"It was awesome! Les Kiss puts a big onus on the bench being ready, and I was only too glad to get on for 65 or so minutes and to play a part in a famous victory."
Rory Scholes certainly made a great contribution to that Champions Cup win in Toulouse on Sunday, the 22-year-old wing once more emphasising his huge potential when international Craig Gilroy was forced off at Stade Ernest Wallon with a fractured eye socket.
“You always want to play, and always tell me, and the others around the squad, that we must be ready to take our opportunities, to make it difficult for him when it comes to selection next time round, to make him pick me,” he says with a winning smile.
His gait is strikingly similar to the Campbell College schoolboy of a few years ago who was the outstanding finisher of his generation, but Rory Scholes is now a formidable physical specimen, a result of a gruelling fitness regime which has produced a player as secure in defence as he is in polishing off another slick three-quarters move.
“As far as Europe is concerned we’re now in a far better position in the group after those two wins over Toulouse, and to have been part of it has been very pleasing personally, but it is so much more important for the side. As a group we 100 per cent always believed in ourselves, backed ourselves, and recent performances and results proved that there is so much quality around Ulster at the moment.
“But we have to put those games behind us, learn from them, but move on to a string of important games over the holidays and well into the New Year.
“I think it would be fair to say that we still are very critical of ourselves, that the coaches keep us grounded and that there are always things we can improve on, I know I certainly can,” says the engaging young man with the distinctive red hair.
Scholes is an ambitious but balanced and realistic young man, and says that the influence of Director of Rugby Les Kiss is gradually exerting itself, but that change doesn’t happen overnight.
“But the sort of rugby we’ve been playing suits our players, and I don’t see any reason to change that approach.
“Allen Clarke has said that rugby, even the professional game today, is essentially a simple game, with forwards and backs working together. And to be honest that is what we really emphasis in our training, we’re one unit, supporting, passing, off-loading.
“And we have players up front, and behind the pack, who are all comfortable on the ball, that’s the key thing to me, how good the skills are right through the group.
“It’s just a great atmosphere at Ulster, and the squad’s evolving, guys like Kyle McCall and Alan O’Connor have come through the Academy too and have put their hands up big-time when they’ve been playing.
“I’m like everyone else, I want to play in as many games as possible, get my hands on the ball and do a good job for the team – and that’s the attitude of all the players. Yes, I’m in a competitive position, with Craig, Andrew Trimble and Tommy Bowe just the more better-known guys vying for a spot on the wing, we all want to play but we all want the team to be the best it can be.”
Rory Scholes certainly made a great contribution to that Champions Cup win in Toulouse on Sunday, the 22-year-old wing once more emphasising his huge potential when international Craig Gilroy was forced off at Stade Ernest Wallon with a fractured eye socket.
“You always want to play, and always tell me, and the others around the squad, that we must be ready to take our opportunities, to make it difficult for him when it comes to selection next time round, to make him pick me,” he says with a winning smile.
His gait is strikingly similar to the Campbell College schoolboy of a few years ago who was the outstanding finisher of his generation, but Rory Scholes is now a formidable physical specimen, a result of a gruelling fitness regime which has produced a player as secure in defence as he is in polishing off another slick three-quarters move.
“As far as Europe is concerned we’re now in a far better position in the group after those two wins over Toulouse, and to have been part of it has been very pleasing personally, but it is so much more important for the side. As a group we 100 per cent always believed in ourselves, backed ourselves, and recent performances and results proved that there is so much quality around Ulster at the moment.
“But we have to put those games behind us, learn from them, but move on to a string of important games over the holidays and well into the New Year.
“I think it would be fair to say that we still are very critical of ourselves, that the coaches keep us grounded and that there are always things we can improve on, I know I certainly can,” says the engaging young man with the distinctive red hair.
Scholes is an ambitious but balanced and realistic young man, and says that the influence of Director of Rugby Les Kiss is gradually exerting itself, but that change doesn’t happen overnight.
“But the sort of rugby we’ve been playing suits our players, and I don’t see any reason to change that approach.
“Allen Clarke has said that rugby, even the professional game today, is essentially a simple game, with forwards and backs working together. And to be honest that is what we really emphasis in our training, we’re one unit, supporting, passing, off-loading.
“And we have players up front, and behind the pack, who are all comfortable on the ball, that’s the key thing to me, how good the skills are right through the group.
“It’s just a great atmosphere at Ulster, and the squad’s evolving, guys like Kyle McCall and Alan O’Connor have come through the Academy too and have put their hands up big-time when they’ve been playing.
“I’m like everyone else, I want to play in as many games as possible, get my hands on the ball and do a good job for the team – and that’s the attitude of all the players. Yes, I’m in a competitive position, with Craig, Andrew Trimble and Tommy Bowe just the more better-known guys vying for a spot on the wing, we all want to play but we all want the team to be the best it can be.”