Sean Reffell

Sean Reffell joined Ulster Rugby in 2022, adding back-row competition to the province's forward unit. An openside flanker born on 4 November 1998, Reffell built his reputation on a high tackle count and a tireless presence around the breakdown. His arrival strengthened Ulster's loose-forward depth, bringing a specialist seven's instincts for the contact area and the defensive read to disrupt opposition possession. Reffell's value lies in the unglamorous fundamentals of back-row play: chasing kicks, hitting rucks, and making the cover tackles that keep a defensive system honest. He offers leadership in the contact zone, organising those around him and setting the tone with his physical commitment. In the United Rugby Championship and European competition, where the margins are fine and the breakdown is fiercely contested, that kind of work rate is a genuine asset. Now an experienced campaigner, Reffell provides Ulster with a reliable option capable of competing for a starting role and offering balance to a back row that prizes both ball-carrying power and the scavenging qualities he supplies.