional motocross racer and current film industry stuntman. Herring began his racing career in South Africa after his father emigrated there from the United Kingdom. He returned to the U.K. at the age of 17 ...

equalled the all-time appearance record with 229, alongside

Andrew Trimble Andrew Trimble (born 20 October 1984) is a former Irish rugby union player who played for Ulster and represented Ireland at international level. Club career He attended Coleraine Academical Institution, where he competed in the Ulster Schoo ...

and

Darren Cave Darren Cave (born 5 April 1987) is a retired professional Irish rugby union player who played centre for Ulster, sharing the province's appearance record with Andrew Trimble and Rob Herring with 229, and won eleven caps for Ireland. Early care ...

.

URC awards

Tom Stewart was the URC's Top Try Scorer with 16, a record for the competition - beating the 14 scored by

Edinburgh Edinburgh is the capital city of Scotland and one of its 32 Council areas of Scotland, council areas. The city is located in southeast Scotland and is bounded to the north by the Firth of Forth and to the south by the Pentland Hills. Edinburgh ...

's

Tim Visser Tim Visser (; born 29 May 1987) is a Dutch rugby union player, who played as a winger for the Scotland national rugby union team, Scotland national team and for English club Harlequin F.C., Harlequins. Early life Visser was born in De Bilt, Ne ...

in 2010-11 and the

Cheetahs The cheetah (''Acinonyx jubatus'') is a large cat and the fastest land animal. It has a tawny to creamy white or pale buff fur that is marked with evenly spaced, solid black spots. The head is small and rounded, with a short snout and blac ...

' Rabz Maxwane in 2018-19, and the Next-Gen Player of the Season award for players under 23 who have fewer than five international caps.

Ulster Rugby Awards

The 2023 Ulster Rugby Awards were announced online on 1 June. Winners were: *Men's player of the year: Tom Stewart *Supporters' club player of the year: Tom Stewart *Rugby writers' player of the year:

Stuart McCloskey Stuart McCloskey (born 6 August 1992) is a professional rugby union player from Northern Ireland, who plays as a centre for United Rugby Championship club Ulster and the Ireland national team. He has been Ulster's player of the year twice, an ...

*Young men's player of the year:

Stewart Moore Stewart Moore (born 8 August 1999) is an Irish rugby union player who plays centre for Ulster. Ulster coach Dan McFarland describes him as "a lovely balanced runner who can cause defences problems".Cooke RFC Cooke Rugby Football Club, which was founded in 1910, is the oldest junior rugby club in Belfast, Northern Ireland. They currently field 3 Senior Men's teams, the 1st XV playing in Ulster Rugby Championship, Qualifying 1, and a successful Women's ...

*Young women's player of the year: Sadhbh McGrath,

Cooke RFC Cooke Rugby Football Club, which was founded in 1910, is the oldest junior rugby club in Belfast, Northern Ireland. They currently field 3 Senior Men's teams, the 1st XV playing in Ulster Rugby Championship, Qualifying 1, and a successful Women's ...

*Club player of the year: George Pringle,

Ballynahinch RFC Ballynahinch Rugby Club is an Irish rugby union club based in the County Down town of Ballynahinch. Founded in 1954, the club is affiliated to the Ulster Branch of the Irish Rugby Football Union. The first team plays Senior rugby union in the ...

*Referee of the year: Peter Martin *Boys' youth player of the year: Ben Neely, Coleraine RFC *U18 girls' player of the year: Ruby Starrett, Larne RFC *Boys schools' player of the year:

Jacob Boyd A list of players who have appeared for Ulster Rugby since rugby union was declared open to professionalism on 26 August 1995. Current players Jacob Boyd Loosehead prop. Son of former Ulster prop Clem Boyd. Captained RBAI to the Ulster Schools' ...

, RBAI *Girls schools' player of the year: Scarlett Keys,

Enniskillen Royal Grammar School Enniskillen Royal Grammar School, located in Enniskillen, County Fermanagh, Northern Ireland, is an academically selective, co-educational, non-denominational voluntary grammar school. The school opened its doors on 1 September 2016. Two forme ...

Future

Signings announced for next season include South African prop

Steven Kitshoff Steven Kitshoff (born 10 February 1992) is a South African former rugby union player who last played for the Stormers. His playing position was loosehead prop. He represented the South Africa national team and has previously played for in the ...

, from the

Stormers The Stormers (known for sponsorship reasons as the DHL Stormers) and the academic team DHL Stormers is a South African professional rugby union team based in Cape Town in the Western Cape that competes in the United Rugby Championship, a tra ...

,"Ulster sign South Africa prop Steven Kitshoff on a three-year deal"
''Belfast Telegraph'', 9 November 2022 and flanker

Dave Ewers David Peter Ewers (born 3 November 1990) is a Zimbabwean rugby union player who is currently contracted to the Stormers. He previously played for Ulster, Exeter Chiefs and Cornish Pirates. He is capable of playing both Flanker and Number 8. E ...

, from

Exeter Chiefs Exeter Chiefs (officially Exeter Rugby Club) is an England, English professional rugby union club based in Exeter, Devon. They play in Premiership Rugby, England's top division of rugby. The club was founded in 1871 and since 2006 has played i ...

.Adam Kyriacou
"Dave Ewers: Ulster announce signing of Exeter Chiefs stalwart"
Planet Rugby, 17 January 2023 Flanker

Jordi Murphy Jordi Murphy (born 22 April 1991) is a former Irish international rugby player. He played for provincial and United Rugby Championship side Ulster as a loose forward, and played for the Ireland national rugby union team. Early life Murphy wa ...

announced his retirement at the end of the 2022–23 season. Lock Frank Bradshaw Ryan left for

Montauban Montauban (, ; ) is a commune in the southern French department of Tarn-et-Garonne. It is the capital of the department and lies north of Toulouse. Montauban is the most populated town in Tarn-et-Garonne, and the sixth most populated of Oc ...

. Wings

Rob Lyttle Rob Lyttle (born 28 January 1997) is a rugby union player from Donaghcloney, County Down, Northern Ireland. He plays wing for Banbridge RFC and Ulster. Born in Donaghcloney, County Down, he played mini rugby at Dromore RFC as a child. He atten ...

Jonathan Bradley
"I'm sad to be leaving Ulster at end of the season, admits winger Rob Lyttle"
''Belfast Telegraph'', 11 April 2023 and

Craig Gilroy Craig Gilroy (born 11 March 1991) is an Irish rugby union player who played wing for Ulster, and a former Ireland international. He was Ulster's player of the year in 2014–15, and was named in the Pro12 Dream Team twice. Born in the seaside ...

announced they would leave at the end of the season. Hooker Declan Moore and scrum-half Michael McDonald will move to

Connacht Connacht or Connaught ( ; or ), is the smallest of the four provinces of Ireland, situated in the west of Ireland. Until the ninth century it consisted of several independent major Gaelic kingdoms (Uí Fiachrach, Uí Briúin, Uí Maine, C ...

on a season-long loan. Five academy players will join the senior squad on development contracts: lock Harry Sheridan, scrum-half Conor McKee, hooker James McCormick, back row forward Reuben Crothers and centre Ben Carson."Ulster secure young prospects to new deals", Ulster Rugby, 12 April 2023
/ref>

Staff

Squad

Senior squad

Players in

* Frank Bradshaw Ryan from

Nevers Nevers ( , ; , later ''Nevirnum'' and ''Nebirnum'') is a city and the Prefectures in France, prefecture of the Nièvre Departments of France, department in the Bourgogne-Franche-Comté Regions of France, region in central France. It was the pr ...

* Jake Flannery from

Munster Munster ( or ) is the largest of the four provinces of Ireland, located in the south west of the island. In early Ireland, the Kingdom of Munster was one of the kingdoms of Gaelic Ireland ruled by a "king of over-kings" (). Following the Nor ...

* Michael McDonald from

Western Force The Western Force is an Australian professional rugby union team based in Perth, Western Australia, currently competing in Super Rugby, Super Rugby Pacific. They previously played in Super Rugby from 2006 until they were axed from the competitio ...

*

Shea O'Brien A list of players who have appeared for Ulster Rugby since rugby union was declared open to professionalism on 26 August 1995. Current players Jacob Boyd Loosehead prop. Son of former Ulster prop Clem Boyd. Captained RBAI to the Ulster Schools' ...

from City of Armagh * Sean Reffell from

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* Rory Sutherland from

Worcester Warriors Worcester Warriors are a professional rugby union club based in Worcester, England. They most recently played in Premiership Rugby, the top division of English rugby union, before being suspended by the Rugby Football Union, RFU in September 2 ...

*

Jeffery Toomaga-Allen Jeffery Latu Toomaga-Allen (born 19 November 1990) is a rugby union footballer who previously played as a tighthead prop for Samoa, and for Ulster in the United Rugby Championship. He also previously played for Wellington Lions in the ITM Cup and ...

from

Wasps A wasp is any insect of the narrow-waisted suborder Apocrita of the order Hymenoptera which is neither a bee nor an ant; this excludes the broad-waisted sawflies (Symphyta), which look somewhat like wasps, but are in a separate suborder. Th ...

Promoted from academy

* Jude Postlethwaite

Players out

* Ross Kane to

Ealing Trailfinders Ealing Trailfinders Rugby Club is an English professional rugby union club based in West London. The club's first team are the reigning RFU Championship champions of 2024–25 but were considered ineligible for promotion to Premiership Rugby a ...

*

Mick Kearney Mick Kearney (born 29 March 1991) is an Irish rugby union player, currently playing for Irish side Ulster in the United Rugby Championship. His primary position is lock, though he has also played as a flanker. Career Club Kearney, who is ori ...

''retired'' * Jack McGrath ''retired'' * David O'Connor to

Ealing Trailfinders Ealing Trailfinders Rugby Club is an English professional rugby union club based in West London. The club's first team are the reigning RFU Championship champions of 2024–25 but were considered ineligible for promotion to Premiership Rugby a ...

*

Sean Reidy Sean Reidy (born 10 May 1989) is a New Zealand-born Irish rugby union player who played Flanker (rugby union), flanker for Ulster Rugby from 2014 to 2022, and has two caps for Ireland national rugby union team, Ireland. Born in Auckland, New Ze ...

''released'' *

Bradley Roberts Bradley Roberts is a former rugby union player who played as a hooker for United Rugby Championship side Dragons RFC. He was called up to play international rugby for Wales in 2021. Roberts was born in Durban, South Africa where he attended Dur ...

to

Dragons A dragon is a magical legendary creature that appears in the folklore of multiple cultures worldwide. Beliefs about dragons vary considerably through regions, but dragons in Western cultures since the High Middle Ages have often been depict ...

Academy squad

Players in

*

Joe Hopes A list of players who have appeared for Ulster Rugby since rugby union was declared open to professionalism on 26 August 1995. Current players Jacob Boyd Loosehead prop. Son of former Ulster prop Clem Boyd. Captained RBAI to the Ulster Schools' ...

from

Regent House The Regent House is the governing body of the University of Cambridge. It consists of academics, senior researchers, heads of colleges, librarians, curators, and administrators. It currently has more than 7,200 members. Meetings of the Regent H ...

* Lorcan McLoughlin from QUB * James McNabney from

Cambridge House Cambridge House is a Grade I listed former townhouse in central London, England. It sits on the northern side of Piccadilly at number 94, in the fashionable district of Mayfair. , the property is being converted into a luxury hotel and seven r ...

* Rory Telfer from

Coleraine Grammar School Coleraine Grammar School is a co-educational grammar school in Coleraine, County Londonderry, Northern Ireland that was established in 2015 following the amalgamation of Coleraine Academical Institution and Coleraine High School. The school w ...

* Scott Wilson from Wallace High School.

Players out

* Lewis Finlay to

Ampthill Ampthill () is a town and civil parishes in England, civil parish in the Central Bedfordshire district of Bedfordshire, England. It lies between Bedford, Bedfordshire, Bedford and Luton. At the 2021 census it had a population of 8,825. Histor ...

* Azur Allison * Conor Rankin to

Ampthill Ampthill () is a town and civil parishes in England, civil parish in the Central Bedfordshire district of Bedfordshire, England. It lies between Bedford, Bedfordshire, Bedford and Luton. At the 2021 census it had a population of 8,825. Histor ...

Season record

2022–23 European Rugby Champions Cup

Group stage

Round of 16

2022–23 United Rugby Championship

Quarter-final

Notes

Home attendance

Friendlies

Ulster 'A'

The following players, other than players from the senior squad and academy, appeared for Ulster 'A this season.

Ulster Women

Squad

2022-23 Women's Interprovincial Series

Senior club rugby

All-Ireland League

Ballynahinch were Ulster's only club in Division 1A, finishing fifth. City of Armagh achieved promotion by finishing first in Division 1B;

Banbridge Banbridge ( ) is a town in County Down, Northern Ireland. It lies on the River Bann and the A1 road and is named after a bridge built over the Bann in 1712. It is in the civil parish of Seapatrick and the historic barony of Iveagh Upper ...

finished 9th and

Malone Malone () is an Irish surname. From the Irish "''Mael Eóin''", the name means a servant or a disciple of Saint John. People * Gilla Críst Ua Máel Eóin (died 1127), historian and Abbot of Clonmacnoise, Ó Maoil Eoin * Adrian Malone (1937 ...

were tenth, and both were relegated. Queen's University were promoted after finishing first in Division 2A;

Ballymena Ballymena ( ; from , meaning 'the middle townland') is a town in County Antrim, Northern Ireland. It had a population of 31,205 people at the 2021 United Kingdom census, making it the List of localities in Northern Ireland by population, seven ...

were seventh. In Division 2B,

Dungannon Dungannon (, ) is a town in County Tyrone, Northern Ireland. It is the second-largest town in the county (after Omagh) and had a population of 16,282 at the United Kingdom Census 2011, 2021 Census. The Dungannon and South Tyrone Borough Counci ...

were third, Rainey Old Boys sixth, and

Belfast Harlequins Belfast Harlequins is a multi-sports club located off the Malone Road in south Belfast, Northern Ireland. The club name provides the overall umbrella for rugby union, men's and ladies' field hockey, hockey, and Squash (sport), squash. The club i ...

seventh. And in Division 2C,

Instonians Instonians is a sports club based in Belfast, Northern Ireland, that incorporates rugby union, men's and ladies' hockey and cricket sections. There is also a golf society that plays under the Instonians name. Instonians Rugby Football, Cricket ...

finished first and were promoted; Bangor were sixth and Omagh Academicals 7th. Clogher Valley were promoted to the All-Ireland League for the first time after finishing top of the Ulster Rugby Championship and winning playoffs against Leinster's

Bective Rangers Bective Rangers Football Club is a rugby union club in Dublin, Ireland founded in 1881. The Club is affiliated to the Leinster Branch of the Irish Rugby Football Union and played in Division 1A of the Leinster League until the 2024-25 Season. H ...

and Munster's

Richmond Richmond most often refers to: * Richmond, British Columbia, a city in Canada * Richmond, California, a city in the United States * Richmond, London, a town in the London Borough of Richmond upon Thames, England * Richmond, North Yorkshire, a town ...

."Photos: Clogher Valley RFC celebrate historic All-Ireland win"
''Belfast Live'', 18 April 2023

Ulster Rugby Premiership Division 1

League table

Ulster Rugby Premiership Division 2

League table

Ulster Senior Cup

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Ulster

2022-23 The symbol , known in Unicode as hyphen-minus, is the form of hyphen most commonly used in digital documents. On most keyboards, it is the only character that resembles a minus sign or a dash, so it is also used for these. The name ''hyphen-min ...

2022–23 in Irish rugby union 2022–23 United Rugby Championship by team 2022–23 European Rugby Champions Cup by team