Ludik Looking Forward To Pro12 Opener

Pre-season is over, the warm ups are done and dusted, it is now down to the business of competitive rugby and the start of the Guinness PRO12 for the Ulster squad. The senior players on the panel are well used to league trips to South Wales but for some of the new members of the squad, such as Louis Ludik, this week represents a whole new experience:

“I’m looking forward to playing in the PRO12”, he says. “This week’s game is massive. It doesn’t matter whether you play away or at home, it’s important to win that first match. It gives you momentum and confidence. Pre-season went well and the warm up games went well, but this is where it counts.”

Louis arrived in Belfast in early July and was pitched straight into a tough pre-season programme. Despite the intensity of the past seven weeks, he knows that that hard work will pay massive dividends when the campaign begins on Saturday:

“I am very happy that pre season is over! We have been working on plays that target the weaknesses of the opposition. Our coaches are really good at getting their messages across. Les, Neil, Jonny and Allen are really specific in their instructions.”

Louis played in both warm up matches. Against Exeter he started at outside centre and he was fullback in the match against Leinster in Tallaght:

“In the first game I had a lot of ball. That was very nice. As fullback against Leinster it was more tough. Even though we won, I didn’t have as much ball in hand. I’m a bit more comfortable at fullback. There is a bit more contact at 13 and a few more tackles.”

One thing that always comes across when you speak to Louis is his passion for the game:

He says: “It’s a privilege for me to play rugby. I had a big injury and once you have had a career threatening injury you think differently about things. Every time that I walk off the field I am very grateful to have played. I put a lot of pressure on myself to play well. To be on the field means a lot and to play for Ulster is a great honour.”