Nickname(s) | The Ulstermen |
---|---|
Founded | 1879 |
Location | Belfast, Northern Ireland |
Ground(s) | Kingspan Stadium (Capacity: 18,196) |
Chairman | Shane Logan |
Director of Rugby | Les Kiss |
Captain(s) |
Rob Herring Andrew Trimble |
Most caps | Roger Wilson (207) |
Top scorer | David Humphreys (1,585) |
Most tries | Andrew Trimble (68) |
League(s) | Pro12 |
2015–16 | 4th (playoff semi-finalist) |
Official website | |
www |
Ulster Rugby (Irish: Rugbaí Ulaidh) is one of the four professional provincial rugby teams from the island of Ireland. They compete in the Pro12 and the European Rugby Champions Cup. The team represents the Irish Rugby Football Union (IRFU) Ulster Branch, which is one of the four primary branches of the IRFU and is responsible for rugby union throughout the geographical Irish province of Ulster, comprising six counties in Northern Ireland and three counties in the Republic of Ireland.
Ulster play their home games at the Kingspan Stadium in Belfast which has a capacity of 18,196. The province plays primarily in white and the team crest features a red hand within two rugby balls, the red hand being taken from the provincial flag of Ulster.
Ulster turned professional along with its fellow Irish provinces in 1995 and has competed in the Pro12 (previously known as the Celtic League and the Magners League) since it was founded in 2001, having previously competed in the annual Irish interprovincial championship. Ulster "A" competes in the British and Irish Cup. Ulster won the Heineken Cup in 1999, the Celtic Cup in 2003 and the Celtic League in 2006.
The Ulster Branch of the IRFU was founded in 1879. Since then, Ulster has been arguably the most successful of the four Irish provinces (the others are Connacht, Leinster and Munster) having won the Inter-Provincial Championship a record 26 times.