Having made the summer switch from Sale to Ulster, Will Addison is settling well into his new surroundings, and new team...
Despite being captain of English Premiership side Sale Sharks, with whom he made over 100 appearances, Addison was confident he was making the right decision when the opportunity came up to join Ulster.
“Sale was a club that I loved and was invested in, but the opportunity to join Ulster was one I couldn’t turn down. I had a clause that allowed me to leave if an Irish team came calling and I felt it was the right time for me to make a move. It’s a fresh challenge for me to become a better player and one I’m really looking forward to.”
Addison, who turns 26 on Monday, is Irish qualified by virtue of his mother who is a native of County Fermanagh, and he is availing of the famous Irish hospitality on offer from his maternal relatives.
“My mum is from Enniskillen, she grew up there then went to Trinity and came over to England and met a farmer. I have a good strong family connection in Enniskillen and my aunties have been giving me some good home cooking every weekend. So far, I’m being well looked after in Fermanagh and I’m loving Belfast as well.
A utility back by trade, Addison is comfortable playing across the backline, with his versatility sure to be a valuable asset to Ulster.
“I think it is a positive for me throughout my career that I have played wing, full-back and centre, although centre is probably my favourite. But I just love being on the pitch and I’ll do my best wherever I’m lucky enough to be selected.”
With his transfer confirmed in March, Addison watched on as Ulster went unbeaten in the final five games, including the crucial Champions Cup playoff, to finish a difficult season off on a high. He was impressed with what he saw from his new teammates.
“There is a real good group of guys here and a really strong backbone to the squad. We saw the hard grit of it last year through some really difficult times and I think that bedrock is built on a tight unit. We have had a real tough pre-season but I think that has brought everyone very close together and has helped me settle in very fast.”
Along with fellow new signings Marty Moore and Billy Burns, Addison will get his first run out in an Ulster jersey versus Gloucester in Saturday’s pre-season friendly and he admits he is “really excited about getting a taste of what Kingspan Stadium is all about.”
As well as the established faces in the squad, Addison has been very impressed by some of the younger talent who have been working with the senior squad during pre-season and will also get a taste of senior action this weekend.
“I think we have the foundations of a really good team and we have some very talented young players coming through, the likes of Stewart Moore and Angus Curtis in the backline who are going to be pushing myself and some of the more experienced players. There’s a very strong squad and I think that competition is going to bring a very high standard this year.”
Tickets for Ulster versus Gloucester are priced from just £14 for adults and £9 for juniors, and are available to buy now at ulsterrugby.com/buytickets.
Despite being captain of English Premiership side Sale Sharks, with whom he made over 100 appearances, Addison was confident he was making the right decision when the opportunity came up to join Ulster.
“Sale was a club that I loved and was invested in, but the opportunity to join Ulster was one I couldn’t turn down. I had a clause that allowed me to leave if an Irish team came calling and I felt it was the right time for me to make a move. It’s a fresh challenge for me to become a better player and one I’m really looking forward to.”
Addison, who turns 26 on Monday, is Irish qualified by virtue of his mother who is a native of County Fermanagh, and he is availing of the famous Irish hospitality on offer from his maternal relatives.
“My mum is from Enniskillen, she grew up there then went to Trinity and came over to England and met a farmer. I have a good strong family connection in Enniskillen and my aunties have been giving me some good home cooking every weekend. So far, I’m being well looked after in Fermanagh and I’m loving Belfast as well.
A utility back by trade, Addison is comfortable playing across the backline, with his versatility sure to be a valuable asset to Ulster.
“I think it is a positive for me throughout my career that I have played wing, full-back and centre, although centre is probably my favourite. But I just love being on the pitch and I’ll do my best wherever I’m lucky enough to be selected.”
With his transfer confirmed in March, Addison watched on as Ulster went unbeaten in the final five games, including the crucial Champions Cup playoff, to finish a difficult season off on a high. He was impressed with what he saw from his new teammates.
“There is a real good group of guys here and a really strong backbone to the squad. We saw the hard grit of it last year through some really difficult times and I think that bedrock is built on a tight unit. We have had a real tough pre-season but I think that has brought everyone very close together and has helped me settle in very fast.”
Along with fellow new signings Marty Moore and Billy Burns, Addison will get his first run out in an Ulster jersey versus Gloucester in Saturday’s pre-season friendly and he admits he is “really excited about getting a taste of what Kingspan Stadium is all about.”
As well as the established faces in the squad, Addison has been very impressed by some of the younger talent who have been working with the senior squad during pre-season and will also get a taste of senior action this weekend.
“I think we have the foundations of a really good team and we have some very talented young players coming through, the likes of Stewart Moore and Angus Curtis in the backline who are going to be pushing myself and some of the more experienced players. There’s a very strong squad and I think that competition is going to bring a very high standard this year.”
Tickets for Ulster versus Gloucester are priced from just £14 for adults and £9 for juniors, and are available to buy now at ulsterrugby.com/buytickets.