Jan Cunningham

Jan Cunningham is an Irish former rugby union player, who played centre, wing and fullback for Ulster.

Jan Cunningham

Birth name	Jan Cunningham
School	Bangor Grammar School
University	Trinity College Dublin
Notable relative(s)	Bryn Cunningham (brother)
Rugby union career
Position(s) Wing, centre, fullback Amateur team(s) Years Team Apps (Points) 1993-1997 Dublin University () 1997-1999 Ballymena R.F.C. () 1999- Dungannon RFC () Senior career Years Team Apps (Points) 1995-2002 Ulster 54 () Correct as of 2 December 2022

He was educated at Bangor Grammar School, where he captained the 1st XV at rugby and the 1st XI at cricket.^[1] He captained Ulster Schools, was part of the Ireland Schools team that won the Triple Crown.^[2]

He studied Law at Trinity College Dublin, playing rugby for Dublin University,^[2] and was selected for Ireland at under-19 and under-21 level.^[1] He made his debut for Ulster against Munster in 1995.^[3] After completing his law degree in 1997, he joined Ballymena R.F.C.^[4] And signed a full-time contract with Ulster.^[5] He played all but one of Ulster's Heineken Cup matches in the first four seasons of the competition. He was part of the Ulster team who won the 1999 Heineken Cup, scoring three tries during the campaign. He started the final, but fractured his jaw and cheekbone in a tackle early in the first half, and was withdrawn at half-time.^[6] Internationally, played for Ireland 'A' and Ireland Sevens,^[1] and was an unused substitute for the senior Ireland team in a friendly against Canada in 1997.^[7] At club level, he moved to Dungannon RFC before the 1999-2000 season,^[8] and was part of the Dungannon team who were the first Ulster club to win the All-Ireland League in 2001.^[9]

He fell out of favour at Ulster under head coach Alan Solomons, who left him out of the squad for the 2001–02 Heineken Cup.^[10] His final appearance for the province came in December 2002, after a series of injuries left the team short of centres for a Heineken Cup tie against Biarritz Olympique,^[11] scoring a try in a narrow defeat.^[12] His contract was up at the end of the 2002-03 season, and he was not offered a new one.^[13] He had made 54 appearances for the province.^[1] He resumed his legal career as a trainee solicitor with Millar McCall Wylie,^[2] rising to become a partner at the firm in 2011.^[14] His younger brother Bryn also played for Ulster,^[15] and has been the team's Operations Director since 2015.^[16]

References

1. Trevor Gray, The History of Bangor Grammar School, 2015, Chapter 13b: 1990-1998
2. Peter Lockhart (29 June 2020). "Jan Cunningham: Ulster's Legal Eagle". The Red Hand (Podcast). Retrieved 2 December 2022.
3. Gavin Mairs, "Jan just the man to lift Dungannon", Belfast Telegraph, 14 February 2003
4. Jim Stokes, "Jan sets his sights on Eaton Park", Belfast Telegraph, 18 July 1997
5. Jim Stokes, "Mark off to join Exiles", Belfast Telegraph, 17 July 1997.
6. Jonathan Bradley, The Last Amateurs: The Incredible Story of Ulster Rugby's 1999 European Champions, The Blackstaff Press, 2018, pp. 168-171
7. "Ireland make two changes", Evening Herald, 21 November 1997
8. Jim Stokes, "Dungannon's table is set", Belfast Telegraph, 18 August 1999
9. "Brilliant Dungannon crowned All-Ireland champions", Ulster Herald, 31 May 2001
10. "Ulster axe winger Cunningham", BBC Sport, 19 September 2001
11. Gavin Mairs, "Go out there and blitz Biarritz: Cunningham", Belfast Telegraph, 27 October 2005
12. "Ulster beaten by Biarritz", RTÉ Sport, 14 December 2002
13. Gavin Mairs, "European Cup heroes lose Ulster contracts", Belfast Telegraph, 11 February 2003
14. Jan Cunningham profile at Millar McCall Wylie
15. Bruce McKendry, Champions: The Players' Story, IRFU (Ulster Branch), 1999, p. 140
16. Richard Mulligan, "Ulster management happy with progression across all fronts", News Letter, 15 December 2015