Categories: European Rugby IQ Provincial Ulster URC

Ulster Add Irish-Qualified Pair To Academy Squad

Paddy Woods is pictured in action for the Ulster Under-19s against Leinster during this season's PwC Under-19 Interprovincial Championship ©John Dickson/Dickson Digital

Ulster Rugby has confirmed that two young Irish-qualified talents, Paddy Woods and Rynard Gordon, have joined the province’s Academy as first-year players.

Woods, an 18-year-old lock, is from Perth in Australia. He played junior rugby with Cottesloe RFC and is Irish-qualified with family from Newtownards and Bangor.

The second rower studied at Campbell College Belfast last year, and represented Ulster in this season’s PwC Under-19 Interprovincial Championship before playing for the Western Force Under-19s in the Australian Super Rugby Men’s U-19 competition.

Woods has most recently been lining out with Queen’s University in Energia All-Ireland League Men’s Division 1B. He had made six starts for the students so far.

The South African-born Gordon, who is also 18 and recently completed a trial period with Ulster, is a versatile back. He is capable of playing in the centre or the back-three positions.

Like Woods, Gordon is Irish-qualified with family from Belfast. He has represented Cape Town-based Bishops Rugby through age-grade level and played with their 1st XV last season. More recently he has been involved with the Ulster U-19s.

Gavin Hogg, Ulster Rugby’s Academy Manager, commented: “We are delighted to welcome both Paddy and Rynard into our Academy system.

“Paddy is a promising young lock with good physical presence, and Rynard is an exciting back-line player with the ability to beat defenders. Both players have shown us their clear potential.

“We are pleased to be welcoming them into the Academy to progress. With both being Irish-qualified through family, we hope that we can help both players develop in our Academy programme and become ones for the future.”