The 2016–17 season was Ulster's 23rd season since the advent of professionalism in rugby union, and the third under Director of Rugby Les Kiss and head coach Neil Doak.
They completed in the European Rugby Champions Cup and the final season of the Pro12 before it became the Pro14 with the addition of two teams from South Africa.
Ulster announced in August 2016 that Rory Best would vacate the captaincy of the province.
The Ireland captain was replaced in his role by Andrew Trimble, the team's record try-scorer, and Rob Herring, who took on the role in Best's absence the previous season.
[1][2] Scrum-half Ruan Pienaar was going into his last season with Ulster, after the IRFU blocked him from extending his contract.
[3] New arrivals were South African number 8 Marcell Coetzee from the Sharks, fullback Charles Piutau from Wasps, prop Rodney Ah You from Connacht, lock Kieran Treadwell from Harlequins, out-half Brett Herron from Bath, scrum-half Angus Lloyd from Trinity, and prop Anton Peikrishvili from Brive.
Back row forward Nick Williams left for Cardiff Blues, centre Sammy Arnold for Munster, wing Rory Scholes for Edinburgh, and lock Dan Tuohy for Bristol.
Out-half Ian Humphreys retired, and Willie Faloon, Paul Jackson, Ruaidhri Murphy, Bronson Ross, Paul Rowley, Frank Taggart and Sam Windsor were released.
Academy players who made their debuts this season included flanker Nick Timoney and wing Rob Lyttle.
Assistant coach Joe Barakat left in December to join Western Force.
[4] In early 2017 it was revealed that head coach Neil Doak and assistant coach Allen Clarke would not have their contracts renewed at the end of the season.
Doak's replacement would be Jono Gibbes,[5] with Clarke to be succeeded by Dwayne Peel.
[6] In the Pro12, Ulster finished fifth, qualifying for next season's Champions Cup but missing out on the playoffs.
Flanker Sean Reidy led the league in tackles with 263.
[7] Ulster led the league in discipline and scrums.
[8] At the end of the season, Charles Piutau was named Players' Player of the Season, and he and scrum-half Ruan Pienaar made the Pro12 Dream Team.
They finished bottom of Pool 5 in the Champions Cup, winning two and losing four.
Charles Piutau and wing Jacob Stockdale were joint leading try scorers with nine each.
[9] At the end of the season, Ruan Pienaar departed for Montpellier, and flanker Roger Wilson retired with a record 221 appearances.
Charles Piutau was Ulster's Player of the Season.
Props Hookers Locks Back row Scrum-halves Fly-halves Centres Wings Fullbacks
Props Hookers Locks Back row Scrum-halves Fly-halves Centres Wings Fullbacks The following players, other than players from the senior squad and academy, appeared for Ulster 'A' this season.
Props Locks Back row Fly-halves Centres Wings 1.
Replacements: Andrew Warwick, John Andrew, Rodney Ah You, Clive Ross, Conall Boomer, Angus Lloyd, Johnny McPhillips, Rory Butler, Rob Lyttle, Andy McGrath, C. Smyth, C. Kelly, Alex Thompson, Aaron Cairns, Michael Lagan, Zack McCall 1.
Replacements: Andrew Warwick (for Black 30'), Paul Marshall (for Pienaar 40'), Jonny Simpson (for Ah You 49'), Kieran Treadwell (for Browne 49'), Matty Rea (for Wilson 51'), Kyle McCall (for Simpson 55'), Alan O'Connor (for Van der Merwe 58'), Johnny McPhillips (for Herron 59'), John Andrew (for Herring 59'), Stephen Mulholland (for Diack 60'), Sam Windsor (for Piutau 65'), David Busby (for Cave 65'), Rob Lyttle (for Stockdale 69')/ 1.
Replacements: John Andrew, Callum Black, Ross Kane, Alan O'Connor, Conor Joyce, Matty Rea, David Shanahan, Sam Windsor, David Busby.
The Heineken Ulster Rugby Awards ceremony was held at Aquinas Diocesan Grammar School, Belfast, on 6 May 2017.
Winners were:[79] Roger Wilson was given a special award for retiring as the province's most capped player, with 221 appearances.
Honours caps were awarded for appearance milestones to Tommy Bowe (150), Chris Henry (150), Luke Marshall (100) and Rob Herring (100).
The Danske Bank Schools Player of the Year was won by Michael Lowry of RBAI, beating nominees James Hume (RBAI) and Stewart Moore (Ballymena Academy).