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The United Rugby Championship (URC) is an annual rugby union competition involving professional teams from Ireland, Italy, Scotland, South Africa, and Wales. For sponsorship reasons the league is known as the Vodacom United Rugby Championship in South Africa, and the BKT United Rugby Championship in the competition's other territories, the split branding mirroring the format previously adopted in Super Rugby. The Championship represents the highest level of domestic club or franchise rugby in each of its constituent countries. The Championship is one of the three major professional leagues in Europe, the most successful teams from which go forward to compete in the highest-level continental club competitions, the European Rugby Champions Cup and Challenge Cup. Since 2022–23, despite the name, South African teams have been eligible to qualify for European competitions.
Pedrie Johannes Wannenburg was a South African rugby union player. He last coached for Austin Elite Rugby in North American Major League Rugby. He played for Austin in 2018, Denver Stampede in the now defunct PRO Rugby League of North America and Castres Olympique for two seasons, after two years with Irish club Ulster.
Ruan Pienaar is a South African professional rugby union player who currently plays either as a scrum-half or as a fly-half for the Free State Cheetahs in the Currie Cup.
Keegan Rhys Daniel is a South African rugby union player who last played for the Sharks in Super Rugby and in the Currie Cup and the Sharks XV in the Rugby Challenge.
Stephen Ferris is a retired Irish rugby union player who played for Ulster and represented Ireland internationally. Ferris played club rugby with Dungannon. He is from Maghaberry and attended Friends' School Lisburn. He played for Ulster and Ireland in all three backrow positions. Ferris retired for rugby in June 2014 after a long-standing ankle injury ended his career.
Gysbert Johannes Muller, more commonly known as Johann Muller, is a South African former rugby union player. Muller played as a lock for the Sharks, Sharks in and his country's national side Springboks, before he moved to Northern Ireland to play with Ulster in 2010, where became team captain, before retiring at the end of the 2013–2014 season.
The Southern Kings were a South African professional rugby union team that competed in Super Rugby and Pro14. They were based in Port Elizabeth in the Eastern Cape province and played their home matches at Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium. They were created in 2009, and had their first match against the British & Irish Lions during their 2009 tour. After competing in Super Rugby in 2013, 2016 and 2017, they joined Pro14 prior to the 2017–18 season, along with the Cheetahs.
Daniel Johannes "Duane" Vermeulen is a former South African professional rugby union player who previously played for the South Africa national team. He also previously played for Ulster Rugby in the United Rugby Championship, Vodacom Blue Bulls and the Pumas, Free State Cheetahs and Western Province in South African domestic rugby, the Cheetahs, Stormers and Bulls in Super Rugby and Toulon in the Top 14. He was an instrumental part of South Africa winning the 2019 Rugby World Cup and received the Man of the Match award in the final. Vermeulen played as a Number eight but he was equally adept at playing both blindside and openside flanker.
Marcell Cornelius Coetzee is a South African rugby union player who is the captain for South African side the Blue Bulls. He plays as a flanker.
Hadleigh William Parkes is a New Zealand-born Welsh international rugby union player, whose favoured position is at the centre. He currently plays for the Black Rams Tokyo in the Japan Rugby League One. Parkes also has a successful BBC sport rugby union column.
Steven Kitshoff is a South African professional rugby union rugby player. His playing position is loosehead prop. He represents the South Africa national team and captained the Stormers in the United Rugby Championship and previously Super Rugby, and has previously played for Bordeaux in the French Top 14 and Western Province in the Currie Cup. He joined Ulster for the 2023-24 season.
Franco van der Merwe is a South African rugby union footballer. His regular playing position is lock, although he can also operate as a flanker. Previous clubs include Irish side Ulster in the Pro12, London Irish in Premiership Rugby, the Lions in Super Rugby and the Leopards and the Golden Lions in the Currie Cup.
Schalk Willem 'Hond' van der Merwe is a former South African rugby union player who last played for the Free State Cheetahs in the Currie Cup. He previously played for the Golden Lions, the Free State Cheetahs and the Griffons in domestic South African rugby, for the Lions and the Southern Kings in Super Rugby, for Montpellier in the French Top 14 and for Irish Pro14 side Ulster. His usual position is prop.
Johan David Herbst is a former South African rugby union player, who played first class rugby between 2011 and 2016. He played for Griquas, the SWD Eagles and the Pumas in the domestic Currie Cup and Vodacom Cup competitions and made one appearance for the Southern Kings in Super Rugby. His regular position is scrum-half or wing.
Jacques van Rooyen is a South African rugby union player for the Bulls in the United Rugby Championship and the Blue Bulls in the Currie Cup. His regular position is prop.
Irné Philip Herbst is a South African rugby union player, currently playing with English team Harlequins in the Premiership Rugby. His regular position is lock.
Rhyno Herbst is a South African rugby union player for the Seattle Seawolves of Major League Rugby (MLR).
Harlon Jason Klaasen is a South African rugby union player who last played for the Southern Kings in the Pro14. He is a utility back that can play as a centre, wing or fullback.
The 2015–16 season was Ulster's 22nd season since the advent of professionalism in rugby union, and the second under Director of Rugby Les Kiss and head coach Neil Doak. They competed in the European Rugby Champions Cup and the Pro12.
The 2014–15 season was Ulster's 21st season since the advent of professionalism in rugby union, and their first under Director of Rugby Les Kiss and head coach Neil Doak. They completed in the European Rugby Champions Cup and the Pro12.
References
- ↑ "Wiehahn Herbst to join Ulster Rugby" (Press release). Ulster Rugby. 28 March 2014. Retrieved 28 March 2014.