Latest news with #RichieMurphy
The 42
17-07-2025
- Sport
- The 42
Ulster confirm pre-season home fixture with Edinburgh
ULSTER HAVE CONFIRMED a pre-season fixture against Edinburgh. Richie Murphy's team will welcome the Scottish side to Affidea Stadium on Friday, 12 September, with a 7.35pm kick-off. 'We are really looking forward to welcoming Edinburgh Rugby to Belfast in September,' Murphy said. Advertisement 'It's important that we have this match to work towards in our pre-season preparation. Edinburgh are a very competitive side and will bring a strong squad over to test us. 'The fixture offers our players an opportunity to build their match fitness, and also put their hand up for selection going into the new season. 'We face Edinburgh in Round 2 of the URC at the start of October, so this will be ideal preparation. 'As a squad and staff, we are also looking forward to seeing our supporters again ahead of the new season at Affidea Stadium.' Tickets go on sale from Tuesday, 22 July at 10am. Ulster open their 2025/26 URC campaign against Dragons in Belfast on Friday, 26 September.
Belfast Telegraph
15-07-2025
- Sport
- Belfast Telegraph
Ulster set for historic first game in Netherlands as Challenge Cup fixtures confirmed
Richie Murphy's side will host the French giants at the Affidea Stadium on Friday December 5 before heading away to fellow United Rugby Championship side Cardiff in their second pool game a week later on December 12 at the Cardiff Arms Park. They will conclude their group campaign with another home game against French opposition as Stade Francais come to Belfast on Saturday January 17, but a week earlier comes arguably the most interesting game of their season. With the Cheetahs having to relocate from their home in Bloemfontein in order to compete in the Challenge Cup, it appears that Ulster will play their first game in Amsterdam on Saturday January 10 in their penultimate match. While the exact venue has not been confirmed, it has already been announced that the South Africans' home games will be based in the Dutch capital, meaning the province will head there for their second game of 2026. It is the first time Ulster have faced the South African team since February 2020, when the Cheetahs dropped out of the League in favour of the four Super Rugby franchises joining instead. The top four sides in the six-team pool – English side Exeter Chiefs are also in the group but do not face Ulster – qualify for the last-16 in April, with the team finishing fourth guaranteed an away tie in that round. Ulster's Challenge Cup fixtures Friday December 5, 8pm: Ulster v Racing 92; Affidea Stadium Friday December 12, 8pm: Cardiff v Ulster; Cardiff Arms Park Saturday January 10, 4:15pm: Toyota Cheetahs v Ulster; TBD, Amsterdam
Belfast Telegraph
01-07-2025
- Sport
- Belfast Telegraph
Ulster handed tough Challenge Cup draw as Paris pair await Richie Murphy's young side
Richie Murphy's side will play in the second-tier European competition after finishing 14th in last season's United Rugby Championship but have been handed an intriguing set of fixtures in Tuesday's draw. Along with the French duo and the South African tourists, Ulster have also been paired with former European champions the Exeter Chiefs and fellow URC side Cardiff in Pool Three. However, the province will have to wait to find out who they will face at home and away, with the schedule dictating that they face only four of their fellow five pool members in order to determine who progresses to the knockout stages. Fixtures will be determined using an algorithm which will take into consideration league calendar restrictions, individual club calendar restrictions, broadcast requirements and the pool draws. It is believed that Ulster are most likely not to face Cardiff as EPCR try to avoid inter-League matches where possible, however other factors may mean they will have to face the Welsh side. On the face of it, it is a tough draw for Murphy's men, who have been handed a former European champion, a three-time Champions Cup finalist and two former Challenge Cup champions in their pool. Racing 92 are the premier club with their galactico squad at their disposal that contains the likes of France captain Gaël Fickou and fellow internationals Demba Bamba, Nolann le Garrec and Cameron Woki, as well as Australian prop Taniela Tupou. The two sides have met as recently as December 2023 when Ulster triumphed 31-15 at Ravenhill in a Champions Cup clash, with this meeting the fourth in the pair's history. There will be plenty of Ulster fans who will be eagerly anticipating the rematch with Stade Francais after the pair's infamous last meeting in 2009 when Stephen Ferris was eye-gouged by David Attoub, who received a 70-week ban for his actions. No longer a European powerhouse, the Parisians still boast a strong squad led by mercurial French full-back Léo Barré and will be a stern test for this young Ulster squad. The Cheetahs will be an intriguing prospect, too, the South Africans playing their home matches in Amsterdam as opposed to Bloemfontein, with Ulster set for their first meeting with the former Pro14 side since they left the League in 2020. And there will be a quick rematch with Exeter, whom Ulster defeated at Ravenhill back in January to book their place in the last-16 of the Champions Cup, in the pool stages as well, Rob Baxter's former European champions having fallen away in recent years but still a threat thanks to the likes of Immanuel Feyi-Waboso, Henry Slade and Ross Vintcent.
BBC News
29-05-2025
- Business
- BBC News
No 'quick fix' for Ulster struggles
Ulster general manager Bryn Cunningham says the "rebuild and reshaping" of the the province is heading in the right direction but that patience will be required to see "significant change".Richie Murphy's side finished 14th in the United Rugby Championship (URC) last season and failed to qualify for the Champions Cup for the first time in their history. Their Test representation was limited through the November series and Six Nations, while they will not provide any players for the British and Irish Lions tour to Australia this however, says he believes there is a group of young players with a "very high ceiling" and that it is imperative Ulster have structures in place to ensure that in "three or four years' time" they are providing "seven or eight" players to an Ireland match-day squad."It's never a quick-fix when you've a reset and a rebuild and you're less than a year in," Cunningham told BBC Sport NI."I don't think anyone in their right mind would think it'll be a quick fix and we'll be going out and winning the URC next season. We'll be going out with that objective."This is about the development of a core that we believe has a high ceiling."After the season, Cunningham said there have "open and honest conversations" about the side's failings last season with "uniform agreement" on what needs to improve."Will there be pain? There could well but we also believe that we're moving in the right direction," he added. Ulster have already initiated change in their coaching group and playing squads for next such as John Cooney, Alan O'Connor, Kieran Treadwell and Andy Warwick are among those moving on, while the province have recruited Australian international Angus Bell on a short-term deal and Northampton Saints' number eight Juarno attack coach Mark Sexton will join the ticket at Kingspan Stadium, with Willie Faloon already in situ after he stepped in for defensive specialist Jonny Bell during last season. Away from playing and coaching personnel, Cunningham feels it is vital that Ulster define a "clear identity" for the organisation."It's easy to reflect and say we're miles off, we're not capable of performing against the top table sides," said Cunningham who was part of the squad when Ulster won the European Cup in 1999. "We showed on occasions that we can and that's what we have to get back towards."Part of the building blocks we have to get in place is a very clear identity and culture of what we're about as a club. "What that leads towards is a level of consistency that we've not had."While asking Ulster fans to "stick with" the province during the downturn, Cunningham said he is "confident" in the direction. "My hope is it's not going to take 10 years. My hope is that we see significant change in a two to three-year period."You can never dispute the amount that people want it. We're passionate about the province."
BBC News
22-05-2025
- Sport
- BBC News
Ulster announce more contracts and finalise squad for 2025-26
Ulster announced further contract news and revealed their finalised squad for the 2025-26 season on on from Wednesday's announcement that Australian prop Angus Bell would be joining the province later this year, the Irish province have confirmed contract renewals for Conor McKee, David Shanahan, Robert Baloucoune, Ethan McIlroy and Ben Jack Murphy, 20, moves onto a senior contract from the Academy following his impressive performances during the 2024-25 Wilson, Lorcan McLoughlin and James McNabney all progress as senior players, after their year as Development Irvine and Joe Hopes progress from the Ulster Rugby Academy into the senior side as they begin the season as Development 43-strong squad for next season will consist of 41 fully contracted senior players and Irvine and Hopes as development Rugby Head Coach, Richie Murphy, said: "After a difficult 2024/25 campaign, we are looking forward to starting afresh and focusing on our pre-season preparations. "With new players being added to the group, and players becoming more experienced, we feel there is a good platform for us to build on."Mark Sexton [new backs coach] will bring new energy and ideas to our backline and Willie Faloon will benefit from getting time this summer to focus in on our defence and contact work."I'm confident in the ability of this squad to make sure we compete well in both the URC and the Challenge Cup next season." Ulster squad for 2025-26 season Iain Henderson (capt); John Andrew, Juarno Augustus, Rob Baloucoune, Angus Bell, Ben Carson, Sam Crean, Matthew Dalton, Nathan Doak, Jake Flannery, Rob Herring, Joe Hopes, James Hume, James Humphreys, Charlie Irvine, Cormac Izuchukwu, Werner Kok, Michael Lowry, David McCann, James McCormick, Stuart McCloskey, Rory McGuire, Conor McKee, Ethan McIlroy, Lorcan McLoughlin, James McNabney, Stewart Moore, Ben Moxham, Jack Murphy, Bryan O'Connor, Eric O'Suillivan, Tom O'Toole, Jude Postlethwaite, Marcus Rea, Sean Reffell, Callum Reid, David Shanahan, Harry Sheridan, Tom Stewart, Jacob Stockdale, Nick Timoney, Zac Ward, Scott Wilson.
