Ulster Rugby Winter Sports - Rugby
Laird of the Kingspan
There’s no doubt about it, the game of rugby seriously takes its toll on pitches, presenting a tough job for the grounds teams looking after them. One of the hardest working and successful rugby teams in the UK is Ulster Rugby, based in Belfast. Thanks to a new sponsorship deal, the team play at their recently upgraded and newly christened Kingspan Stadium.
Chris McCullough talks to Head Groundsman, James Laird T
he Kingspan Stadium, which is owned by the Irish Rugby Football Union, is located in South East Belfast and houses the administration centre for the game
of rugby union in the province of Ulster. Although the stadium is going through a period of redevelopment, the pitch has not, as yet, been the subject of any immediate upgrade plans. However, that could change in the future when development of the stands at the Kingspan is completed. Not only is it the home of Ulster Rugby,
the venue also hosts finals of club and school competitions from under 10 mini rugby to the senior clubs final. Back in August 2007, the ground hosted
its first senior Ireland international match in fifty-three years when Ireland took on Italy
88 I PC JUNE/JULY 2015
in a Rugby World Cup warm-up game. Formerly known as the Ravenhill Ground,
the stadium has been maintained well over the years but, in 2008, the first major modernisation took place. Foundations were laid for a new high-
spec corporate stand on the terrace side of the ground which marked phase one of a multi-million pound redevelopment programme. Built at a cost of £5.5million, the stand
opened for business in September 2009, boasting twenty high-spec corporate boxes, 532 premier seats and full bar and restaurant facilities. Then, in 2010, Ulster Rugby submitted a
business case to the Government, requesting funding from the Department of Culture, Arts and Leisure to modernise the
rest of the grounds by building new stands at the Aquinas and car park ends of the ground and to replace the existing grandstand. A total of £14.7 million funding was
secured in November 2012 and construction work started immediately. This was completed in the summer of 2014. Three new stands were built in a phased approach that saw capacity rise from 11,400 to 18,000. The stadium was officially opened on
Friday 2nd May 2014 in a ceremony that saw former players return and Johann Muller cut a ribbon as he ran onto the field in the midst of a grand show of fireworks. In June 2014, Ulster Rugby signed a ten
year agreement with the Kingspan Group, a leading provider of sustainable building
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36 |
Page 37 |
Page 38 |
Page 39 |
Page 40 |
Page 41 |
Page 42 |
Page 43 |
Page 44 |
Page 45 |
Page 46 |
Page 47 |
Page 48 |
Page 49 |
Page 50 |
Page 51 |
Page 52 |
Page 53 |
Page 54 |
Page 55 |
Page 56 |
Page 57 |
Page 58 |
Page 59 |
Page 60 |
Page 61 |
Page 62 |
Page 63 |
Page 64 |
Page 65 |
Page 66 |
Page 67 |
Page 68 |
Page 69 |
Page 70 |
Page 71 |
Page 72 |
Page 73 |
Page 74 |
Page 75 |
Page 76 |
Page 77 |
Page 78 |
Page 79 |
Page 80 |
Page 81 |
Page 82 |
Page 83 |
Page 84 |
Page 85 |
Page 86 |
Page 87 |
Page 88 |
Page 89 |
Page 90 |
Page 91 |
Page 92 |
Page 93 |
Page 94 |
Page 95 |
Page 96 |
Page 97 |
Page 98 |
Page 99 |
Page 100 |
Page 101 |
Page 102 |
Page 103 |
Page 104 |
Page 105 |
Page 106 |
Page 107 |
Page 108 |
Page 109 |
Page 110 |
Page 111 |
Page 112 |
Page 113 |
Page 114 |
Page 115 |
Page 116 |
Page 117 |
Page 118 |
Page 119 |
Page 120 |
Page 121 |
Page 122 |
Page 123 |
Page 124 |
Page 125 |
Page 126 |
Page 127 |
Page 128 |
Page 129 |
Page 130 |
Page 131 |
Page 132 |
Page 133 |
Page 134 |
Page 135 |
Page 136 |
Page 137 |
Page 138 |
Page 139 |
Page 140 |
Page 141 |
Page 142 |
Page 143 |
Page 144 |
Page 145 |
Page 146 |
Page 147 |
Page 148 |
Page 149 |
Page 150 |
Page 151 |
Page 152 |
Page 153 |
Page 154 |
Page 155 |
Page 156