On his experience in the set-piece against South African teams and what to expect from Cell C Sharks…
When it comes to the Sharks, they’re doing pretty well with the maul and the scrum. We see games go well for teams when the scrums and set-pieces are going well. It’s something we have to be 100% on the money with. In regard to teams we’ve played before, Bulls were going to be a big task for us, but we did ok – we maybe didn’t get a maul try that we would have liked, but we got a few penalties out of them. When you’re up against someone who is just behind you in mauls, it’s a big part of the game for us and them. It will be interesting to see how it goes.
On taking personal strides forward in a competitive back row…
Between having to adjust my playing style a bit and focusing on the breakdown and making that a focus, that was something I identified that I was good at when I was younger. I had put hours into getting better at it, but that doesn’t go without saying the amount of subtle work I did with the Strength and Conditioning and background staff in years gone by. That’s what I fall back on when things get tough.
On the importance of re-establishing Ulster’s winning form at home…
It’s vital. Every year, you look to win all of your home games. We had a few tough games in Munster and Toulouse which were a big kick in the teeth. We want to win those games whether they’re home or away. We don’t want to be regarded as a team who can’t go away – I don’t think we are because we went away to big teams and got results. With the crowd that we have, we want to be winning. Getting a win against the Sharks this week would be massive if we can get a home quarter and get momentum going again.
On the prospect of facing Siya Kolisi…
We’ve played against big players and in Six Nations Championships in the past. It will be good fun getting to play against Siya and seeing him at the breakdown and how he carries. It will be very much a one-on-one battle; I’ll be keeping an eye out and trying to limit him to doing very little, hopefully.
On proving himself as a quality back-row player…
It’s a tricky question because you look at boxers and their psyche, they say, “I’m the best.”. That’s not what I thought but I had the same mindset that I could do this just as well as anyone else. For me it, it was maybe a bit of relief but the job isn’t done and you’re still battling to keep the jersey. I’m very much head down and focused every week.
On whether he would dream of lining out against World Cup winners coming to watch games as a young boy…
It’s pretty cool having South African teams in \[the URC\], so you come up against these players. It’s a cool experience and I never thought I would get the chance to play against them. At that stage, there was still Super Rugby and seeing them on TV, playing against New Zealand and Australian teams. I wasn’t something I dreamed about until two or three years ago and there were whispers of it coming to fruition.
Tickets
Get your tickets for this huge game on Friday evening (7.35pm kick-off).