With the prolonged pre-season period, Ulster's team and staff are itching to get into their first competitive fixture against their Italian opposition in Parma. The pre-season was split into blocks, to spread out the intensity and allow the players to gradually build their fitness. Defence Coach Jonny Bell says everybody feels ready for the weekend.
On Zebre Parma trip
“We are thrilled to get going, its been a long pre-season, the boys enjoyed plenty of time off, and there is only so much training you can do before you need to play again. An away trip to Zebre is tough, they ran Leinster close last year and gave the Vodacom Bulls a scare too, so it’s going to be a competitive game. I know the squad are itching to get onto pitch."
On a fresh re-set during pre-season
" There has been a turnover of players and that’s inevitable in any team. The boys have trained incredibly hard over the last number of weeks. When we started season, it was 16 weeks to Zebre and you get to know new players and they get to know the system. It's never perfect on the first game but the guys are enthused and ready to go. It wont be easy, it will be a tough game, they are a proud side, passionate at home and they will be ready for it."
On a change of playing style
"The maul is a very important part of the game, we had a lot of success with it last year and Tom got a lot of tries off the back of it!
We’ve challenged ourselves to be really aggressive, get the ball back quicker and with a faster pitch at Kingspan Stadium the ball will move around a lot quicker. There will be opportunities to make turnovers and counterattack. The defence has to serve the attack, and the attack has to also serve the defence.
Every rugby player wants to play a fast game and we want to evolve. We will be playing on an artificial surface which does make you play a faster game, so its about us as a group and we felt this was the way we wanted to go but we also won't move away from our strengths."
On the re-integrating our Ireland internationals
"They’ll be hugely disappointed, as Andy Farrell (Ireland head Coach) said sport can be cruel and they did their country proud. That’s the nature of the game, they’ll look to rest, recover and come back to the provincial squad in 3 or 4 weeks time.
They are a resilient bunch, they will have time off with their family without rugby and will reflect personally and as a group. They'll get back into and we have to make sure that when they return they will feel reinvigorated and ready to go. They know we care about them and we want them to be excited to play for us."
Ulster hooker Tom Stewart shared his thoughts on the squad's excitement for the season opener and how he hopes to build after a record-breaking campaign last season. Tom also shared his thoughts on Ireland's Rugby World Cup Quarter-Final exit, with the hooker being involved in the Rugby World Cup training camp earlier this summer.
On Zebre opener
"We can't wait to get started, its been an extended pre-season and with the World Cup it's been an exciting time. It would be huge to start off the season off with a win and Zebre will be very passionate about it, we need to start as we mean to go on."
On playing a faster brand of rugby
"Well hopefully the maul goes well! I had a good season but my main focus is to keep developing the other parts of my game, and hopefully keep pushing everyone around me. If results go for us then that’s great.
I enjoy the faster paced games, I find rugby is going that way, the ability to play quicker, more dynamic is enjoyable. I've enjoyed the change. It's more for the fans and creates good games to watch with free-flowing rugby."
On Ireland teammates and his hopes for the next WC
All credit to the boys, it was a serious test match, I'm gutted for the boys out there and it was devastating to go that way. Now a new World Cup cycle will start and I’ll keep motoring on with Ulster and what will be will be.
What he learned from being involved with Ireland
"From a younger player's perspective, professionalism - seeing how all the other guys went about their business. I want to focus on that this year, especially around my body, getting repaired and prepared for games, training and everything we do in the build- up to the game."
Being named captain for recent matches
"We have a core leadership group and have a lot of young players in that group. We also have academy guys will be coming up and they can put their mark on the game. We need to grow together and all of us need to lead. It's about owning those responsibilities together.
Ulster's talented universal back, Stewart Moore, also shared his thoughts after a big pre-season for the Ballymoney man, who hopes to cement his position in the team this season.
On pre-season
"We worked in blocks this pre-season, it was hard to come in and keep the intensity, the staff and coaches worked it well and while it was an enjoyable pre-season we want to see the back of it."
New season mindset
"We are developing a mantra of we win or we learn, wins will be sweeter, tough times are tough but when we win and perform well those wins will be that extra sweeter.
When you play for Ulster you are expected to win every game. We love it and thrive for it."
On stepping up in leadership
"We lost a lot of experience in the players who left but boys have put their hands up really well. I have to step up too, its a tight- knit group. Players like Mike Lowry, James Hume, Rob Baloucoune and Ethan McIlroy are young with a lot of experience, we have to step up and take leadership.