Ulster Begin Season In Refurbished Ravenhill

The Ulster Rugby Team are to play their first match this evening following the recent refurbishment of Ravenhill Stadium.

The sold-out pre-season friendly will see Ulster take on provincial rivals Leinster at home.

Head Coach Mark Anscombe has named a panel of 27 players for tonight's match, which kicks off at 19.30.

James McKinney, who returned to the club from Rotherham this summer, will begin at out-half, with Michael Heaney named at scrum-half.

Chris Farrell has recovered from injury and will begin at inside-centre, with Jared Payne selected at 13 and named captain for the game.

Rory Scholes starts on the right wing, with Michael Allen picked on the left and Peter Nelson named at fullback.

The forwards will featured Academy prop Kyle McCall starting at loosehead, Niall Annett as hooker and Ireland international Declan Fitzpatrick at tighthead.

Lewis Stevenson and Neil McComb will form the second row, with Mike McComish, Sean Doyle and Nick Williams heading up the back.

Luke Marshall, Dan Tuohy, and Roger Wilson are named on the bench along with Robbie Diack, Callum Black, Jonny Murphy, new signing, Bronson Ross, Alan O’Connor, Ian Porter, Chris Cochrane, David McIlwaine and Ricky Andrew.

The summer refurbishment has seen the building of new stands at the Aquinas and Memorial Ends of the ground, which will be open to fans for the first time.

The opening of the new facilities marks the end of the first phase of a £14.7m redevelopment of the ground, funded by the Department of Culture, Arts and Leisure (DCAL).

Commenting on the game, Mark Anscombe said: "I am as excited as everyone else to get along and to see the progress. We have a great place but an upgrade was overdue. The redevelopment is just going to add to the whole sense of occasion at Ravenhill."

Sports Minister Carál Ni Chuilín said: "It is fitting that Leinster are here to raise the curtain in Ravenhill, after Ulster lost narrowly to the side in the RaboDirect PRO12 final in May.

"After such an exciting year for Ulster Rugby, there’s plenty to look forward to in the upcoming season as the team are hungry to build on their success.

"This is also an opportunity to see the new stadium development at Ravenhill as it takes shape.

Building work at Ravenhill will continue over the course of the season, with a new grandstand opening for the 2014-15 campaign bringing the overall capacity of the ground to just over 18,000.

The Minister added: "The project is about building a stadium for Ulster Rugby that is worthy of Ulster’s fanbase and of the many excellent teams that use the stadium from the Ulster Senior Team to the School’s Rugby finalists. It honours Ulster’s rich rugby history, but looks forward to an exciting future for everyone who is part of the Ulster Rugby family.

"As the season nears, though, the focus quite rightly switches back to the field of play. With this in mind, I wish the team every success in all competitions in 2013/14."

(IT/CD)