Ulster Rugby is like no other because of the history which the club has; through rugby, links with our community, from guys playing schools’ rugby right the way through. I think it’s an incredibly special place to play as well because the fans make match night here as special as anyone has ever played in, in Europe. Anyone at Ulster, or any of our visitors who come to us know how special match night at Kingspan Stadium is. Having the links to past players from clubs all around Ulster in all nine counties makes it a very special place.
Like a lot of people, I first picked up a rugby ball at a very young age when I was at primary school. I played with all my mates on a Saturday morning which was an amazing time and place to get together and play through the winter. It was one of the most highlighted memories of my childhood, going through school and playing with school-mates. Growing up, I made some of the best friends I could ever imagine, and you keep them through your whole life. Joining your club, playing at Queen’s University, you make unbelievable memories. Being able to play with family members in senior rugby at your local clubs is a very special thing to be able to do.
When you come from the changing room at Kingspan Stadium, we try to keep nice and calm, get our heads together and ensure we have our goals set in our minds. When we leave, we’re fired up and ready to go, you hear a bit of buzz and the moment you get outside, the lights come on... It’s an unbelievable feeling. You hear the crowd lift everyone’s spirits that little bit higher and giving us that bit more for kick-off. It’s a special feeling that you don’t get anywhere else and to be able to share that with my team-mates on the pitch is incredibly special.
We talk as a player group about the atmosphere and what we can do to grow that atmosphere. We’re constantly trying to give the fans more of what they want to see, to hear their voices and hear them excited. The more they get excited, the more we get excited. We love feeding off each other and hearing the fans go wild. It makes us want to go harder and harder, which makes them want to shout louder and louder. It makes Kingspan Stadium an incredibly difficult place to come to for any opposition, which is one of the top reasons why it's such a class place to play.
With the group of players we have, it’s an incredibly exciting time. The young guys coming through are as exciting as I’ve seen come through at any club. It’s great to see it’s coming from Ulster. We’re growing these players right here. Those players are going to be the future of Ulster Rugby, and it’s incredible to be a part of the start of their journey. They’re going to be the ones we’ll watch in the stands when we’re older.
It makes me incredibly proud to be able to represent everyone who’s in this team. We have a full squad of exceptional human beings who work really hard to get to where they are and to produce the type of rugby we try to play. To be able to call them my team-mates is amazing.
... like no other!
Need a reminder of what Kingspan Stadium match days are all about? Check this out...