Heineken Cup: Ulster Factfile

ULSTER RUGBY

Ravenhill (capacity 12,000)
85 Ravenhill Park
Belfast, BT6 0DG
Northern Ireland

Tel: 0044 2890493222
Fax: 0044 2890491522

Ulster Rugby Website

Chief Executive – Michael Reid
Director Of Rugby/Coach – Mark McCall
Team Manager – David Millar
Team Captain – Rory Best

Home Jersey: White/Black/Red; Home Shorts: White; Alternate Jersey: Red/Black/White; Alternate Shorts: Black

2007/08 HEINEKEN CUP POOLS –

Pool 1 – Benetton Treviso, Newport Gwent Dragons, London Irish, Perpignan
Pool 2 – Bourgoin, Gloucester Rugby, Ospreys, Ulster Rugby
Pool 3 – Bristol Rugby, Cardiff Blues, Harlequins, Stade Francais Paris
Pool 4 – Biarritz Olympique Pays Basque, Glasgow Warriors, Saracens, Viadana
Pool 5 – ASM Clermont Auvergne, Llanelli Scarlets, London Wasps, Munster
Pool 6 – Edinburgh, Leicester Tigers, Leinster, Toulouse

ULSTER’S 2007/08 HEINEKEN CUP POOL FIXTURES –

Round 1 – November 9, 2007 – Gloucester Rugby (home)
Round 2 – November 16, 2007 – Bourgoin (away)
Round 3 – December 7, 2007 – Ospreys (away)
Round 4 – December 14, 2007 – Ospreys (home)
Round 5 – tbc – Bourgoin (home)
Round 6 – tbc – Gloucester Rugby (away)

ROUND ONE FIXTURES –

Friday, November 9:

Pool 1 – Perpignan v Newport Gwent Dragons, 9pm, Alan Lewis (Ireland) Canal+ Sport/Sky Sports*)
Pool 2 – Ulster Rugby v Gloucester Rugby, 8pm, Nigel Owens (Wales) (Sky Sports)

Saturday, November 10:

Pool 1 – London Irish v Benetton Treviso, 3pm, Tim Hayes (Wales)
Pool 2 – Ospreys v Bourgoin, 5.30pm, David Pearson (England) (S4C**/Sport+/Sky Sports*)
Pool 3 – Stade Francais Paris v Harlequins, 2.35pm, Alain Rolland (Ireland)
Pool 4 – Viadana v Biarritz Olympique, 2.30pm, Peter Allan (Scotland)
Pool 5 – London Wasps v Munster, 5.30pm, Joel Jutge (France) (Sky Sports/Sport+*)
Pool 6 – Edinburgh v Toulouse, 3.30pm, George Clancy (Ireland) (Sky Sports/FR2)
Pool 6 – Leinster v Leicester Tigers, 1.30pm, Christophe Berdos (France) (Sky Sports)

Sunday, November 11:

Pool 3 – Cardiff Blues v Bristol Rugby, 1pm, Malcolm Changleng (Scotland) (Sky Sports)
Pool 4 – Saracens v Glasgow Warriors, 3pm, Romain Poite (France)
Pool 5 – ASM Clermont Auvergne v Llanelli Scarlets, 4pm, Chris White (England) (FR2/Sky Sports)

* Delayed, ** Highlights

Full 2007/08 Heineken Cup Fixtures

2007/08 ULSTER SQUAD:

Tim Barker – Lock – Born: 19/06/81; Height: 6ft 6in; Weight: 18st 1lb
Mark Bartholomeusz – Utility Back – Born: 30/06/77; Height: 5ft 10in; Weight: 14st
Neil Best – Back Rower – Born: 03/04/79; Height: 6ft 2in; Weight: 15st 8lb
Rory Best – Hooker – Born: 15/08/82; Height: 5ft 11in; Weight: 16st 7lb
Isaac Boss – Scrum Half – Born: 09/04/80; Height: 5ft 10in; Weight: 12st 6lb
Tommy Bowe – Winger – Born: 22/02/84; Height: 6ft 3in; Weight: 14st 6lb
Nigel Brady – Hooker – Born: 09/10/79; Height: 5ft 10in; Weight: 15st 6lb
Ryan Caldwell – Lock – Born: 01/09/84; Height: 6ft 6in; Weight: 17st 11lb
Kieran Campbell – Scrum Half – Born: 06/07/79; Height: 5ft 8in; Weight: 12st 4lb
Jarlath Carey – Prop – Born: 23/04/77; Height: 5ft 6in; Weight: 17st 6lb
Niall Conlon – Prop – Born: 10/10/83; Height: 6ft 1in; Weight: 16st 7lb
Tom Court – Prop – Born: 06/10/80; Height: 6ft 3in; Weight: 19st 2lb
Bryn Cunningham – Full-Back – Born: 30/03/78; Height: 6ft; Weight: 13st 9lb
Simon Danielli – Centre/Winger – Born: 08/09/79; Height: 6ft 4in; Weight: 16st
Kieron Dawson – Back Rower – Born: 29/01/75; Height: 6ft 1in; Weight: 15st 3lb
Carlo Del Fava – Lock – Born: 01/07/81; Height: 6ft 6in; Weight: 18st 1lb
Rob Dewey – Centre/Winger – Born: 19/10/83; Height: 6ft 3in; Weight: 17st 8lb
David Drake – Scrum Half – Born: 15/02/86; Height: 5ft 8in; Weight: 11st 9lb
Stephen Ferris – Back Rower – Born: 02/08/85; Height: 6ft 4in; Weight: 17st 4lb
Declan Fitzpatrick – Prop – Born: 12/12/83; Height: 5ft 11in; Weight: 17st 4lb
Justin Fitzpatrick – Prop – Born: 21/11/73; Height: 6ft 2in; Weight: 18st 1lb
Justin Harrison – Lock – Born: 20/04/74; Height: 6ft 8in; Weight: 17st 6lb
David Humphreys – Out-Half – Born: 10/09/71; Height: 5ft 9in; Weight: 13st 5lb
Seamus Mallon – Centre/Winger – Born: 21/11/80; Height: 6ft 1in; Weight: 14st 6lb
Paul Marshall – Scrum Half – Born: 26/07/85; Height: 5ft 7in; Weight: 11st 11lb
Mark McCrea – Winger – Born: 17/09/87; Height: 6ft 1in; Weight: 14st 6lb
Matt McCullough – Lock/Back Rower – Born: 09/09/81; Height: 6ft 6in; Weight: 17st 4lb
Paul McKenzie – Centre/Winger – Born: 23/01/84; Height: 5ft 11in; Weight: 14st 9lb
Neil McMillan – Back Rower – Born: 15/05/81; Height: 5ft 11in; Weight: 15st 10lb
Matt Miles – Hooker – Born: 23/12/81; Height: 5ft 10in; Weight: 15st 1lb
Niall O’Connor – Out-Half – Born: 07/07/87; Height: 6ft; Weight: 13st 5lb
Stuart Philpott – Hooker – Born: 24/07/85; Height: 5ft 11in; Weight: 15st 6lb
David Pollock – Back Rower – Born: 19/03/87; Height: 6ft 1in; Weight: 15st 10lb
Paul Steinmetz – Centre – Born: 26/01/77; Height: 5ft 11in; Weight: 13st 7lb
Andrew Trimble – Centre/Winger – Born: 20/10/84; Height: 6ft 2in; Weight: 14st 4lb
Paddy Wallace – Out-Half/Full-Back – Born: 27/08/79; Height: 5ft 11in; Weight: 12st 10lb
Roger Wilson – Number 8 – Born: 21/09/81; Height: 6ft 3in; Weight: 16st 9lb
Bryan Young – Prop – Born: 11/06/81; Height: 6ft 1in; Weight: 17st 4lb

MUNSTER – HOME AND AWAY RECORD:

Home – Best Winning Run: 14 matches; Worst Run Without A Victory: 4 matches

Away – Best Winning Run: 4 matches; Worst Run Without A Victory: 8 matches

FULL EUROPEAN RECORD:

1995/96: lost to Cardiff 6-46 (a), lost to Begles-Bordeaux 16-29 (h)

1996/97: beat Caledonia 41-34 (a), lost to NEC Harlequins 15-21 (h), lost to Neath 13-15 (a), lost to Brive 6-17 (h)

1997/98: lost to Glasgow 12-18 (h), lost to Swansea 16-33 (a), lost to Wasps 3-56 (a), beat Swansea 28-20 (h), lost to Wasps 21-38 (h), lost to Glasgow 15-30 (a)

1998/99: drew with Edinburgh Reivers 38-38 (h), lost to Toulouse 3-39 (a), beat Ebbw Vale 61-28 (a), beat Toulouse 29-24 (h), beat Ebbw Vale 43-18 (h), beat Edinburgh Reivers 23-21 (a), Q-F beat Toulouse 15-13 (h), S-F beat Stade Français 33-27 (Ravenhill), FINAL beat Colomiers 21-6 (Lansdowne Road)

1999/00: lost to Bourgoin 12-26 (a), lost to London Wasps 6-19 (h), lost to Llanelli 6-29 (h), lost to Llanelli 3-20 (a), lost to London Wasps 17-49 (a), lost to Bourgoin 27-36 (h)

2000/01: beat Cardiff 32-23 (h), lost to Saracens 25-55 (a), drew with Toulouse 35-35 (a), lost to Toulouse 25-29 (h), lost to Cardiff 16-42 (a), lost to Saracens 13-21 (h)

2001/02: beat Benetton Treviso 33-28 (a), beat London Wasps 42-19 (h), lost to Stade Français 11-40 (a), beat Stade Français 19-16 (h), lost to London Wasps 32-36 (a), beat Benetton Treviso 59-3 (h)

2002/03: lost to Northampton Saints 9-32 (a), beat Cardiff 25-6 (h), beat Biarritz Olympique 13-9 (h), lost to Biarritz Olympique 20-25 (a), beat Cardiff 33-21 (a), beat Northampton Saints 16-13 (h)

2003/04: lost to Newport Gwent Dragons 15-24 (a), beat Stade Français 22-20 (h), beat Leicester Tigers 33-0 (h), lost to Leicester Tigers 7-49 (a), lost to Stade Français 10-13 (a), beat Newport Gwent Dragons 22-0 (h)

2004/05: beat Cardiff Blues 21-16 (h), lost to Gloucester 13-55 (a), lost to Stade Français Paris 10-30 (a), beat Stade Français Paris 18-10 (h), beat Gloucester 14-12 (h), lost to Cardiff Blues 12-16 (a)

2005/06: beat Benetton Treviso 27-0 (h), lost to Biarritz Olympique Pays Basque 19-33 (a), beat Saracens 19-10 (h), lost to Saracens 10-18 (a), lost to Biarritz Olympique Pays Basque 8-24 (h), beat Benetton Treviso 43-26 (a)

2006/07: beat Toulouse 30-3 (h), lost to Llanelli Scarlets 15-21 (a), lost to London Irish 13-29 (a), beat London Irish 29-13 (h), lost to Llanelli Scarlets 11-35 (h), lost to Toulouse 13-28 (a)

ULSTER – SEASON BY SEASON:

1995/96 – Director Of Rugby/Coach: Brian Bloomfield; Captain: Bill Harbinson; Record: Played 2, Won 0, Lost 2; Top Scorers: Points: Mark McCall 12; Tries: Andrew Matchett, Denis McBride 1 each

1996/97 – Director Of Rugby/Coach: Tony Russ; Captain: Denis McBride; Record: Played 4, Won 1, Lost 3; Top Scorers: Points: David Humphreys 52; Tries: Three players 2 each

1997/98 – Director Of Rugby/Coach: Dave Haslett; Captain: Steve McKinty; Record: Played 6, Won 1, Lost 5; Top Scorers: Points: Stuart Laing 65; Tries: Jan Cunningham 2

1998/99 – Director Of Rugby/Coach: Harry Williams; Captain: Mark McCall/David Humphreys; Record: Played 9, Won 7, Drawn 1, Lost 1; Top Scorers: Points: Simon Mason 144; Tries: Steve McKinty 4

1999/00 – Director Of Rugby/Coach: Harry Williams; Captain: David Humphreys; Record: Played 6, Won 0, Lost 6; Top Scorers: Points: Simon Mason 56; Tries: Tyrone Howe 2

2000/01 – Director Of Rugby/Coach: Harry Williams; Captain: David Humphreys; Record: Played 6, Won 1, Drawn 1, Lost 4; Top Scorers: Points: David Humphreys 96; Tries: James Topping 3

2001/02 – Director Of Rugby/Coach: Alan Solomons; Captain: David Humphreys; Record: Played 6, Won 4, Lost 2; Top Scorers: Points: David Humphreys 88; Tries: Tyrone Howe 4

2002/03 – Director Of Rugby/Coach: Alan Solomons; Captain: Andy Ward; Record: Played 6, Won 4, Lost 2; Top Scorers: Points: David Humphreys 60; Tries: Neil McMillan 3

2003/04 – Director Of Rugby/Coach: Alan Solomons; Captain: Andy Ward; Record: Played 6, Won 3, Lost 3; Top Scorers: Points: David Humphreys 69; Tries: Three players 2 each

2004/05 – Director Of Rugby/Coach: Mark McCall; Captain: Andy Ward; Record: Played 6, Won 3, Lost 3; Top Scorers: Points: David Humphreys 67; Tries: David Humphreys 2

2005/06 – Director Of Rugby/Coach: Mark McCall; Captain: Simon Best; Record: Played 6, Won 3, Lost 3; Top Scorers: Points: David Humphreys 38; Tries: Andrew Maxwell 3

2006/07 – Director Of Rugby/Coach: Mark McCall; Captain: Simon Best; Record: Played 6, Won 2, Lost 4; Top Scorers: Points: David Humphreys 52; Tries: Andrew Trimble 3

TEAM RECORDS –

Highest Score: 61 (v Ebbw Vale, 98/99 (a))
Biggest Margin Of Victory: 56 (v Benetton Treviso, 01/02 (h))
Most Tries In A Match: 8 (v Benetton Treviso, 01/02 (h))
Highest Score Against: 56 (v Wasps, 97/98 (a))
Most Tries Against: 8 (v Wasps, 97/98 (a))
Heaviest Margin Of Defeat: 53 (v Wasps, 97/98 (a))

INDIVIDUAL RECORDS –

Most Points In A Match: 37 (David Humphreys v Wasps, 01/02 (h))
Most Tries In A Match: 3 (Andrew Maxwell v Benetton Treviso, 05/06 (a))
Most Conversions In A Match: 7 (Simon Mason v Ebbw Vale, 98/99 (a))
Most Penalty Goals In A Match: 6 (Simon Mason v Colomiers, 98/99 (h)) (David Humphreys v Saracens, 00/01 (a), Toulouse, 00/01 (h), Wasps, 01/02 (h))
Most Drop Goals In A Match: 4 (David Humphreys v Wasps, 01/02 (h))
Leading Points Scorer: 554 David Humphreys
Leading Try Scorer: 14 David Humphreys
Try Hat-Tricks: 1 Andrew Maxwell
Most Points Against: 27 (Neil Jenkins, Cardiff, 00/01 (a))

ULSTER’S TOP HEINEKEN CUP TRY SCORERS:

14 – David Humphreys
10 – Tyrone Howe
7 – Jan Cunningham, Andy Ward
6 – Steve McKinty, James Topping
5 – Neil McMillan, Andrew Trimble
4 – Simon Mason
3 – Tommy Bowe, Ryan Constable, Andrew Maxwell, Tony McWhirter, Penalty tries

ULSTER’S TOP HEINEKEN CUP POINTS SCORERS:

554 – David Humphreys
200 – Simon Mason
68 – Stuart Laing
54 – Paddy Wallace
50 – Tyrone Howe
35 – Jan Cunningham, Andy Ward
30 – Steve McKinty, James Topping
26 – Paul Steinmetz
25 – Neil McMillan, Andrew Trimble
23 – Neil Doak

ULSTER’S MOST-CAPPED HEINEKEN CUP PLAYERS:

55 – David Humphreys
50 – Gary Longwell
44 – Andy Ward
43 – James Topping
42 – Justin Fitzpatrick
39 – Simon Best
35 – Tony McWhirter
34 – Jonny Bell
31 – Bryn Cunningham
28 – Tyrone Howe
26 – Jan Cunningham
25 – Neil Best, Mark Blair
24 – Paul Shields, Paul Steinmetz, Roger Wilson

ULSTER – HEINEKEN CUP ATTENDANCES:

1995/96 – 1 match – Total Attendance: 2,500 – Average Attendance: 2,500
1996/97 – 2 matches – Total Attendance: 11,000 – Average Attendance: 5,750
1997/98 – 3 matches – Total Attendance: 9,850 – Average Attendance: 3,283
1998/99 – 4 matches – Total Attendance: 35,000 – Average Attendance: 8,750
1999/00 – 3 matches – Total Attendance: 26,000 – Average Attendance: 8,666
2000/01 – 3 matches – Total Attendance: 37,500 – Average Attendance: 12,500
2001/02 – 3 matches – Total Attendance: 35,500 – Average Attendance: 11,833
2002/03 – 3 matches – Total Attendance: 35,150 – Average Attendance: 11,717
2003/04 – 3 matches – Total Attendance: 34,468 – Average Attendance: 11,489
2004/05 – 3 matches – Total Attendance: 28,355 – Average Attendance: 9,452
2005/06 – 3 matches – Total Attendance: 36,852 – Average Attendance: 12,284
2006/07 – 3 matches – Total Attendance: 37,797 – Average Attendance: 12,599

TOTALS – 34 matches – 330,472 – 9,720

NUMBERS GAME:

8,000,000 – The Heineken Cup will welcome its 8 millionth fan in the latter rounds of this season’s pool stages

4,500 – If the tournament can produce over 400 tries in a season for the fourth time then the 4,500th Heineken Cup try could be scored. 405 tries are needed to reach the 4,500 mark

21 – The number of points which Ulster scored when they famously beat Colomiers at Lansdowne Road on January 30, 1999 in the Heineken Cup final

HEINEKEN CUP CHAMPIONS:

2007 – London Wasps
2006 – Munster
2005 – Toulouse
2004 – London Wasps
2003 – Toulouse
2002 – Leicester Tigers
2001 – Leicester Tigers
2000 – Northampton Saints
1999 – Ulster
1998 – Bath
1997 – Brive
1996 – Toulouse

– Statistics courtesy of Westgate Sports Agency