CEO of Ulster Rugby - former Glasgow & Scotland captain - Dundee boy, resident of Norn Iron. Confirmed Francophile and tennis addict. Views are my own.
I've been astounded to see some of the negativity surrounding our participation in this. Taking part was an easy decision - we are an inclusive club and this is an inclusive sport and that is something to be proud of. It's not a political stance. I'll see you there 🌈
As a result of complaints made by other supporters at the Harlequins game, I have today banned an individual from future
@UlsterRugby
matches. We all want
@KingspanStadium
to be an intimidating place for away teams to visit, but abusive behaviour will never have any place here
Standing in the middle of a firm but playable pitch
@KingspanStadium
just now. Frustrated doesn’t even come close to covering how I feel right at this moment, if I’m honest. Such a shame for all
@UlsterRugby
supporters, players and staff.
I don’t often get annoyed or pay much heed to things like this, but I found this article really disrespectful and showing a complete lack of understanding of rugby, sport, people and culture in our Province. Catch yourself on.
1 year ago today, I sat down at my desk
@UlsterRugby
for the first time. Since then, I've come to care deeply about this club & this province, & although I know there is still so much for us to do, I hope people can feel that their club & this sport is in good hands. SUFTUM.
It’s been a rough old couple of months, but to see
@UlsterRugby
showing so much heart and to experience
@KingspanStadium
bouncing again really is bloody good for the soul 💪
It really hurts when you don't win, but at every level, yesterday showed what
@ulsterrugby
is about, and where we are going. I feel very lucky to be here. And my voice is a goner this morning....
#SUFTUM
It’s a shame there’s no
@UlsterRugby
match today, but it’s made my day that we managed to use much of the food from cancelled hospitality for
@homelessbelfast
Small way to help at a tough time of year for people. Thanks to the guys
@YellowDoorCater
for your help 💪💪
We will not tolerate this sort of behaviour
@ulsterrugby
or at any level of the game across the province. It's not what rugby is about, and certainly not reflective of the warmth and passion of the people that I have encountered already in my time here
Extremely proud of that
@UlsterRugby
performance. Real resilience in coming through a pressure knockout match. A young group showing toughness and maturity is an exciting prospect for our club
#SUFTUM
Deeply frustrated by this whole situation - come about very much against our wishes & we’ve had no option but to end up where we are. Nothing to do with IRFU or finances - entirely player (& Bulls) driven. Very disappointing, but we move on - doesn’t alter our course one bit.
𝗣𝗹𝗮𝘆𝗲𝗿 𝗨𝗽𝗱𝗮𝘁𝗲 | Ulster Rugby and back-row, Marcell Coetzee, have reached an agreement to allow the player to return home to South Africa at the end of the 2020/21 season.
Full story ⤵️
Just 1 reason I love this place is that naturally, Ulster folk are very like Scots - the fight; the edge; revelling in being the underdog; the heart; the spirit & the passion. Whatever happens, I’m sure you’ll see all these in spades tonight from
@UlsterRugby
. Game day.
#SUFTUM
I never had the fortune of knowing Nevin, but I see every day how he continues to be remembered and how he still has a hugely positive impact on the club and our community
A hat trick..... Hasn't been done since the stadium was redeveloped - feels like something is brewing here. Huge day for the club tomorrow in every respect.
I really miss sport. When it's not there, you realise fully the role it plays in our lives - social cohesion, health, spirit & entertainment. When this is over, I can't wait to see stadiums & clubhouses across the province full again; vibrant with activity for kids & adults. 💪
Feeling in reflective mood tonight ahead of big day tomorrow. Result won't define
@UlsterRugby
's season. What will define us is the fight, spirit & passion from the team & supporters that represent everything this province stands for. Can't bloody wait.
#SUFTUM
@ChampionsCup
✍️ 𝙉𝙀𝙒 𝙎𝙄𝙂𝙉𝙄𝙉𝙂
We are delighted to announce the signing of one of the biggest names in world rugby, Duane Vermeulen, who will join the club following the Autumn Tests in November.
Welcome to Ulster, Duane 🙌
2 great bits of news in here. Well deserved for Hendy, but I’m especially pleased for Billy after a tough week for him - he’ll be great and they will both know they can go into the game with all of Ulster behind them💪💪
𝗜𝗿𝗲𝗹𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗧𝗲𝗮𝗺 𝗡𝗲𝘄𝘀 🟢⚪️
The
@IrishRugby
Men’s team has been named to host France in the
#GuinnessSixNations
at Aviva Stadium on Sunday (kick-off 3pm).
Iain Henderson will lead the side with Rob Herring and Billy Burns selected to start 🙌 ⤵️
It’s been a pretty testing past wee while, so I’m looking forward to switching off for the next few days tbh - very glad to go in to Christmas off the back of a much needed
@UlsterRugby
win. Merry Christmas everyone! 💪💪
Extremely proud of everything about
@UlsterRugby
last night - the team, the staff, the volunteers and of course the supporters. That might have been our last home match this season, but we’re far from done yet 💪💪💪
Tough to watch in places tonight, & in the past, we would have seen Leinster run away with that. However, to see those young
@UlsterRugby
lads stick to the task was v encouraging. Rotation a necessary part of the season, but we've shown we're building depth. Crucial bonus point.
Retiring from the game is such a tough decision, but Rory can end his playing time with Ulster safe in the knowledge that the whole province is proud both of what he has achieved, and of his contribution to the sport at every level
#SUFTUM
🎬 "There's always been a love affair with Ulster Rugby. It's really difficult to put into words how much it means to you."
An emotional Rory Best speaks to URTV about the difficult decision to retire after the Rugby World Cup in Japan..
Full interview ➡️
Proud day for
@UlsterRugby
with Hendy skippering
@lionsofficial
this evening, but also to see 10 of our young guns in the match-day squad for
@IrishRugby
U20s this afternoon 💪💪
Really tough to take that one tonight. Very proud of the
@UlsterRugby
group though and even more proud to see and hear the stadium at its packed, fiery best. Onwards and upwards 💪
The past 6 months have been really tough. The next 6 may be even more so. But we should be grateful for small milestones like today and recognise the incredible amount of work
@ulsterrugby
@connachtrugby
@IrishRugby
that has gone in to get us to this point. Game day.
#SUFTUM
It's been an incredibly tough week
@UlsterRugby
and indeed for rugby in Ulster. We are working all out, and with level heads, to make sure we protect the people, the club and the sport in the province as best we can during the most challenging of times. Always
#SUFTUM
Feel very disappointed today on reflection, but know that sustained success doesn’t happen overnight. The experience of losing a final can teach the group what it takes to win - the important thing is to keep progressing & we’ll get there. I know it. Now for Toulouse...!!
Great performance from
@UlsterRugby
today. Such exciting talent on show in that back line working off a great platform from the pack. Loved seeing the Ulster support back in full force too
#SUFTUM
Not our most polished performance, but it's great that we're still winning whilst not at our best - the
@UlsterRugby
support always helps get the boys over the line!
@ChampionsCup
QFs second year running 💪💪
8 from 8 in
@PRO14Official
, but most pleasing thing for me tonight was to see Brad Roberts of
@raineyobrfc
make a brilliant impact for
@UlsterRugby
. Pathway from domestic game
@UlsterBranch
to the pro game still 💪. Made short work of his post-match beer in the sheds too 👌🍺
A little bit of morning calm ahead of a huge day for
@UlsterRugby
You can properly feel that the SA public is really getting behind
@URCOfficial
now - I genuinely can’t wait for the game today 💪💪
Found this on my phone just now. I can’t bloody wait to get the chance to experience these nights
@UlsterRugby
again - keeps you going thinking about it 💪
Onwards and upwards. Lots of hard work to come, but we should hold our heads up and be proud of the road travelled so far by this young group of players and coaches
@UlsterRugby
#SUFTUM
Genuinely can't wait to see knockout rugby back
@UlsterRugby
today. Our supporters deserve this and everyone who comes to the
@KingspanStadium
today will see a team, and indeed a captain, who are so proud to represent the province and who'll fight for every inch. Time to
#SUFTUM
So pleased with that result tonight. The team deserves a sold out
@KingspanStadium
for the Leinster match and the home QF so let's get behind them 👍👍
#SUFTUM
@UlsterRugby
An important piece of business for us, and an important statement to make about our ambitions. Really pleased that Marcell and his family have chosen to stay at Ulster for 3 more years.
Disappointing for everyone
@UlsterRugby
in the end last night and a very quiet changing room post-match but we should be continually proud of the way this young group is developing.
Busy week of announcements
@UlsterRugby
this week - good to get our business moved along quickly, but just as important is being able to share a little bit of positive news for people in the toughest of times 👍
2020 has been an extraordinarily tough year at all levels of
@UlsterRugby
@UlsterBranch
- I can’t wait for the time in 2021 when we can see kids and adults back out taking part in the sport they love, and when
@KingspanStadium
is packed out again on Friday nights. Happy Hogmanay!
Not to be today, but we can stand tall after that performance - and a great showing from our amazing travelling support as always. Big week for us all next week
@UlsterRugby
.
#SUFTUM
Anthony Foley rightly remains one of the greats of
@Munsterrugby
and
@IrishRugby
- one of the toughest opponents, but moreover a good man. It's a fitting tribute that he still has his spot in the away team shed
@UlsterRugby
Made it home after a crap day. Not shying away from the fact that that was really poor from us today - people have a right to expect more - esp. those that made the effort to travel. But it’s important to be rational - we’re 💯 better than what was on show today. Big week ahead.
I think I'm actually more pleased to see this than the announcement of the senior team. A third of the starting line up from Ulster. There is good work going on in our pathway and we need to continue to build on that. Well done lads 💪
IRELAND U20s | 5⃣ Ulster players have been named in the Ireland U20 team to face Scotland in the Six Nations on Friday night at Irish Independent Park.
Full details ⬇️
Thanks to all the
@UlsterRugby
supporters who helped last night work (must remember to change the auto timing switch on floodlights for these later kick offs 🤦😂) Not perfect, but such a huge effort to get us to this point. Some great rugby there from young Ulster lads too.
While it wasn't a performance for the ages, make no mistake, that's a really good result for
@ulsterrugby
. Creating chances and scoring against Ospreys' defence is not easy. We'll take the points and move on!
#SUFTUM
Bit squeaky in the end for
@UlsterRugby
but good to keep the show on the road after a number of weeks away from games. Scotstoun always a tricky place to get a win 👍
The
@UlsterRugby
team have worked bloody hard again to make sure this is an event that our supporters can safely enjoy. Small numbers still, but it’ll feel good to have people in the stands and terraces again - I know it will give the lads on the field a lift too
#SUFTUM
😷😷
Job done, as they say. The
@UlsterRugby
guys did really well to negotiate a tough fixture and properly put it away with some great tries. Onwards to Northampton 💪
Great win against a stacked Sharks team for
@UlsterRugby
last night, although it wouldn’t be us if we didn’t introduce a little bit of late drama 😬😉. Home QF ahead now - it’s going to be another big night in Belfast. Bring on whoever awaits us 💪💪
Today was the most complete all round performance I can remember from
@Scotlandteam
Just great to watch and sets up a brilliant
@SixNationsRugby
ahead 👏👏
Well, we'll take that! Sign of a team that's going in the right direction when they can tough it out at Welford Road. QFs here we come
@UlsterRugby
#SUFTUM
Safe to say it's been an interesting week, but
@belfastpride
was just a lovely, fun event for
@ulsterrugby
to be part of - Northern Ireland at its very best. Well done to everyone who took part, and to those who organised it 👍👍
From the moment I arrived in NI, it was really clear to me how integral to our sport it was to have
@UlsterRugby
matches on the BBC. So, it’s great that the hard work done by
@URCOfficial
@BBCSPORTNI
& us has all come together. Another reason to get excited about the season ahead
In case people wonder when watching the match, there is a large official delegation from the La Rochelle club attending, agreed by EPCR. Not as a result of us.
I genuinely can’t wait for tomorrow. When
@UlsterRugby
went to the Aviva back in 2019, I still maintain that it’s the best atmosphere I’ve experienced at a game. Same again please. Let’s get into them 💪💪
I genuinely miss this place and the pulsating atmosphere it creates when it's packed out with gulderers. It may be a wee while yet before we see and experience that again, but that will make it even more special when it happens....
#SUFTUM
This has flown under the radar a bit, I feel - very tough home games in the next couple of months will undoubtedly test this, but it shows how far
@UlsterRugby
has come already in the past 2 years. Something for the province to be proud of 💪💪
Sell-outs proving to be like buses..... You wait 2 years for one..... Clear demonstration of the direction of this club. Can't wait for it. Just hope my ferry back home to NI is on time!
The business we've done this week is part of both the present and the future of the
@UlsterRugby
Province - we're continuing to try and build something special here that is truly representative of our 9 counties - Ulstermen that people can rightly and proudly stand up for.
Today feels different, but also familiar -
@UlsterRugby
matchnight with a crowd back in
@KingspanStadium
. It won't be perfect tonight, so bear with us, but I cannot begin to tell you how it will feel to hear this place start the journey back to its full guldering voice. SUFTUM
You can never read too much into a pre season result, but between the A team last night, and the senior team today, it's a hugely encouraging place to be
@UlsterRugby
👍👍
#SUFTUM
How I’ve missed those
@UlsterRugby
match night palpitations… 😉😂Tighter than we would have hoped last night, but a W. More than anything, I was just so happy to see the stadium come back to life - great to have supporters back in their droves. Felt good 💪💪💪
Heading back to Scotland for a few days break - haven't been back for ages so it will be nice to see friends and family and slow down for a little bit before the
@UlsterRugby
game on the 27th. Wishing everyone a great Christmas 👍👍
Eight years ago on this day, tragedy struck the Spence family. Nevin Spence tragically passed away along with his father Noel and brother Graham.
Always in our thoughts. Rest in peace Nevin, Noel & Graham Spence.
♥️
#AlwaysWithUs
Feeling very grateful and actually slightly emotional here
@SSEBelfastArena
this morning. The set up is just brilliant - gives you genuine pride in our NHS generally and in our
@HSCBoard
here in NI. Real hope that we’re on our way out of this 💉💪