Adam McBurney, who captained Ulster in Friday night’s 21-5 win against Uruguay, says he couldn’t be prouder of the performance.
Speaking after the game, McBurney, who came through the ranks at Randalstown RFC and now plays for Malone RFC, had particular praise for his fellow forwards, who battled against their sizeable South American counterparts in tough conditions:
“We took the bull by the horns and took it to a big, international pack. We’re really excited by the way we performed together as a pack. I thought there were some really good individual performances, but as a collective, we adapted well and stepped up to the plate.
“Our half backs (Jonny Stewart and Johnny McPhilips) controlled the game really well too, so we have to give a bit of credit to the backs.
“But when it came down to the nitty gritty stuff, it was about fronting up in that weather and the pack did a great job. I couldn’t be prouder of how the boys performed and to win by that margin is a credit to them.”All three of Ulster’s tries were scored by forwards as McBurney bagged a brace and young Abbey Insurance Academy back row Marcus Rea also touched down. McBurney says he wasn’t surprised by the dominant display: “From previous years of playing with this group of boys, I know that our maul has always been a weapon and our scrum has always been a weapon. We had to adapt (to the weather) but we had confidence in our set piece and maul.” The 22-year-old also had praise for the Uruguayans, who played a high-tempo game and caused the hosts some problems. “They played really well and the try they scored was fantastic. I thought we defended quite well to keep them out and to only concede five points against team that’s going to be in the World Cup in 10/11 months time was excellent from us. They did have us under pressure at times and fair play to them, but I actually thought we controlled the game quite well.” With the job done, McBurney and the other young players are now eager to continue to stake their selection claims for the senior squad. “From what we’ve seen from the the start of the season, boys are getting opportunities, it’s simple. And you have to be ready to take those opportunities. “I think we proved ourselves, individually and collectively. Some of our guys were just out of school, but they showed their potential. For me, whatever game time I get, I want to prove what I can do and make an impact, and I know it’s the same for every other player in the squad.”