#RespectURgame | Jonny Petrie

"The first thing for me to say is well done to everybody involved in the domestic game within Ulster on managing what's been so far, a really successful return for us after what I'm sure we would all agree has been the most challenging of times over the past two years for the sport.

"It's been great to see the game come back to life on and off the pitch. Hopefully, as the winter months come in, we can maintain that development, albeit we need to continue to be cautious around where things sit at. I'd like to think that things are moving in the right direction and we have a positive rest of season ahead of us.

"So, a lot to look forward to, but it feels like an appropriate time in which we can reflect as to where we've come from over the course of the past couple of years and the difficulties of that and look at the road ahead for the domestic game here in the province. It's a timely reminder for us that respect is really a key principle of the game of rugby, elsewhere but also primarily here in Ulster for us.

"I think what we've seen over the course of the last while is some really positive examples of where respect has been shown. That's something we'll be looking to highlight over the next few weeks and months. Work that's been going on in the clubs with teams, players, coaches, volunteers and where everyone's been really positive about the way the sport is going.

"I think it's also fair to say that we've seen a number of instances of where respect hasn't been shown, be that directed at referees, be that directed at players, coaches, supporters and that's simply not good enough. It's something we want to make sure that we are discouraging and that we're stamping out from the game, because it's not what we want to see in rugby here in Ulster, particularly.

"With that in mind, that's what we'll be focusing our energies on here in Ulster Rugby over the next few weeks and months as we begin to highlight a campaign about respect, both showing the positive things that are coming out of the club and school game and in domestic rugby, but also trying to educate and provide tools and support to clubs and schools to make sure that we're demonstrating what standards we want to set ourselves and what example that we want to set.

"Over the course of the next while, we'll be launching that campaign, we'll be working with clubs and with schools and looking at some of the really great stuff that's going on in the game just now and making sure that we are showing respect at all levels of the game and look forward to working with you on that."