Congratulations on making your 200th appearance for Ulster a few weeks ago against Ospreys. How does it feel to have made that milestone?
It feels great. It wasn’t until we were in the changing room after the game when the team gave me a standing ovation, presented me with my cap and John Cooney said a few words that it sunk in. Yes, the milestones are great but at the same time, you’re going into a match, and you want to focus on that. The messages of support I got were amazing and I was blown away, to be honest. Kyle Alexander, our soft tissue physio organised video messages from past players who I played with – Andrew Trimble, Rory Best, Tommy Seymour, Tom Court, Christian Lealiifano, Darren Cave, and Chris Henry – legends of the game. It was a proud moment for my family and me.
You made your debut in November 2010 against Cardiff – how have you evolved as a player since then and what have you learned in that time?
That’s a long time ago now! I’ve learned that you have to take the good and the bad – with all the highs there can be lows – and when it’s good, it’s great, and you have to celebrate those moments because you don’t know when that feeling or atmosphere is going to happen again. For example, our game against Northampton was fantastic; a full house on a European night and a bonus-point win. I was sitting in the changing room afterwards thinking, “this is brilliant” and took it all in. You learn from experiences and mistakes you’ve made. You learn from other guys – normally guys who are more experienced than you. I learned a lot from the likes of Tommy Bowe and Andrew Trimble. It’s been a rollercoaster!
What would you say have been the biggest changes you have seen at Ulster in that time?
The passion and the Ulster community have very much stayed the same, which is great because it’s one of the reasons guys want to stay. The professionalism has changed a lot. It was professional when I started, but it has just grown so much since then. It’s almost like an NFL franchise now. When I started, there were maybe five members of support staff on the pitch – your coaches and maybe a physio and kit manager. Now there are nearly 30 – there’s the team manager, kit manager, coaches, Strength & Conditioning coaches, physios, nutritionist, psychologist and so on. There are so many more elements and people to help us as players to progress.
What have been your proudest moments?
Getting your first cap for Ulster and Ireland is so special. It’s something you dream of as a kid and those memories will always stand out, no matter whether you go on to play a handful of times or a couple of hundred times, your first cap is special.
I’ve had some amazing memories in an Ulster jersey. A lot of big European wins; we won away against Castres in 2013 and I was playing full-back in that game. It went well and I had a good game. It was the first time we won in France. Nights like Leicester at home in 2012, Trimby got Man of the Match and we put a massive score on them.
The Heineken Cup Quarter-Final against Munster in 2012 was amazing too. It always sticks out for me because we were so written-off and such underdogs. I remember the build-up to the game, and we started so well from minute one. It was amazing to get that try myself too. I can remember being at the hotel that day before the game, meeting my parents in the restaurant and the excitement on their faces, my mum giving me a hug and getting on the bus, going to Thomond Park and seeing Ulster flags – it was just incredible.
Looking to the future, what are your ambitions as part of this Ulster squad?
I’ve been here a long time now and haven’t won a trophy. That would be a huge goal for me. I’d love to win some silverware with Ulster. I think the team deserves it and the fans deserve it. We put in a lot of work and it’s a hard old graft that a lot of people don’t see or realise. There are a lot of hours and effort that go into a performance from the team every week. I’d just love to win something with Ulster. I still enjoy it so much and still get such a buzz. Our game against Northampton was as good a feeling as it was ten years ago against the likes of Leicester. I want to keep going and I feel really good; touch wood I’m fit and healthy and have got myself in good shape. I just want to keep going for as long as I can.
