Stand Up: An Ulster Rugby Show

"Never in doubt" Those were the words I was repeating after Ulster's inevitable demolition of Racing at Fortress Kingspan. Christmas has come early. Ulster are class again. Having been luke-warm to tepid so far this season, have Ulster been bubbling away beneath the surface? Are they now ready to boil over following their best performance in over a year? If you missed his post match interview, Dan...

Life as an Ulster fan is anything but boring and, as usual, there's plenty to discuss on the podcast this week. Let's start with the positives: Ulster Rugby have an incredibly large and loyal fanbase, a fancy new stadium and pitch and a talented squad with a number of really good prospects coming through. So, this begs the question why Dan McFarland's men are struggling on the pitch and why Ulster...

Welcome to the Red Hand Podcast. Are there dark clouds gathering at Ulster? Is a storm coming for the current head-coach? Following defeat at the weekend, Dan McFarland slammed the standards in training and, by extension, his own ability to coach the team. I’m not sure the words went down well with Ulster supporters, many of whom seemed not best pleased by the performance or Dan’s reaction. It’s j...

Dan McFarland’s men started like a steam train but ran out of track as Glasgow battled their way back into the game and won 33-20. Two tries within 11 minutes  from Tom Stewart and Cooney but Glasgow dominated the rest of the match. Three away games and two losses for Ulster (which could have very easily been three losses) Is it simply a case of ‘taking your lessons and moving on’ as Dan McFarland...

It was a miserable night and in many ways a pretty miserable game on Friday night against the Lions, but Ulster found a way to get the win so we’re going to stay positive! Despite being down by seven points at halftime, Dan McFarland’s men went up a gear in the second half and ultimately held on for a 24-17 victory. In horrendous conditions at fortress Ravenhill, it was not the most entertaining o...

It’s two weeks after Halloween but Ulster have done the ‘Munster Mash’, defeating their provincial rivals 21-14 at Fortress Ravenhill. Grave problems for Munster as, after the visitors drew first blood, they were guilty of coffin up the ball on too many occasions, allowing Ulster back into the game. Dan McFarland’s men held off Munster in the dying stages with Munster pummelling their line, and se...

If you're struggling to work out how to feel after the game at the weekend then you're not alone. We lost but... did we really win when you consider the performance exceeded all expectations? The answer, of course, is no. Your outlook on the game will depend on whether you're a glass-half-empty or glass-half-full type of person. Half of Ulster's fan-base has chosen to focus on the glass being part...

This week we're looking back at Ulster's battling win over the Bulls on Sunday and looking ahead to their clash with Connacht on Saturday. As always, there's plenty to discuss about the game which was a pretty entertaining watch (although I could have done without those nerve-racking few minutes at the end!) The new pitch is already paying for itself in terms of saving Ulster's laundry bills and,...

Welcome back to the Red Hand Podcast. It has been a while. Now that the side-show distraction of the World Cup is over, we are back to the main event - the URC - as Ulster prepare to face Zebre away in their opening game. The dust has settled on yet another disappointing campaign as Ireland yet again crashed out in the quarters. We won't dwell on this - plenty has been said by others about the...

I am delighted to be joined by Conor Carey. We have timed this podcast perfectly because Conor has just announced his retirement from professional rugby and is ready to reflect on a great career. Rugby fans in Ulster will know Conor as he is one who slipped through the net. He played rugby in Ulster up the age-groups and Ireland under 20s and then went on to have along and successful career - just...

I’m joined on this episode by Andrew Maxwell. Ulster fans will remember Andrew from his successful time with the club playing on the wing between 03/04 and 07 before joining Edinburgh. However, Andrew’s rugby career only forms part of his story: after hanging up his boots he transitioned seamlessly into the world of business, becoming co-owner of Irish Burrito chain, Boojum and now has another exc...

Mark Best came through the ranks with Ulster and Ireland before taking the 'road less travelled' of choosing an alternative path. I chat to Mark about his journey, what it's like to transition back into real life and now enjoying club rugby with Ballynahinch where he was recently man of the match in their Senior Cup Final victory over Queens. I really enjoyed chatting to Mark and I hop...

Ulster season came to a shuddering halt against interprovincial rivals, Connacht, on Friday night in Belfast. Ulster's season is over. But where does that leave us? Is Dan still the man to take us forward? Should we be concerned that 10 players (at least) are leaving and only 2 are coming in? What went wrong on Friday night? The panel wrestle with these questions.

I’m excited to be joined by former professional rugby player and agent, John Andress. John’s an Ulsterman with a long and successful playing career. In fact he’s played over 200 professional games with the likes of Exeter Chiefs, London Harlequins, Worcester Warriors, Edinburgh Rugby, Munster and Connacht. There are few more well-travelled and experienced players and he has used his extensive netw...

If you didn’t see the game at the weekend, Ulster beat Edinburgh 28-14 to secure home advantage in URC play-offs. Ulster got the job done but, as some have commented, maybe not in the style that some fans would have wanted. Tries from Jacob Stockdale, Nick Timoney and John Cooney and 13 points from Cooney’s boot secured the win. It’s an interesting time for Ulster. There is talk of trouble in the...

Job done. A mixed bag of a game but Ulster go into second place for the time being and their destiny is in their own hands.  A win this weekend will give them a home game in a prospective semi-final. We chat about the performance and contracts as well as looking ahead to the remaining games as we continue in the business end of the season.

It’s the hope that kills you. Leinster swept Ulster aside on Saturday despite a good shift from Dan’s men.  Leinster are now the only Irish side left inthe competition after overcoming Ulster 30-15 in an incredibly wet Aviva stadium. After the game Dan said: “I can’t change the demographics. They have way more rugby players, way more money. Nothing changes that.” He also said, ‘It was a challenge”...

I'm joined by the Red Hand brains trust once again as we discuss Ulster's bonus point win over the Bulls at the weekend and look ahead to the main event: the clash with interprovincial rivals Leinster in Dublin this Saturday. For fans of Star Wars, listener discretion is advised.

I'm joined by two familiar voices of Ulster Rugby: Commentators Mark Robson and Graham Jewhurst. We discuss Ireland's 6 Nations success from an Ulster perspective,look ahead to the World Cup and discuss the business end to Ulster's season including the decisive clash with Leinster in the Champions Cup.

An in depth and free-wheeling chat with one of the best personalities from Ulster Rugby. Apart from being an Ulster and Ireland legend, Trimby is now a media personality and CEO and balances all this with a busy family life and outside interests. I loved talking to him, hope you enjoy listening.

My next guest is someone who has achieved something very rare – he’s played professionally in two sports. Rugby for Ulster and Jersey Reds and cricket for Ireland (which is seriously impressive). Ross has had a really interesting journey throughout his rugby career and has been hit with set-backs along the way. It’s a story which is quite inspiring – coming back from injury and playing high level...

Ulster with a bonus point win: it’s nice getting to say that two weeks in a row! The win at the weekend means that Ulster have their sights set on 2nd place in the URC table. Ulster currently sit third - 5 points behind the Stormers -  but the last 3 games are all at home whereas Stormers have to travel to face unbeaten Leinster  in the next round.. Finishing in the top two is of course...

Ulster may have turned a corner in their season with a bonus point win in South Africa in their rescheduled game against the Sharks. The score in the end was 31-24. Granted, both sides were without certain key internationals and Sharks were missing a load of big names but credit where credit’s due for Ulster. Two maul tries from Tom Stewart laid the foundation for the win. Stewart Moore scored a s...

I had the honour of speaking to Ilse van Staden who has been playing rugby at a high level for over 21 years and has shown no signs of slowing down. She is a rugby player, butcher, chef, language teacher and biltong maker from South Africa and living in Northern Ireland. Since moving to Northern Ireland in 2011 she has played for Ulster Rugby, and represented Ireland in the Six Nations as prop. It...