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Exiles Pleased With Black’s Ulster Move

Ulster announced the signing this week of former Ireland Under-21 prop Callum Black from Worcester Warriors. Black is a product of the IRFU Exiles set-up which identified him as a promising young player and brought him through.

Callum Black is a loosehead prop who is currently contracted with English Championship side Worcester Warriors.

He was born in Washington DC but raised in England where he attended two famous rugby establishments – Colston’s School in Bristol and UWE Hartpury College in Gloucestershire.

While at the former, he was picked up by the Exiles Branch scouting system.

The 25-year-old is Irish-qualified through his paternal grandfather, who was originally from Belfast, and he has represented Ireland at Under-18, Under-19 and Under-21 level.

He lined out as an underage international alongside players such as current Ireland senior squad members Devin Toner, Fergus McFadden and Sean O’Brien.

Black joined the Worcester Academy straight from college and burst onto the senior scene towards the end of the 2008/09 season. In all, he has made 50 appearances in the front row for the club and has had loan spells at both Otley and Plymouth.

Commenting on his move to Ulster, Black said: “This is a new and exciting challenge for me. I am at the stage in my career where I’m looking to really push on and I’m really looking forward to playing in the Magners League and Heineken Cup.

“I’ve watched Ulster this season and been very impressed with how the team is developing and I’m looking forward to being part of that. My goal is to establish myself in the Ulster team and then try to force my way into the Ireland set-up.”

He joins up again with Ulster lock Dan Tuohy, whom he played with in the same Ireland Under-21 team. May he do as well as Dan who gained his first Ireland senior cap against the All Blacks last summer, marking his debut with a try.