It has been a frustrating season for Tommy Bowe. Following the highs of the Lions series win in the summer, the Ulster winger has been restricted to just seven matches so far this season due to injury. Now, however, approaching the business end of the season and having scored three tries in three matches, Bowe says he is feeling close to 100% again and looking forward to a massive few weeks:
“My fitness is coming on”, says the 30 year old. “It was frustrating being out for a little bit longer than I had hoped but I am feeling like my fitness is getting there. I am getting a bit more game time, I had my first eighty against Edinburgh last weekend and I am feeling good. I was hungry to get back playing again.”
Up next for Ulster and Bowe are Cardiff Blues. Last season Bowe scored two tries at the Arms Park last season in a convincing 48-19 win for the Province but Bowe believes that Saturday evening’s match will be a difficult test for Mark Anscombe’s side:
“Cardiff have had a bit of a turbulent season but they have quality players, a few British and Irish Lions in their team and they are a strong side”, says Bowe. “To play them over there is never going to be easy, they like to play a nice brand of rugby.”
“It would be very nice to get a few tries against them again this season, I would love to go over there and score a couple of tries. I enjoy playing there on the new artificial surface, the track is going to be very fast, hopefully the rain stays off and we can play some good rugby.”
Ulster have won every game that they have played in 2014 so far and are in a run of four RaboDirect PRO12 matches leading into the Heineken Cup Quarter-Final next Saturday.
Bowe says: “We were lucky with the Scarlets match being rearranged. That meant that we have had an extra game to build us up into a tough few weeks. I think the match against Edinburgh was disappointing for us, it was difficult to play, very physical and the weather condition were terrible. But hopefully this weekend the conditions will be better and we will be able to play a nice style of rugby with the view to open it up against Saracens.”