Ian Humphreys Signs Two Year Deal With Ulster Rugby

The former Ballymena Academy pupil has been plying his trade at English side Leicester Tigers since the summer of 2005 when he left club side Belfast Harlequins.

Ian played an important role in the Tigers progress in all four competitions in 2006/07 as Tigers achieved Guinness Premiership and EDF Energy Cup glory and reached the finals of both the Heineken Cup and the Guinness A League making 15 appearances for the senior side in 2006/07, scoring 100 points, including two tries.

Having captained Ireland at the Rugby World Cup Sevens in Hong Kong during 2005, Ian made his Ireland A debut during the 2007 shadow Six Nations and was also selected for the Churchill Cup played later that summer.

The brother of current Ulster fly half David Humphreys, Ian has also represented Ireland at U-19 and U-21 level, as well as pulling on a Barbarians shirt against the Combined Services in 2004 and the Royal Navy in 2006.

Ian said earlier today, "I am really pleased to be signing for Ulster, everyone who grows up in Ulster wants to play for Ulster and it is something that I have always wanted to do, when the chance came along I took it and I am really looking forward to it. It will be great playing alongside a lot of guys that I have grown up with and played alongside at various levels, I went to school with Matt and Bryan and Rory is one of my best mates."

When asked if elder brother David had been offering him any advice Ian said, "David has always been there for me, I have talked to him about things and he told me that everything is going well under Matt Williams and he likes the way things are being run, he is there for advice but would never force his opinions."

Ian will join up with the Ulster squad for pre season training in June