The 2016–17 season was Ulster's 23rd season since the advent of professionalism in rugby union, and the third under Director of Rugby Les Kiss and head coach Neil Doak. They completed in the European Rugby Champions Cup and the final season of the Pro12 before it became the Pro14 with the addition of two teams from South Africa.
Ulster announced in August 2016 that Rory Best would vacate the captaincy of the province. The captain was replaced in his role by Andrew Trimble, the team's record try-scorer, and Rob Herring, who took on the role in Best's absence the previous season. Scrum-half Ruan Pienaar was going into his last season with Ulster, after the IRFU blocked him from extending his contract.Tom Hamilton, "IRFU rules force Springboks star Ruan Pienaar to leave Ulster", ESPN, 31 August 2016
New arrivals were South African number 8 Marcell Coetzee from the Sharks, fullback Charles Piutau from Wasps, prop Rodney Ah You from Connacht, lock Kieran Treadwell from Harlequins, out-half Brett Herron from Bath, scrum-half Angus Lloyd from Trinity, and prop Anton Peikrishvili from Brive. Back row forward Nick Williams left for Cardiff Blues, centre Sammy Arnold for Munster, wing Rory Scholes for Edinburgh, and lock Dan Tuohy for Bristol. Out-half Ian Humphreys retired, and Willie Faloon, Paul Jackson, Ruaidhri Murphy, Bronson Ross, Paul Rowley, Frank Taggart and Sam Windsor were released. Academy players who made their debuts this season included flanker Nick Timoney and wing Rob Lyttle.
Assistant coach Joe Barakat left in December to join Western Force."Ulster Rugby assistant coach Joe Barakat to leave in December", Belfast Telegraph, 21 September 2016 In early 2017 it was revealed that head coach Neil Doak and assistant coach Allen Clarke would not have their contracts renewed at the end of the season. Doak's replacement would be Jono Gibbes,Jonathan Bradley, "All Black Jono Gibbes joins Ulster in coaching role", Belfast Telegraph, 13 February 2017 with Clarke to be succeeded by Dwayne Peel.Jonathan Bradley, "Doak plans to end 23 years at Kingspan with a flourish", Belfast Telegraph, 5 April 2017
In the Pro12, Ulster finished fifth, qualifying for next season's Champions Cup but missing out on the playoffs. Flanker Sean Reidy led the league in tackles with 263.URC Player Statistics, accessed 28 May 2022 Ulster led the league in discipline and scrums.URC Team Statistics, retrieved 28 May 2022 At the end of the season, Charles Piutau was named Players' Player of the Season, and he and scrum-half Ruan Pienaar made the Pro12 Dream Team. Pienaar's try against Glasgow Warriors was named Try of the Season. They finished bottom of Pool 5 in the Champions Cup, winning two and losing four. Out-half Paddy Jackson was leading scorer with 162 points, with Ruan Pienaar contributing 100 points. Charles Piutau and wing Jacob Stockdale were joint leading try scorers with nine each. Sean Reidy was leading tackler with 329."Ulster Rugby: Who did what 2016 – 2017", The Front Row Union, 17 May 2017
At the end of the season, Ruan Pienaar departed for Montpellier, and flanker Roger Wilson retired with a record 221 appearances. Charles Piutau was Ulster's Player of the Season.
Staff Position Name Nationality Chief executive officer Shane Logan Director of Rugby Les Kiss Head coach Neil Doak Operation Director Bryn Cunningham Assistant coach Allen Clarke Assistant coach Joe Barakat Head of Strength & Conditioning Jonny Davis Strength & conditioning coach Kevin Geary
Squad
Senior squad
Players In Charles Piutau from Wasps Rodney Ah You from Connacht Kieran Treadwell from Harlequins Marcell Coetzee from Sharks Brett Herron from Bath Rugby Angus Lloyd from Trinity College Dublin Callum Patterson from Ballymena Anton Peikrishvili from CA Brive Matty Rea from Ballymena RFCAdam McKendry, "Ulster Rugby squad 2016/17", Belfast Live, 24 November 2016 Jonny Simpson from Ballynahinch RFC
Promoted from academy Jacob StockdaleJonathan Bradley, "Clarke sure starlets can help to prop up Ulster", Belfast Telegraph, 6 September 2016 David Shanahan Johnny McPhillips"Exciting young flyhalves sign Ulster contracts", Ulster Rugby, 6 April 2016 John Donnan Lorcan Dow Mark Best
Players Out Nick Williams to Cardiff Blues Sammy Arnold to Munster Rory Scholes to Edinburgh Rugby Ian Humphreys retired Dan Tuohy to Bristol Rugby Willie Faloon released Paul Jackson released Ruaidhri Murphy released Anton Peikrishvili to Cardiff Blues"Blues bolster front-row ranks", EPCRugby, 2 November 2016 Bronson Ross released Paul Rowley released Lewis Stevenson to Exeter Chiefs Frank Taggart released Sam Windsor released
Ulster Rugby squadAppearances and scoring stats from ItsRugby.co.ukProps
Andrew Warwick (26 apps, 12 starts) Wiehahn Herbst* (15 apps, 12 starts) Rodney Ah You (18 apps, 10 starts) Callum Black (20 apps, 9 starts) Ross Kane (8 apps, 2 start) Ricky Lutton (6 apps, 2 starts) Jonny Simpson (4 apps, 1 start) Kyle McCall (no apps)
Hookers
Rob Herring (c) (22 apps, 13 starts, 10 pts) Rory Best (14 apps, 13 starts, 10 pts) John Andrew (14 apps, 2 starts) Jonny Murphy (no apps)
Locks Iain Henderson (17 apps, 16 starts, 10 pts) Franco van der Merwe (20 apps, 14 starts, 10 pts) Kieran Treadwell (20 apps, 13 starts) Alan O'Connor (14 apps, 12 starts) Peter Browne* (16 apps, 9 starts) Dan Tuohy (2 apps, 2 starts) John Donnan (no apps)Back row Sean Reidy (27 apps, 18 starts, 20 pts) Chris Henry (15 apps, 13 starts, 10 pts) Roger Wilson (14 apps, 12 starts, 5 pts) Clive Ross (23 apps, 10 starts, 5 pts) Robbie Diack (17 apps, 10 starts, 5 pts) Marcell Coetzee (4 apps, 4 starts) Nick Timoney (3 apps) Conor Joyce (2 apps) Lorcan Dow (no apps) Stephen Mulholland (no apps) Matty Rea (no apps)
Scrum-halves Ruan Pienaar (23 apps, 22 starts, 100 pts) Paul Marshall (20 apps, 5 starts, 10 pts) David Shanahan (4 apps, 2 starts) Angus Lloyd (1 app)
Fly-halves Paddy Jackson (18 apps, 17 starts, 162 pts) Brett Herron* (7 apps, 4 starts) Sam Windsor* (2 apps, 1 start) Johnny McPhillips (no apps)Centres
Luke Marshall (22 apps, 19 starts, 35 pts) Stuart McCloskey (16 apps, 13 starts, 10 pts) Stuart Olding (14 apps, 12 starts, 16 pts) Darren Cave (14 apps, 9 starts, 15 pts) Jared Payne (10 apps, 9 starts, 15 pts) Mark Best (no apps) Callum Patterson (no apps)
Wings Craig Gilroy (17 apps, 14 starts, 15 pts) Tommy Bowe (14 apps, 10 starts, 10 pts) Andrew Trimble (c) (11 apps, 10 starts, 15 pts) Jacob Stockdale (20 apps, 8 starts, 45 pts) Rob Lyttle (4 apps, 3 starts, 10 pts) Jack Owens (1 app)
Fullbacks Charles Piutau (23 apps, 23 starts, 45 pts) Louis Ludik* (14 apps, 12 starts, 15 pts) Peter Nelson (6 apps, 4 starts, 4 pts) David Busby (5 apps, 4 starts, 10 pts) (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.
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 Marcus Rea from Ballymena AcademyJonathan Bradley, "Eight prospects will be aiming to flourish after joining Academy", Belfast Telegraph, 6 September 2016 Adam McBurney from Ballymena R.F.C. Tommy O'Hagan Aaron Hall from Ballynahinch RFC Johnny Stewart from Wallace High School Aaron Cairns from Ballynahinch RFCRonnie Ingram, "Hinch provide seven for Ulster Academy's test against Leinster", Belfast Telegraph, 2 September 2016 Zack McCall Conall Boomer Rory Butler
Players out Jake Byrne Liam Free Conor Young
Position"Academy Management", Ulster Rugby, archived 19 December 2016 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"Hughes Insurance Academy Squad", Ulster Rugby, archived 16 December 2016Props
Peter Cooper (2) Ross Kane (2) Michael Lagan (3) Tommy O'Hagan (1) Craig Trenier (3)
Hookers
Adam McBurney (1) Zack McCall (1)
Locks Alex Thompson (3)Back row Conall Boomer (1) Aaron Hall (1) Marcus Rea (1) Nick Timoney (2)
Scrum-halves Aaron Cairns (1) Johnny Stewart (1)
Fly-halves Andy McGrath (2)Centres Rory Butler (1)
Wings Rob Lyttle (2) Jack Owens (3)
Fullbacks David Busby (3) (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 2016-17 Champions Cup 6 2 0 4 131 173 -42 16 19 2016-17 Pro12 22 14 1 7 521 371 150 68 47 Total 28 16 1 11 652 544 108 84 66
European Rugby Champions Cup
Pro12
End of season awards Charles Piutau was named Players' Player of the Season, and the left winger on the Pro12 Dream Team.
Home attendance Domestic LeagueEuropean CupTotal League Fixtures Average Attendance Highest Lowest League Fixtures Average Attendance Highest Lowest Total Attendance Average Attendance2016–17 Pro121115,96117,67613,6632016–17 European Rugby Champions Cup316,028 16,84314,924223,65815,976
Friendlies
Ulster Women 2016-17 Women's Interprovincial Series
Team P W D L PF PA BP Pts 1 3 2 0 1 72 20 1 9 2 3 2 0 1 55 29 1 9 3 3 2 0 1 40 32 0 8 4 3 0 0 3 15 101 0 0
Ulster Rugby Awards The Heineken Ulster Rugby Awards ceremony was held at Aquinas Diocesan Grammar School, Belfast, on 6 May 2017. Winners were:"Departing Duo Receive Ulster Rugby Awards", Irish Rugby, 7 May 2017
Bank of Ireland Ulster Player of the Year: Charles Piutau Heineken Ulster Rugby Personality of the Year: Ruan Pienaar BT Young Player of the Year: Jacob Stockdale Rugby Writers Player of the Year: Sean Reidy Ulster Rugby Supporters Club Player of the Year: Ruan Pienaar Abbey Insurance Academy Player of the Year: Ross Kane
Roger Wilson was given a special award for retiring as the province's most capped player, with 221 appearances. Honours caps were awarded for appearance milestones to Tommy Bowe (150), Chris Henry (150), Luke Marshall (100) and Rob Herring (100).
The Danske Bank Schools Player of the Year was won by Michael Lowry of RBAI, beating nominees James Hume (RBAI) and Stewart Moore (Ballymena Academy).
Season reviews Ulster Rugby: Who did what 2016 – 2017, The Front Row Union, 17 May 2017
References