Ulster Rugby confirm nine players set to depart Kingspan Stadium at end of the season

Will Addison, Billy Burns and Dave Ewers are amongst nine players confirmed to be leaving Ulster Rugby at the end of this season.

The province announced that Addison, Burns, Ewers, Luke Marshall, Angus Curtis, Greg Jones, Steven Kitshoff, James French and Shea O’Brien will be thanked for their service to the Belfast club at Saturday’s home Inter-Pro fixture against Leinster.

Combined, the departing players have amassed 420 caps for Ulster with retiring Marshall racking up 166 while Burns, who arrived from Gloucester in 2018 and is set to join Munster this summer, made 111 appearances.

Addison’s time at Ulster was heavily impacted by injuries while Ewers leaves after just one season having joined from Exeter Chiefs ahead of the current campaign.

“On behalf of everyone at Ulster Rugby, I would like to say thank-you to the players that will be leaving the club at the end of the season,” said Bryn Cunningham, Head of Rugby Operations and Recruitment. “Despite all being at various stages of their careers, with some having spent many years at the club and others at the start of their professional rugby, it is important to acknowledge the positive impact that each individual has made on the club, both on and off the pitch and in terms of their professionalism day in, day out.

“I would, however, like to give special mention to Lukey having been a proud servant of Ulster Rugby for the past fifteen years.

"He epitomises what it is to be one of the Ulster men, after starting out with Ballymena RFC and going on to represent his club, country and family at the highest level of the game.

"He is the template in terms of character for what pathway players should aspire to be.

“We look forward to joining with supporters on Saturday night to mark the contribution of this group and wish them the best for the future.”

This weekend’s fixture is Ulster’s final home game of their United Rugby Championship campaign and after winning three consecutive matches, including a 31-20 triumph over Scarlets on Saturday, they currently sit in a play-off position.

They confirmed the permanent appointment of Richie Murphy as head coach on Monday after the Ireland U20s chief had initially been brought in on an interim basis.