| Birth name | Tony McWhirter | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| School | Dalriada School | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| University | University of Dundee | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Rugby union career | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Tony McWhirter is an Irish former rugby union player, who played number eight and lock for Ulster.
A native of Ballymoney, County Antrim,[1] he attended Dalriada School, where he was part of the team that made the 1993 Ulster Schools' Cup final.[2][3] He studied dentistry at the University of Dundee, while playing rugby for Dundee HSFP, and represented Ulster at under-20 and under-21 levels,[1] and captained the Ireland under-21 side that won the Triple Crown in 1995-96.[4]
Returning to Northern Ireland, he joined Ballymena R.F.C. and signed a part-time contract with Ulster for the 1997-98 season.[5] Under coach Tony Russ, he played in the second row.[1] He signed a full-time contract for the 1998–99 season,[4] and under coach Harry Williams he moved to his preferred position, number 8. He was part of the Ulster team who won the 1998–99 Heineken Cup.[1] The following season, he moved to Dungannon RFC,[6] and was named Ulster's player of the year.[7] He was called up to the Ireland training squad ahead of the 2001 Six Nations Championship,[8] and was part of the Dungannon team that became the first Ulster club to win the All-Ireland League in 2001.[9] He retired due to a hand injury at the end of the 2003-04 season,[10] having made 94 appearances for Ulster.[4] After retiring, he resumed his career as a dentist, while coaching rugby at Dalriada School.[11]