The 2015–16 season was Ulster's 22nd season since the advent of professionalism in rugby union, and the second under Director of Rugby Les Kiss and head coach Neil Doak. They competed in the European Rugby Champions Cup and the Pro12.
In the Pro12, Ulster finished fourth, qualifying for the playoffs and for next season's Champions Cup. They lost to Leinster in the semi-final. Ulster won the Fair Play Award, and wing Craig Gilroy made the Pro12 Dream Team. In the Champions Cup, they finished second in Pool 1, missing out on the knockout stage. Academy wing Jacob Stockdale made his senior debut this season. Centre Stuart McCloskey was Ulster's Player of the Year. Out-half Paddy Jackson was Ulster's leading scorer with 200 points. Craig Gilroy was leading try scorer with ten. Lock Franco van der Merwe was leading tackler with 261."Ulster: Season Review 2015 – 2016", The Front Row Union, 23 May 2016 At the end of the season, number eight Nick Williams left for Cardiff Blues, and lock Dan Tuohy for Bristol Bears. Out-half Ian Humphreys retired.
Staff Position Name Nationality Director of Rugby Les Kiss Head Coach Neil Doak Team Manager Bryn Cunningham Forwards Coach Allen Clarke Coach Joe Barakat Head of Strength & Conditioning Jonny Davis Strength & Conditioning Coach Kevin Geary Head of Physiotherapy Gareth Robinson Physiotherapist Alan McAldin
Squad Senior squad
Players In Peter Browne from London Welsh Willie Faloon from Connacht Stephen Mulholland from BallymenaAdam McKendry, "Ulster Rugby squad 2016/17", Belfast Live, 24 November 2016 Paul Rowley from London Welsh Frank Taggart from Ballymena Sam Windsor from Worcester Warriors
Promoted from academy John Andrew"Talented Quartet Sign New Ulster Contracts", Ulster Rugby, 20 March 2015 Sammy Arnold Paul Jackson Alan O'Connor
Players Out Ross Adair to Jersey Michael Allen to Edinburgh Rugby Ricky Andrew to Nottingham Tim Boys to Southland/CrusadersLogan Savory, "Refreshed Tim Boys excited by introduction to Crusaders Super Rugby setup", Stuff.co.nz, 10 February 2016 Charlie Butterworth to Jersey Declan Fitzpatrick retired Michael Heaney to Doncaster Knights Mike McComish released Neil McComb to Belfast Harlequins Dave Ryan to Agen James Simpson released Michael Stanley to Counties Manukau
Ulster Rugby squadAppearances and scoring stats from ItsRugby.co.ukProps
Ricky Lutton (26 apps, 14 starts) Wiehahn Herbst* (15 apps, 14 starts, 5 pts) Callum Black (22 apps, 13 starts, 5 pts) Kyle McCall (21 apps, 10 starts, 5 pts) Andrew Warwick (17 apps, 6 starts) Bronson Ross* (10 apps, 1 start) Ruaidhrí Murphy (no apps)
Hookers
Rob Herring (27 apps, 15 starts, 10 pts) Rory Best (c) (14 apps, 12 starts, 10 pts) John Andrew (10 apps, 2 starts) Jonny Murphy (6 apps, 1 start) Paul Jackson (1 app)
Locks Franco van der Merwe (26 apps, 26 starts, 5 pts) Peter Browne* (14 apps, 10 starts, 10 pts) Alan O'Connor (12 apps, 10 starts) Iain Henderson (9 apps, 9 starts, 5 pts) Dan Tuohy (8 apps, 7 starts, 10 pts) Lewis Stevenson (9 apps, 4 starts, 5 pts)Back row Sean Reidy (23 apps, 16 starts, 25 pts) Nick Williams (19 apps, 16 starts, 30 pts) Robbie Diack (23 apps, 15 starts, 5 pts) Roger Wilson (26 apps, 14 starts) Chris Henry (18 apps, 14 starts, 10 pts) Willie Faloon (8 apps, 6 starts, 10 pts) Clive Ross (10 apps, 1 start) Stephen Mulholland (2 apps, 1 start) Conor Joyce (no apps) Frank Taggart (no apps)
Scrum-halves Ruan Pienaar (21 apps, 18 starts, 19 pts) Paul Marshall (28 apps, 11 starts, 22 pts) David Shanahan (5 apps) Paul Rowley (no apps)
Fly-halves Paddy Jackson (24 apps, 20 starts, 193 pts) Ian Humphreys (9 apps, 4 starts, 34 pts) Sam Windsor* (1 app, 1 start)Centres
Stuart McCloskey (23 apps, 21 starts, 39 pts) Luke Marshall (21 apps, 20 starts, 22 pts) Darren Cave (19 apps, 10 starts, 10 pts) Stuart Olding (12 apps, 9 starts, 19 pts) Sammy Arnold (12 apps, 5 starts) Jared Payne (7 apps, 7 starts, 25 pts)
Wings Craig Gilroy (26 apps, 25 starts, 60 pts) Andrew Trimble (18 apps, 18 starts, 20 pts) Jacob Stockdale (6 apps, 5 starts) Tommy Bowe (1 app, 1 start, 10 pts) Rory Scholes (no apps)
Fullbacks Louis Ludik* (15 apps, 12 starts, 5 pts) Peter Nelson (9 apps, 8 starts, 9 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.
Academy squad
Players in Nick Timoney from Blackrock College"Leinster underage product Timoney heads north to join Ulster", The42, 28 July 2015 Ross Kane from Ballymena R.F.C.Michael Sadlier, "Seven academy players expected to win development contracts", Belfast Telegraph, 29 August 2015 Johnny McPhillips from Newcastle Falcons"McPhillips learning both on and off the pitch", News Letter, 16 November 2015 Jake Byrne Peter Cooper Liam Free Andy McGrath
Players out Jonny Murphy Joshua Atkinson Frank Taggart Sean O'Hagan
Position"Academy Management", Ulster Rugby, archived 9 December 2015 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 9 December 2015Props
Jake Byrne (1) Peter Cooper (1) Ross Kane (1) Michael Lagan (2) Craig Trenier (2)
Hookers
None
Locks John Donnan (3) Alex Thompson (2)Back row Nick Timoney (1) Lorcan Dow (2) (1 app)
Scrum-halves David Shanahan (3) Liam Free (1) Connor Young (2)
Fly-halves Andy McGrath (1) Johnny McPhillips (1)Centres Jacob Stockdale (1) (6 apps, 5 starts) Mark Best
Wings Rob Lyttle (1) Jack Owens (2)
Fullbacks David Busby (2) (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 2015-16 Champions Cup 6 4 0 2 169 109 60 21 12 2015-16 Pro12 23 14 0 9 506 337 169 63 32 Total 31 18 0 11 675 446 229 84 44
European Rugby Champions Cup
Pool 1
Pro12
Semi-finals
End of season awards Wing Craig Gilroy was joint top try scorer with 10, and was named in the Pro12 Dream Team. Ulster won the competition's Fair Play award.
Home attendance Domestic LeagueEuropean CupTotal League Fixtures Average Attendance Highest Lowest League Fixtures Average Attendance Highest Lowest Total Attendance Average Attendance2015–16 Pro121115,31017,33212,6402015–16 European Rugby Champions Cup316,111 17,10815,108216,74015,481
Friendlies
Ulster Women 2015-16 Women's Interprovincial Series
Team P W D L PF PA BP Pts 1 3 3 0 0 66 10 0 10 2 3 2 0 1 60 20 1 9 3 3 1 0 2 23 35 2 6 4 3 0 0 3 12 96 3 3
Ulster Rugby Awards The Heineken Ulster Rugby Awards ceremony was held at the Culloden Estate and Spa, Holywood. Winners were:"Nick Williams Wins The Heineken Ulster Rugby Personality of The Year Award" , Ulster Tatler, 13 May 2016
Bank of Ireland Ulster Player of the Year: Stuart McCloskey Heineken Ulster Rugby Personality of the Year: Nick Williams BT Young Player of the Year: Kyle McCall Rugby Writers Player of the Year: Franco van der Merwe Ulster Rugby Supporters Club Player of the Year: Paddy Jackson Abbey Insurance Academy Player of the Year: Adam McBurney
Season reviews Ulster: Season Review 2015 – 2016, The Front Row Union, 23 May 2016
References