1 day to go before the Six Nations!

We expect packed stadiums and packed rugby clubs and rugby bars all over Ulster not to mention radio and website coverage. Our coverage will aim to bring you pictures and interviews, as many as we can of all the action before and after each Irish game.

As a website dedicated to rugby in Ulster our focus will be on the Ulster players on the Irish team and how they are finding top flight. Both the full international and the Irish international side has Ulster representation and every rugby fan player and friend in Ulster is backing our players 100%, when one of our players hits a ruck, takes a kick, scores a try, breaks the game line, engages in a scrum, there will be many 10s of thousands of us sitting on the edge of seats or there in the stadiums willing with every blood vessel of our bodies and minds.

It is our pleasure to bring as many links to interviews or pictures or any of our own footage and to do this in confunction with Guinness Rugby and The Guinness rugby Facebook Team.

Below is a round up of the current news from the Guinness Facebook Ulster & Ireland Squad Members.

STEPHEN FERRIS
JOINS GUINNESS RUGBY FACEBOOK TEAM

Guinness®, proud partner of Irish Rugby, has officially announced Ulster and Ireland star, Stephen Ferris, as the newest member of the Guinness Rugby Facebook Team – just in time for Ireland’s first game of the RBS 6 Nations against Italy on 5th February.

The news coincided with the Irish international appearing at a Guinness press conference in Banbridge Rugby Club to mark the launch of the tournament. He was joined by his fellow Ulster and Irish squad members Andrew Trimble, Tom Court and Paddy Wallace ahead of what is going to be a final week of intense match preparation.

After the recent defeats to both South Africa and New Zealand in the Guinness Series, Ireland will be hoping for a strong performance in the upcoming RBS 6 Nations to set them up for this year’s Rugby World Cup.

The strong local representation is no surprise given the recent form of a resurgent Ulster side that has seen them reach the final stages of the European Cup for the first time in over a decade.

This was something the Ulster supporters got to ask the newest member of the Guinness Rugby Facebook Team about, live via Facebook at the press conference. Stephen, said: “Being able to answer the questions in real time and share my thoughts with the Guinness Rugby Facebook fans was a great experience. Their support has been overwhelming and teaming up with Guinness has created a fun and unique way for me to talk to the people who really matter – the fans. All we can hope for now is to make them proud by bringing the RBS 6 Nations trophy back to Irish soil.”

Closing the press conference, Stuart Kinch, Senior Brand Manager, Guinness Ireland, said: “Guinness is synonymous with Irish rugby. We’re a proud supporter of Irish Rugby and have been for many years so we are thrilled to be able to bring all the Ulster players together ahead of the first RBS 6 Nations match.

Stuart continued: “This year’s tournament gives us a great opportunity to show our support for the Irish team. As part of our current ‘This is Rugby Country’ campaign we are encouraging Irish fans to share in the rugby experience and get behind the team.

“We are also able to bring the fans closer to the team through the Guinness Rugby Facebook page with regular updates and live chats with the players. We’re delighted to welcome Stephen to our team alongside an already impressive line up of Irish stars including his good friend Tommy Bowe.”

For more information on the Guinness Rugby Facebook Team and to check out all the latest from inside the Irish and provincial camps with regular comments and video posts from the players visit www.Facebook.com/GuinnessRugbyIreland or check out www.guinness.com/en-ie/area22/ to keep up to date on all the latest rugby news, fixtures and results, competitions and to find the best local pub to watch the rugby!

This years Ulster players involved in the Ireland team including the WolfHounds are:

The Ulster players involved in the Ireland Squads This Year are: 2 – Rory Best (Banbridge/Ulster) 22 – Paddy Wallace (Ballymena/Ulster) 17 – Tom Court (Malone/Ulster) – Stephen Ferris (Ulster)

& in the O2 Woldhounds: Ian Humphreys (Ballymena – Ulster), Paul Marshall (Belfast Harlequins – Ulster), Nevin Spence (Ballynahinch – Ulster)
Nigel Brady (Dungannon – Ulster), Willie Faloon (Ballynahinch – Ulster),
Declan Fitzpatrick (Dungannon – Ulster), Chris Henry (Ballymena – Ulster)