With Ulster hoping to make it three home wins on the bounce against Emirates Lions, Skills Coach, Craig Newby, told local media in a press conference that Ulster will look to build momentum after a thrilling 21-14 win against Interpro rivals Munster last week at Kingspan Stadium.
On Munster victory
We had a proud performance against Munster on Friday night and we are lucky to be back here again this Friday to back it up. We are in a good place but its such a competitive league, so many teams are fighting for the top eight. The Lions have had some really close losses and a really good win against Scarlets. We are never happy with the status quo and are always trying to push forward."
On young players breaking through
"It was great to see young Scott Wilson come on in the second half, helping us win a scrum that Nick Timoney was able to score from.
It’s so good to see young guys coming through and enjoying it, the smile on faces. Typically front-rowers are quiet guys who just get on with the job and Scott is no different. He came off the field, his teammates were right behind him and the challenge for him this week is to back it up.
He is straight into it again and it’s testament to the set-up we have here that young guys are being tested in training, the way we run our sessions. There are a lot of 15 v15 games, so there is exposure each week and the young guys can take their opportunity. Scottie is a product of that system."
On Marty Moore returning to the team
"I see the ups and downs throughout recovery from long-term injury. We have a good process for those guys, there is a lot of breathing space for them. They work hard and then have time off to clear their head and refresh. We don’t rush our players back, as frustrating as it can be as a coach to want your best players playing. The fans want their best playing too. Marty is very diligent about playing, we have had to hold him back while he has been getting close.
Marty is infectious, he is bouncing around and fizzing around. It’s like having a new signing, just like Will back playing and managing his body. We have played good footy without Marty Moore, so having him back is a great bonus!"
On Emirates Lions
"Every team is unique, South Africans teams always love the set pieces, running hard, tackling hard, a good jackal side, probably similar to Munster in the breakdown fight.
Their kicking game is a real strength and have some real athletes in the backs. They have different threats around the ball, we have had a short week of training, and this week is about us, and making sure we get our stuff right."
On managing work-loads
"Friday night matches are nice so we can get refreshed. This is game five of 11 games in a row, so you look for the opportunity where you can to refresh the bodies as well as the minds. The guys have come in really prepared in their own time and training was excellent. It’s such a long strip of games until we get a break in January."
Ireland international centre, Stuart McCloskey, told reporters that he was delighted to get integrated with Ulster against Munster, after being away on international duty for the Rugby World Cup. McCloskey said that there was plenty of good work in the Interpro win to build on for the rest of the season.
Return to the team
"It was good to be back and good to get the win, we gave ourselves a bit of work to do in that first half but we got back into the game in the second half and played some nice stuff out there! We probably didn’t finish as many chances as we would have liked but hopefully that will come.
It's been a fairly seamless return, I know most of these guys for a long time, I feel like a part of the furniture here. Just getting used to some of the play calls, you have to think in the moment about some of the calls and can feel mixed up at the start of the week a little. In game it was fine thankfully.
There are things that Ireland do that Ulster don’t that you have to park to the side. I try to help with any input i can and when you are in that Ireland set-up you can always pick things up."
On his World Cup experience
"I felt fresh, I didn’t play as much as I wanted to in the World Cup but I felt I played a good role when I came on against Scotland. I didn’t really get playing but Bundee Aki fully deserved to start, he was in the running for World Player of the Year. Hopefully if I was starting I would be close to that as well! I
It was good to start last week, I prefer to start and I got into a good flow of the game."
On adjusting to the new pitch
"I have enjoyed it, I was not sure I was in the camp of really wanting it weeks ago, but I have really enjoyed it so far, my body feels good and it does mean a better product of rugby to watch. It’s been very good."
On competitiveness of the BKT URC
"It will be tight, every point will matter, a group of teams will be in there and we are close enough. If we put it together more consistently we will be up there."