David, you've been back in pre-season training now for a couple of weeks, how has it went from your point of view?
It’s been a really bright start coming back in. There has been a good blend of hard work and fun, which is key to getting a good mood in the build-up towards the season. We’ve been training hard and it’s got us into shape nice and quick. Its’ been great to get back in and see everyone get integrated into the squad.
Was it important to get a break following a long season?
Yes, I had a nice break for a few weeks, enjoyed a bit of time away and chilled out. It let myself get away from the rugby for a little bit and get excited for being back in.
You had a strong individual season last year, reflected by being voted the Bank of Ireland Men's Player of the Year to cap it off. After last season, what goals are you setting yourself for the upcoming campaign?
You have to keep getting better and always strive to improve. Last year was very good for me but I won’t be resting on my laurels, I want to push on and try to help the team as much as possible.
Last season you had 13 turnovers, 173 tackles and six tries in the URC, will you be aiming to improve on those numbers this season?
I feel I started the season well, but had an injury and then had a bit of a lull in recovering from that. For this season, I just want to hit the ground running and get involved with as many positive involvements in the game as I can. We’ll take it from there.
We’ve seen progression in the team since the arrival of Richie Murphy, especially towards the back end of last season. Do you think the team can pick up where they left off?
Absolutely, I felt we were getting into our stride but the way everything fell, it had felt like we had ran out of time. I feel we are getting a good pre-season under our belts, doing well in training and that's really key to getting off to a good start.
We have a few new faces in the group, with Jimmy Duffy joining the coaching staff and new players coming in like Werner Kok and Aidan Morgan - what impact have these guys made in the team?
It’s always good to get some different perspectives and get different people involved. Aidan looks very bright in training, he’s always involved and with Werner, you know what you get with him because he’s really hard-working and dedicated, plus a very physical player.
Jimmy has came in and put his own stamp on things which has been impressive so far, so I'm looking forward to working with him more.
Do you feel things are ramping up as we get ready for our first pre-season clash, with the Bank of Ireland friendly against Benetton in September?
I think we will be getting into more of the contact-based training soon as we prepare for some competitive rugby and prepare for Benetton next month.
There will be a few people who it might be their first game at Kingspan Stadium in front of a crowd in pre-season, it’s good to be back home and get that feeling again before getting the season underway.
Bank of Ireland Pre-Season Friendly
Ulster v Benetton<br>
Saturday 7 September, 5.00pm<br>
Kingspan Stadium
Tickets are now available for the Bank of Ireland Pre-Season Friendly, with the first chance to watch Richie Murphy's men ramp up their 2024/25 season preparations against a strong Benetton side at Kingspan Stadium.