The 2017–18 season was Ulster's 24th season since the advent of professionalism in rugby union, and Jono Gibbes' only season as head coach. Rory Best was captain. They competed in the inaugural Pro14 (successor competition to the Pro12) and the European Rugby Champions Cup.
Events Competitions The Pro12 became the Pro14 with the addition of two teams from South Africa. The fourteen teams were arranged in two conferences. Teams played the teams in their own conference and their regional rivals home and away, the teams in the other conference other than their regional rivals home or away. The first placed team in each conference would qualify for the semi-finals, with the second- and third-placed teams playing quarter-finals for the right to join them. The top three teams in each conference, not including the South African teams, would qualify for next season's Champions Cup, with the fourth-placed teams in each conference playing off for the seventh Champions Cup slot.
Personnel changes After the departure of Neil Doak, Jono Gibbes joined Ulster as head coach, with Dwayne Peel joining him as assistant coach, replacing Allen Clarke, who had left to join the coaching staff at Ospreys."Clarke leaving Ulster", EPCR, 20 March 2017 Aaron Dundon joined as scrum coach, with Niall Malone remaining as skills coach.
Out-half Paddy Jackson and centre Stuart Olding were charged with rape and suspended from playing pending trial"IRFU Suspend Paddy Jackson & Stuart Olding After Being Charged By The PSNI" , Pundit Arena, 25 July 2017 (both would be acquitted, but have their contracts revoked)."Paddy Jackson and Stuart Olding's contracts revoked", BBC News, 14 April 2018 Australian out-half Christian Lealiifano was signed on a five-month loan to cover.Beth Newman, "Lealiifano on loan to Ulster", Rugby Xplorer, 22 August 2017 Rory Best was restored to the captaincy."Rory Best confirmed as Ulster captain for 2017/18 season", Belfast Telegraph, 29 August 2017 The IRFU had blocked South African scrum-half Ruan Pienaar extending his contract as part of their restrictions on foreign players,Tom Hamilton, "IRFU rules force Springboks star Ruan Pienaar to leave Ulster", ESPN, 31 August 2016 and he left for Montpellier. John Cooney was signed from Connacht to replace him."Ulster Sign John Cooney From Connacht", The Runner Sports, 16 January 2017 Other new arrivals were two South Africans, prop Schalk van der Merwe, signed from the Southern Kings, and loose forward Jean Deysel, signed from the Sharks. Back row forward Roger Wilson retired, lock Conor Joyce and centre Mark Best moved to Jersey Reds, hooker Johnny Murphy went to Rotherham Titans, and lock John Donnan, flankers Lorcan Dow and Stephen Mullholand, and prop Ricky Lutton were released.
Players joining the academy this year were out-half Michael Lowry and centre James Hume, from RBAI's three-time Schools' Cup-winning team; prop Tom O'Toole from Campbell College; lock/back row Matthew Dalton, from BRA, hooker Alexander Clarke (son of former Ulster hooker and assistant coach Allen Clarke), from Ballymena Academy; flanker Joe Dunleavy, from City of Derry R.F.C.; lock John McCusker, from Rainey Old Boys R.F.C.; lock Jack Regan; flanker Greg Jones and prop Eric O'Sullivan.Michael Sadlier, "Ulster recruit school stars for Academy fast-tracking", Belfast Telegraph, 29 July 2017 Wing Robert Baloucoune and scrum-half Graham Curtis joined later in the season.Gareth Fullerton, "Ulster Rugby Academy names 19-man squad for new season", Belfast Live, 25 July 2018
Season
After a poor run of form, with eighteen tries conceded in four matches over the Christmas period,Ulster Rugby: Who did what 2017-18, The Front Row Union, 25 June 2018 Director of Rugby Les Kiss left in January, with Gibbes assuming all coaching responsibility of the team for the remainder of the season. Ulster finished third in Pool 1 of the Champions Cup, failing to qualify for the knockout stage. They finished fourth of seven in Conference B of the Pro14, failing to qualify for the playoffs, and having to beat Ospreys in a playoff to qualify for next season's Champions Cup. Gibbes cut short his contract at the end of the season."La Rochelle confirm former Ulster head coach Jono Gibbes will become Director of Rugby on four-season deal", Irish Independent, 4 June 2018 Former Ireland captain Brian O'Driscoll described the province as "a bit of a basket case", facing "Administration issues, senior players retiring, the well documented court case, now no number 10 to build the team around, no coach next year, struggling for Champions Cup rugby next season.""Brian O'Driscoll: Ulster a 'basket case' at the moment", BBC Sport, 23 April 2018
Academy flanker Nick Timoney had a breakthrough season, making twenty appearances and scoring five tries. John Cooney was Ulster's leading scorer with 225 points; he was the Pro14's top scorer with 175 points, and made the Pro14 Dream Team. Wing Craig Gilroy was the team's leading try scorer with eleven. Lock Alan O'Connor was leading tackler with 226."Ulster Rugby: Who did what 2017-18", The Front Row Union, 25 June 2018 John Cooney was Ulster's Player of the Year.
This was fullback Charles Piutau's last season with Ulster: he moved to Bristol Bears at the end of the season. Wings Tommy Bowe and Andrew Trimble and flanker Chris Henry retired. Centre Jared Payne also retired as a player, and was appointed defence coach.
Staff Position Name Nationality Chief executive officer Shane Logan Director of Rugby Les Kiss Operations director Bryn Cunningham Head coach Jono Gibbes Assistant coach Dwayne Peel Scrum Coach Aaron Dundon Skills Coach Niall Malone Head of Strength & Conditioning Jonny Davis Strength & conditioning coach Kevin Geary
Squad
Senior squad
Players In John Cooney from Connacht Jean Deysel from Sharks Christian Lealiifano from Brumbies Schalk van der Merwe from Southern Kings
Promoted from academy David Busby"Ulster Announce Academy Squad For 2017/18", Irish Rugby, 28 July 2017 Aaron Cairns Ross Kane Rob Lyttle Tommy O'Hagan Jack Owens
Players Out Mark Best to Jersey Reds John Donnan released Lorcan Dow released Conor Joyce to Jersey Reds Christian Lealiifano to Toyota Industries Shuttles Aichi Angus Lloyd to Munster Ricky Lutton released Stephen Mulholland released Jonny Murphy to Rotherham Titans Ruan Pienaar to Montpellier Jonny Simpson released Franco van der Merwe to Cardiff BluesAdam McKendry, "Franco van der Merwe to leave Ulster", Belfast Live, 19 January 2017 Roger Wilson retired
Ulster Rugby squadJohnny Morton, "Ulster Rugby confirm their 46-man squad for the 2017/18 season", Belfast Live, 5 July 2017Props
Wiehahn Herbst* (18 apps, 14 starts, 5 pts) Callum Black (18 apps, 13 starts) Andrew Warwick (20 apps, 8 starts) Rodney Ah You (18 apps, 7 starts) Kyle McCall (12 apps, 6 starts) Ross Kane (11 apps, 5 starts)) Tom O'Toole (4 apps, 2 starts) Schalk van der Merwe (2 apps, 1 start) Tommy O'Hagan (no apps)
Hookers
Rob Herring (24 apps, 15 starts) John Andrew (17 apps, 7 starts, 15 pts) Rory Best (c) (9 apps, 6 starts, 15 pts) Adam McBurney (3 apps)
Locks Alan O'Connor (24 apps, 22 starts, 10 pts) Kieran Treadwell (21 aps, 17 starts, 10 pts) Iain Henderson (16 apps, 15 starts, 5 pts) Matthew Dalton (7 apps, 2 starts) Peter Browne* (3 apps, 2 starts) Jack Regan (1 app)Back row Sean Reidy (22 apps, 19 starts, 20 pts) Nick Timoney (20 apps, 17 starts, 25 pts) Jean Deysel (11 apps, 11 starts) Matty Rea (18 apps, 9 starts) Chris Henry (19 apps, 8 starts) Robbie Diack (13 apps, 8 starts, 5 pts) Clive Ross (8 apps, 4 starts, 5 pts) Greg Jones (3 apps, 2 starts) Marcell Coetzee (1 app, 1 start) Aaron Hall (1 app, 1 start)
Scrum-halves John Cooney (25 apps, 22 starts, 233 pts) Paul Marshall (11 apps, 3 starts) David Shanahan (8 apps, 1 start, 10 pts) Johnny Stewart (3 apps, 1 start) Aaron Cairns (1 app, 1 start)
Fly-halves Christian Lealiifano (17 apps, 17 starts, 41 pts) Johnny McPhillips (12 apps, 9 starts, 19 pts) Peter Nelson (10 apps, 3 starts, 20 pts) Angus Curtis* (2 apps) Brett Herron* (1 app, 2 pts) Paddy Jackson (suspended)Centres Stuart McCloskey (24 apps, 24 starts, 35 pts) Luke Marshall (14 app, 13 starts, 5 pts) Darren Cave (16 apps, 9 starts, 22 pts) Stuart Olding (suspended) Jared Payne (no apps)
Wings Louis Ludik* (24 apps, 19 starts, 5 pts) Jacob Stockdale (19 apps, 18 starts, 50 pts) Craig Gilroy (13 app, 13 start, 55 pts) Tommy Bowe (17 apps, 11 starts, 15 pts) Andrew Trimble (12 apps, 9 starts, 30 pts) Rob Lyttle (5 apps, 2 starts, 20 pts) Jack Owens (no apps)
Fullbacks Charles Piutau (21 apps, 21 starts, 15 pts) David Busby (1 app) (c) denotes the team captain, Bold denotes internationally capped players. Italics denotes academy players who appeared in the senior team. * denotes players qualified to play for Ireland on residency or dual nationality. Players and their allocated positions from the Ulster Rugby website.
Internationally capped players in bold Players qualified to play for on dual nationality or residency grounds* Irish Provinces are currently limited to four non-Irish eligible (NIE) players and one non-Irish qualified player (NIQ or "Project Player").
Academy squad
Players in Michael Lowry from RBAI James Hume from RBAI Tom O'Toole from Campbell College Eric O'Sullivan from Dublin University Robert Baloucoune from Portora Royal School/Enniskillen RFC Greg Jones from University College Dublin R.F.C. Matthew Dalton, from BRA Jack Regan from University College Dublin R.F.C. Graham Curtis from Hilton College Alexander Clarke from Ballymena Academy Joe Dunleavy from City of Derry R.F.C. John McCusker from Rainey Old Boys R.F.C.
Players out Michael Lagan Craig Trenier Alex Thompson Conall Boomer Andy McGrath
Position"Academy Management", Ulster Rugby, archived 27 October 2017 Name Nationality Head coach Kieran Campbell Strength & conditioning coach Matthew Maguire Strength & conditioning coach Matthew Godfrey Strength & conditioning coach Amy Davis Representative Team Performance Manager Michael Black Talent Development Officer Jonny Gillespie Elite Player Development Officer/Head Coach Ulster 'A' Alex Codling Elite Player Development Officer James Topping Lead Strength & Conditioning Coach David Drake
Ulster Rugby Academy squad"Academy Squad", Ulster Rugby, archived 2 November 2017Props
Peter Cooper (3) Eric O'Sullivan (1) Tom O'Toole (1) (5 apps, 2 starts)
Hookers
Alexander Clarke (1) Adam McBurney (2) (3 apps) Zack McCall (2)
Locks Matthew Dalton (1) (8 apps, 2 starts) John McCusker (1) Jack Regan (1)Back row Joe Dunleavy (1) Aaron Hall (2) (1 app, 1 start) Marcus Rea (2) Nick Timoney (3) (20 apps, 17 starts, 25 pts) Greg Jones (1) (4 apps, 2 starts)
Scrum-halves Johnny Stewart (2) (4 apps, 1 start) Graham Curtis* (1)
Fly-halves Angus Curtis* (2) (2 apps) Michael Lowry (1)Centres Rory Butler (2) James Hume (1)
Wings Robert Baloucoune (1)
Fullbacks None (c) denotes the team captain, Bold denotes internationally capped players, number in brackets indicates players stage in the three-year academy cycle. * denotes players qualified to play for Ireland on residency or dual nationality. Players and their allocated positions from the Ulster Rugby website.
Season record Competition Played Won Drawn Lost PF PA PD TF TA 2017-18 Champions Cup 6 4 0 2 132 118 14 15 15 2017-18 Pro14 22 13 2 7 573 499 74 72 64 Total 28 17 2 9 705 617 88 87 79
European Rugby Champions Cup
Pro14
Play-off for the 7th Champions Cup place
The South African teams cannot compete in the European Rugby Champions Cup. The top three eligible teams in each conference automatically qualify for following year's Champions Cup. The fourth ranked eligible team in each conference meet in a play-off match with the winner taking the seventh Champions Cup place.