Ulster Though he also played amateur rugby for
Belfast Harlequins and
Banbridge, Porter's first professional rugby club was
Ulster. Porter came through Ulster's academy system, playing for the Under-19 and Under-20 sides, and in 2009 was nominated for the province's 'Academy Player of the Year' award. In January 2010 it was announced that Porter was among nine players who had signed contracts with Ulster, meaning he would play for the senior side starting in the 2010–11 season. He made his full debut for the senior side on 11 September 2010 in the
2010–11 Celtic League, coming off the bench against Italian side
Aironi. He also featured off the bench against
Edinburgh and
Cardiff Blues. However, having started off the season as second choice to
Paul Marshall at scrum-half, the signing of
Ruan Pienaar saw him drop to third choice and Porter finished the season with just three league appearances, all as a replacement. In the 2011–12 season, Porter continued as third choice, making five replacement appearances in the
2011–12 Pro12, the league having been renamed. Porter signed as cover to Connacht's
Kieran Marmion, replacing outgoing players
Frank Murphy and
Paul O'Donohoe. ==References==