2010–11 Ulster Rugby season

The 2010–11 Ulster Rugby season was Ulster's 17th season since the advent of professionalism in rugby union, and their second under head coach Brian McLaughlin. This season marked the debuts of two South Africans, scrum-half Ruan Pienaar (replacing Isaac Boss, who had moved to Leinster) and second row forward Johann Muller. Ulster were quarter-finalists in the European Rugby Champions Cup, and semi-finalists in the Celtic League. Ruan Pienaar was Player of the Year. Nevin Spence was IRUPA Young Player of the Year.[1]

2010–11 Ulster Rugby season
Ground(s)Ravenhill Stadium (Capacity: 12,500)
Coach(es)David Humphreys (Director of Rugby)
Brian McLaughlin (Head Coach)
Captain(s)Johann Muller
Top scorerIan Humphreys (155)
Most triesCraig Gilroy (8)
League(s)Heineken Cup (quarter-finalists)
Celtic League (semi-finalists)
1st kit
2nd kit
← 2009–10 2011–12 →

Forwards coach Jeremy Davidson left at the end of the season.[2]

Staff
Position Name Nationality
Chief Executive Officer Shane Logan  Ireland
Director of Rugby David Humphreys  Ireland
Head Coach Brian McLaughlin  Ireland
Forwards Coach Jeremy Davidson  Ireland
Backs Coach Neil Doak  Ireland

Squad

Senior squad
Ulster Rugby squad[18]

Props

Hookers

Locks

Back row

Scrum-halves

Fly-halves

Centres

Wings

Fullbacks

(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
    Position[19] Name Nationality
    High Performance Manager Gary Longwell  Ireland
    Elite Player Development Officer Jonny Bell  Ireland
    Elite Player Development Officer Niall Malone  Ireland
    Strength & Conditioning Coach Chris Shiells  Ireland
    Strength & Conditioning Coach Kevin Geary  Ireland
    Academy squad

    Props

    Hookers

    • Ireland Niall Annett (Belfast Harlequins) (2)
    • Ireland John Burns (Ballymena) (2)

    Locks

    Back row

    • Ireland David McGuigan (QUB) (1)
    • Ireland Ali Birch (Dungannon) (1)
    • Ireland Stephen Lecky (Glasgow Hawks) (1)

    Scrum-halves

    Fly-halves

    Centres

    Wings

    Fullbacks

    Heineken Cup
    Main article: 2010–11 Heineken Cup

    Pool 4
    Team P W D L Tries for Tries against Try diff Points for Points against Points diff TB LB Pts
    France Biarritz (4) 6402169+714085+554222
    Ireland Ulster (8) 6501158+714593+522022
    England Bath 6204208+12147108+392414
    Italy Aironi 6105430−2665211−146004
    • Biarritz won the tiebreaker over Ulster with a 6–4 advantage in head-to-head competition points.
    8 October 2010
    19:30
    Ulster Ireland30 – 6Italy Aironi
    Try: Trimble 21' m
    Humphreys 44' m
    Danielli 60' c
    Pienaar 67' c
    Con: Pienaar (0/2)
    Humphreys (2/2)
    Pen: Pienaar (2/3) 2', 39'    		ReportPen: Mercier (2/3) 5', 17'
    Ravenhill, Belfast
    Attendance: 7,777
    Referee: Chris White (England)
    17 October 2010
    16:00
    Biarritz Olympique France35 – 15Ireland Ulster
    Try: Ngwenya (2) 44' c, 76' m
    Carizza 60' c
    Marconnet 66' c
    Con: Yachvili (3/4)
    Pen: Yachvili (3/3) 36', 53', 57'    		ReportTry: Trimble 67' m
    Ferris 80' c
    Con: Pienaar (1/2)
    Pen: Pienaar (1/2) 12'
    Parc des Sports Aguiléra, Biarritz
    Attendance: 10,000
    Referee: Dave Pearson (England)
    11 December 2010
    13:30
    Ulster Ireland22 - 18England Bath
    Try: Wannenburg 34' c
    Con: Humphreys (1/1)
    Pen: Humphreys (5/6) 12', 39', 53', 60', 64'    		ReportTry: Cuthbert 7' c
    Moody 23' m
    Con: Barkley (1/2)
    Pen: Barkley (2/2) 2', 43'
    Ravenhill
    Attendance: 8,247
    Referee: Jérôme Garces (France)
    18 December 2010
    13:30
    Bath England22 - 26Ireland Ulster
    Try: Carraro 1' m
    Banahan 69' m
    Pen: Barkley (4) 8', 14', 24', 67'    		ReportTry: D'Arcy 11' c
    Spence 56' c
    Con: Humphreys (2/2)
    Pen: Humphreys (4) 16' 38', 59', 71'
    The Recreation Ground
    Attendance: 11,900
    Referee: Pascal Gauzere (France)
    15 January 2011
    15:30
    Ulster Ireland9 – 6France Biarritz Olympique
    Pen: Humphreys (3/4) 48', 56', 77'ReportPen: Yachvili (2/2) 18', 39'
    Ravenhill
    Attendance: 10,566
    Referee: Nigel Owens (Wales)
    22 January 2011
    14:30
    Aironi Italy6 – 43Ireland Ulster
    Pen: Tebaldi 37'
    Drop: Marshall 26'    		ReportTry: Trimble 23' c
    Wannenburg (2) 41' c, 46' c
    Penalty try 57' c
    Henry 67' c
    Danielli 78' m
    Con: Humphreys (5/6)
    Pen: Humphreys (1/2) 3'
    Stadio Luigi Zaffanella
    Attendance: 3,000
    Referee: Christophe Berdos (France)

    Quarter-final
    10 April 2011
    14:00
    Northampton Saints England23 – 13Ireland Ulster
    Try: Tongaʻuiha 2' c
    Dickson 55' c
    Con: Myler (2/2) 3', 56'
    Pen: Myler (3/5) 40', 48', 65'    		ReportTry: Trimble 32' c
    Con: Humphreys (1/1) 33'
    Pen: Humphreys (2/2) 7', 14'
    Stadium:mk, Milton Keynes[20]
    Attendance: 21,309
    Referee: Romain Poite (France)

    Celtic League
    Main article: 2010–11 Celtic League
    Team Pld W D L PF PA PD TF TA Try bonus Losing bonus Pts
    1Ireland Munster 221903496327+16944225283
    2Ireland Leinster 221516495336+15950255370
    3Ireland Ulster 221516480418+6244353267
    4Wales Ospreys 221219553418+13556296763
    5Wales Scarlets 221219503453+5049435762
    6Wales Cardiff Blues 221318479392+8737333360
    7Wales Newport Gwent Dragons 2210111444462−1847493449
    8Scotland Edinburgh 229013421460−3939442543
    9Ireland Connacht 227114394459−6532443639
    10Italy Benetton Treviso 229013374502−12829580238
    11Scotland Glasgow Warriors 226115401543−14233481633
    12Italy Aironi 221021247517−27021520812
    Under the standard bonus point system, points are awarded as follows:
    • 4 points for a win
    • 2 points for a draw
    • 1 bonus point for scoring 4 tries (or more) (Try bonus)
    • 1 bonus point for losing by 7 points (or fewer) (Losing bonus)
    Green background (rows 1 to 4) are play-off places.
    Correct as of 7 May 2011. Source: RaboDirect PRO12 Archived 2014-01-17 at the Wayback Machine
    3 September 2010
    19:05
    Ulster Ireland27 – 26Wales Ospreys (1 BP)
    Try: Ferris
    Cave
    Con: O'Connor
    Pen: O'Connor (4)    		ReportTry: Fussell
    Biggar
    Con: Biggar (2)
    Pen: Biggar (3)
    Ravenhill
    Attendance: 7,500
    Referee: Peter Allan
    11 September 2010
    19:05
    (1 BP) Aironi Italy15 – 22Ireland Ulster
    Pen: Mercier (4)
    Drop: Mercier    		ReportTry: Diack
    Con: O'Connor
    Pen: O'Connor (5)
    Stadio Luigi Zaffanella
    Attendance: 4,453
    Referee: Stefano Penne
    17 September 2010
    20:05
    Ulster Ireland29 – 21Scotland Edinburgh
    Try: Trimble
    Whitten
    Cave
    Con: O'Connor
    Pen: O'Connor (3)
    Drop: O'Connor    		ReportTry: Visser
    Cairns
    Con: Godman
    Pen: Paterson (2)
    Godman
    Ravenhill
    Attendance: 7,461
    Referee: Alan Falzone
    25 September 2010
    19:30
    Connacht Ireland15 – 15Ireland Ulster
    Pen: Keatley (5)ReportPen: Wallace (4)
    O'Connor
    Sportsground
    Attendance: 3,761
    Referee: Alain Rolland
    1 October 2010
    19:05
    Ulster Ireland19 – 17Scotland Glasgow Warriors (1 BP)
    Try: Pienaar
    Con: Pienaar
    Pen: Pienaar (4)    		ReportTry: Van der Merwe
    Pen: Weir (4)
    Ravenhill
    Attendance: 7,822
    22 October 2010
    19:05
    Edinburgh Scotland21 – 16Ireland Ulster (1 BP)
    Try: McKenzie
    Talei
    Con: Paterson
    Pen: Paterson (2)
    Drop: Blair    		ReportTry: Whitten
    Con: Wallace
    Pen: Wallace (2)
    Humphreys
    Murrayfield
    Attendance: 3,195
    Referee: James Jones
    29 October 2010
    19:05
    Ulster Ireland6 – 16Ireland Munster
    Pen: Pienaar (2)ReportTry: Dineen
    Con: Warwick
    Pen: Warwick (3)
    Ravenhill
    Attendance: 10,750
    Referee: Alan Lewis
    21 November 2010
    15:45
    Cardiff Blues Wales15 – 37Ireland Ulster
    Try: Laulala
    James
    Con: Sweeney
    Pen: Sweeney    		ReportTry: Gilroy (2)
    D'Arcy
    Faloon
    Wallace
    Con: Humphreys (3)
    Pen: Humphreys (2)
    Cardiff City Stadium
    Attendance: 6,202
    26 November 2010
    19:05
    Benetton Treviso Italy9 – 19Ireland Ulster
    Pen: Botes (2)ReportTry: Gilroy (2)
    Danielli
    Con: Humphreys (2)
    Stadio di Monigo
    Attendance: 3,000
    3 December 2010
    19:05
    Ulster IrelandP – PWales Newport Gwent Dragons
    Ravenhill
    27 December 2010
    16:00
    Ulster Ireland13 – 30Ireland Leinster
    Try: Gilroy
    Con: O'Connor
    Pen: O'Connor (2)    		ReportTry: O'Brien (2)
    Horgan
    Con: Nacewa (3)
    Pen: Nacewa (3)
    Ravenhill
    Attendance: 11,426
    1 January 2011
    19:30
    Munster Ireland35 – 10Ireland Ulster
    Try: Hurley
    O'Donnell
    Murphy
    Mafi
    Con: Warwick (3)
    Pen: Warwick (3)    		ReportTry: Anderson
    Con: Wallace
    Pen: Wallace
    Thomond Park
    Attendance: 22,000
    7 January 2011
    19:05
    (1 BP) Ulster Ireland32 – 13Italy Benetton Treviso
    Try: Reidy
    Cave
    Scholes
    Olding
    Con: Humphreys
    Olding
    Pen: Humphreys (2)    		ReportTry: Steyn
    Con: Hayward
    Pen: Hayward (2)
    Ravenhill
    Attendance: 6,651
    Referee: Leighton Hodges
    13 February 2011
    17:10
    Ospreys Wales23 – 22Ireland Ulster
    Try: Holah
    Pen: Biggar (6)    		ReportTry: Penalty try
    Con: Humphreys
    Pen: Humphreys (2)
    Pienaar (3)
    Liberty Stadium
    Attendance: 5,802
    Referee: Neil Patterson
    18 February 2011
    19:05
    (1 BP) Scarlets Wales16 – 18Ireland Ulster
    Try: Penalty try
    Con: Priestland
    Pen: Priestland (2)
    Drop: Priestland    		ReportPen: Pienaar (6)
    Parc y Scarlets
    Attendance: 5,463
    Referee: Andy Macpherson
    25 February 2011
    19:05
    Ulster Ireland32 – 13Wales Cardiff Blues
    Try: Gilroy
    Pienaar
    Trimble
    Marshall
    Con: Humphreys (3)
    Pen: Humphreys (2)    		ReportTry: Fish
    Con: Sweeney
    Pen: Sweeney (2)
    Ravenhill
    Attendance: 8,383
    Referee: James Jones
    4 March 2011
    19:05
    Ulster Ireland23 – 10Italy Aironi
    Try: Court
    Gilroy
    Fitzpatrick
    Con: Pienaar
    Pen: Pienaar (2)    		ReportTry: James Marshall
    Con: Bocchino
    Pen: Bocchino
    Ravenhill
    Attendance: 7,700
    18 March 2010
    19:05
    Ulster Ireland25 – 23Wales Newport Gwent Dragons (1 BP)
    Try: Spence
    Seymour
    Cave
    Con: Pienaar (2)
    Pen: Pienaar
    Drop: Pienaar    		ReportTry: Tovey
    Evans
    Brew
    Con: Hughes
    Pen: Jones
    Drop: Tovey
    Ravenhill
    Attendance: 7,661
    Referee: James Jones
    25 March 2011
    20:05
    (1 BP) Glasgow Warriors Scotland19 – 22Ireland Ulster
    Try: Grant
    Con: Jackson
    Pen: Jackson (3)
    Weir    		ReportTry: Pienaar
    Con: Pienaar
    Pen: Pienaar (5)
    Firhill Stadium
    Attendance: 2,715
    Referee: David Jones
    1 April 2011
    19:05
    Ulster Ireland20 – 18Wales Scarlets (1 BP)
    Try: Humphreys (2)
    Con: Pienaar (2)
    Pen: Pienaar (2)    		ReportTry: Davies
    Shingler
    Con: Priestland
    Pen: Jones (2)
    Ravenhill
    Attendance: 8,646
    Referee: Graham Knox
    16 April 2011
    20:00
    Leinster Ireland34 – 26Ireland Ulster
    Try: Strauss
    Fitzgerald
    Horgan (2)
    Van der Merwe
    Con: Sexton (3)
    Pen: Sexton    		ReportTry: Wannenburg
    Gilroy
    Con: Pienaar (2)
    Pen: Humphreys (3)
    Pienaar
    RDS Arena
    Attendance: 17,670
    22 April 2011
    19:05
    Ulster Ireland27 – 16Ireland Connacht
    Try: Best
    D'Arcy
    Cave
    Con: Humphreys (3)
    Pen: Humphreys (2)    		ReportTry: Cronin
    Con: Keatley
    Pen: Keatley (2)
    Drop: Keatley
    Ravenhill
    Attendance: 9,239
    6 May 2011
    19:05
    Newport Gwent Dragons Wales13 – 20Ireland Ulster
    Try: Riley
    Con: Jones
    Pen: Jones
    Tovey    		ReportTry: Spence (2)
    Wannenburg
    Con: Humphreys
    Pen: Humphreys
    Rodney Parade
    Attendance: 5,062

    Semi-final
    13 May 2011
    19:05
    Leinster Ireland18 – 3Ireland Ulster
    Try: McFadden 25' m
    Fitzgerald 72' c
    Con: McFadden (1/1)
    Pen: Sexton (2/3) 5', 40'    		ReportPen: Pienaar (1/1) 62'
    RDS Arena
    Attendance: 14,476
    Referee: George Clancy

    Ulster Ravens

    British and Irish Cup
    Main article: 2010–11 British and Irish Cup

    Pool C
    Team P W D L PF PA PD TF TB LB Pts
    England Bedford Blues 55001646698183023
    England Moseley 54011171134162018
    Wales Neath 53027876290214
    England London Welsh 52039399-6141211
    Ireland Ulster Ravens 5104109128-1913127
    Wales Swansea 500561140-797022
    Points breakdown:
    *4 points for a win
    *2 points for a draw
    *1 bonus point for a loss by seven points or less
    *1 bonus point for scoring four or more tries in a match
    16 October 2010
    14:30
    Swansea Wales12 – 32Ireland Ulster Ravens
    Stats
    St Helens
    Attendance: 1,200
    11 December 2010
    15:00
    Bedford Blues England36 – 22Ireland Ulster Ravens
    Stats
    Goldington Road
    Attendance: 2,105
    14 January 2011
    19:00
    Ulster Ravens Ireland20 – 25Wales Neath
    Stats
    Instonians RFC
    Attendance: 400
    22 January 2011
    14:00
    London Welsh England29 – 11Ireland Ulster Ravens
    Stats
    Old Deer Park
    Attendance: 785
    23 February 2011
    14:00
    Ulster Ravens Ireland24 – 26England Moseley
    Stats
    Ravenhill

    Home attendance
    Domestic League European Cup Total
    League Fixtures Average Attendance Highest Lowest League Fixtures Average Attendance Highest Lowest Total Attendance Average Attendance
    2010–11 Celtic League 11 8,476 11,426 6,651 2010–11 Heineken Cup 3 8,863 10,566 7,777 119,829 8,559

    Ulster Rugby Awards

    The Ulster Rugby Awards ceremony was held on 10 May 2011 at the Culloden Hotel, Holywood. Winners were:[21]

    Season reviews

    References
    1. "Nacewa scoops IRUPA award", ESPN Scrum, 4 May 2011, archived 8 May 2011
    2. "Jeremy Davidson To Leave Ulster", Ulster Rugby, 16 May 2011
    3. "Rugby News | Rugby Results, Fixtures & Tables". The Irish Times.
    4. "Ulster Rugby : Ulster confirm signing of Pedrie Wannenburg". www.ulsterrugby.com. Archived from the original on 19 June 2010.
    5. "Rugby News | Rugby Results, Fixtures & Tables". The Irish Times.
    6. "Player Profile: Jerry Cronin", Ulster Rugby, 7 October 2011
    7. Micheal McGeary, "New deals for Ulster quartet", Belfast Telegraph, 13 January 2010
    8. "All About Tommy", Ulster Rugby, 22 September 2010
    9. "Leinster Rugby : Leinster announce squad for 2010/11..." www.leinsterrugby.ie. Archived from the original on 19 June 2010.
    10. "Leinster Rugby : Leinster announce squad for 2010/11..." www.leinsterrugby.ie. Archived from the original on 19 June 2010.
    11. Brendan Fanning, "Italians add life to party", Sunday Independent, 29 August 2010
    12. "Ex-Ireland prop Fitzpatrick embedded in US rugby's exciting rise", The 42, 13 January 2019
    13. "Magners League – Ins And Outs", Irish Rugby, 23 July 2010
    14. "Planet Rugby | Rugby Union News, Live Rugby Scores, Results & Fixtures". www.planetrugby.com. Archived from the original on 16 June 2012.
    15. "Planet Rugby | Rugby Union Tournaments | Magners League | Pollock hangs up his boots". www.planetrugby.com. Archived from the original on 26 November 2010.
    16. "Bryn Cunningham Announces Retirement", Ulster Rugby, 4 October 2010
    17. "Ulster Rugby Announce Release of Clinton Schifcofske", Ulster Rugby, 2 April 2010
    18. Appearances and scoring stats from ItsRugby.co.uk
    19. "Ulster Rugby Academy", Ulster Rugby, archived 23 January 2011
    20. Northampton forced to move Ulster tie to Milton Keynes – BBC Sport
    21. Niall Crozier, "Boks bag top gongs at awards", Belfast Telegraph, 11 May 2011
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