Ethan McIlroy (born 10 August 2000) is an Irish rugby union player who plays wing or fullback for Ulster in the United Rugby Championship and the European Rugby Champions Cup.
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Date of birth | 10 August 2000 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Place of birth | Belfast, Northern Ireland | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Height | 1.88 m (6 ft 2 in) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Weight | 85 kg (13.4 st; 187 lb) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
School | Methodist College Belfast | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Rugby union career | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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He attended Methodist College Belfast, playing fullback in the Methody team that defeated Campbell College 45–17 in the Ulster Schools' Cup final in 2019.[2] He made his debut for Ulster against Leinster in December 2019, while still in the province's sub-academy.[3] He made two starts for Ireland in the 2020 Six Nations Under 20s Championship.[4] He was named Ulster "A" Player of the Year in the 2020 Ulster Rugby Awards.[5] He signed an academy contract for the 2020–21 season,[6] and, alongside David McCann, was awarded the Jack Kyle Bursary by the Ulster Rugby Supporters Club.[7] That season he made 14 senior appearances, including seven starts, and scored two tries.[1]
He signed a development contract ahead of the 2021–22 season,[8] during which, mainly playing on the wing, he made 22 appearances including 21 starts, and scored five tries,[1] including two in Ulster's Champions Cup round of 16 defeat to Toulouse. Rugby Pass named him as one of the URC's breakout stars of the season,[9] and he won Ulster's Young Player of the Year award.[10] He was selected for the Emerging Ireland squad for the Toyota Challenge in South Africa in September 2022.[11]
References
edit- ^ a b c itsrugby.co.uk Profile
- ^ Ciaran Donaghy, "Young Ulster prospect Ethan McIlroy credits development at Methody for career progress", News Letter, 4 February 2022
- ^ Michael Sadlier, "Ethan McIlroy has Ireland ambitions as winger explains 'have a go' attitude encouraged from the off at Ulster Rugby", Belfast Telegraph, 3 February 2022
- ^ "20-year-old McIlroy one of the big winners of the inter-pro series", The 42, 12 January 2021
- ^ "John Cooney is named Ulster's Player of the Year as Marcel Coetzee wins hat-trick of awards", BBC Sport, 20 September 2020
- ^ Gareth Fullerton, "Ulster Rugby announce contract news for four more players", Irish Mirror, 2 February 2021
- ^ "McIlroy And McCann Receive URSC Jack Kyle Bursary", Irish Rugby, 15 December 2020
- ^ "Future at Ulster for Milasinovich, McIlroy, Reid and Shanahan". Ulster Rugby. 2 February 2021. Retrieved 2 February 2021.
- ^ "URC breakout stars of the season", Rugby Pass, 28 April 2022
- ^ "2021-22 Heineken Ulster Rugby Award winners revealed", Ulster Rugby, 23 June 2022
- ^ "Emerging Ireland Squad Named For Toyota Challenge In Bloemfontein", Irish Rugby, 14 September 2022