Abbey Insurance Ulster Rugby Academy rookie Graham Curtis, the brother of Ireland U20 centre Angus Curtis, is following a similar path to his older sibling. Having joined Ulster at the beginning of this month, he's hoping to take his chances this season and aspires to run out for the seniors.
Here’s his story…
“The year before my brother Angus joined the Academy, we came with my Dad on a tour of Ireland and to be honest Ulster was the province that impressed us the most,” explains Curtis. “We watched the team interact and saw Kingspan Stadium and knew this was the place for us. I have always wanted to play rugby in Ireland but after that tour, we knew Ulster Rugby would be the best opportunity for us.
“So far, the move is going great, I arrived in January so mid-season, which gave me the opportunity to acclimatise and get used to my new home. I started pre-season a few weeks ago, which is going well; it has been tough but it’s great to get stuck in.
“We have been working on loads of things, I was quite unfit at the start, I was back in South Africa for a month and got tonsillitis so that set me back a little bit, but gradually the stamina is building and the nerves have faded. At the beginning, there was a lot of fitness testing, the work rate here is extremely high with all the seniors so it’s a challenge for a young Academy player but it’s been a great experience so far.
“Last season, it was very special watching Angus getting his first cap for the seniors, it was a proud moment for both me and my Dad. I asked him the other day, did he ever imagine after such a short space of time that he would be selected for the seniors and he said no. So, it’s a big motivation, there were a few injuries and he was given the opportunity, so you never know what the future holds. It’s great motivation for me for the upcoming season.”
Rugby beginnings…
“I was brought up in Zimbabwe, went to junior school there and started playing rugby at 6 or 7 years old with my Dad and brother Angus,” says Graham. “The two of us did our first year of High School there and then Angus got offered a scholarship to Hilton College just outside Durban. The following year, I got offered the same scholarship so we went through school together playing lots of rugby and cricket. The rugby scene in South Africa was a massive jump from Zimbabwe, the school boys there were a lot bigger, so rugby was at a higher competitive level, so it’s where we wanted to be.
“After that, we knew we wanted to move to Ireland to play, my Dad, David, went to Oxford, he played for London Irish before moving to Connacht and playing for Ireland, so it’s exciting to be following in his footsteps.”
Here’s his story…
“The year before my brother Angus joined the Academy, we came with my Dad on a tour of Ireland and to be honest Ulster was the province that impressed us the most,” explains Curtis. “We watched the team interact and saw Kingspan Stadium and knew this was the place for us. I have always wanted to play rugby in Ireland but after that tour, we knew Ulster Rugby would be the best opportunity for us.
“So far, the move is going great, I arrived in January so mid-season, which gave me the opportunity to acclimatise and get used to my new home. I started pre-season a few weeks ago, which is going well; it has been tough but it’s great to get stuck in.
“We have been working on loads of things, I was quite unfit at the start, I was back in South Africa for a month and got tonsillitis so that set me back a little bit, but gradually the stamina is building and the nerves have faded. At the beginning, there was a lot of fitness testing, the work rate here is extremely high with all the seniors so it’s a challenge for a young Academy player but it’s been a great experience so far.
“Last season, it was very special watching Angus getting his first cap for the seniors, it was a proud moment for both me and my Dad. I asked him the other day, did he ever imagine after such a short space of time that he would be selected for the seniors and he said no. So, it’s a big motivation, there were a few injuries and he was given the opportunity, so you never know what the future holds. It’s great motivation for me for the upcoming season.”
Rugby beginnings…
“I was brought up in Zimbabwe, went to junior school there and started playing rugby at 6 or 7 years old with my Dad and brother Angus,” says Graham. “The two of us did our first year of High School there and then Angus got offered a scholarship to Hilton College just outside Durban. The following year, I got offered the same scholarship so we went through school together playing lots of rugby and cricket. The rugby scene in South Africa was a massive jump from Zimbabwe, the school boys there were a lot bigger, so rugby was at a higher competitive level, so it’s where we wanted to be.
“After that, we knew we wanted to move to Ireland to play, my Dad, David, went to Oxford, he played for London Irish before moving to Connacht and playing for Ireland, so it’s exciting to be following in his footsteps.”