Ulster Rugby vs Connacht

LES KISS

Les, how would you assess the results and performances since your arrival at Ulster Rugby? We’ve had some great wins over the past couple of seasons, back-to-back against Toulouse and then against Clermont earlier this month, but the challenge is for us to perform on a more consistent basis. There have been times when our execution crucial times has poor and that’s something we have been working hard on. Our commitment is to improve in every area of our game and to make the sacrifices necessary to enhance our chances of winning a trophy. Our ambition is there, however, it will require a lot of hard work and undoubtedly a little bit of luck along the way. I bought into a long-term project here and I’ll continue to do everything in my power to ensure we build a successful and sustainable future for Ulster Rugby. What are the players like to work with? They are a great bunch of players, to be honest with you, and they are a pleasure to work with. I was very proud of Rory (Best) when he was appointed Ireland captain at the start of the year and he has done a brilliant job in leading them to some memorable wins. It’s also been really pleasing to see some of our younger guys come in and make an impact on the senior squad. Lorcan Dow, Ross Kane, Rob Lyttle, Jacob Stockdale and Aaron Cairns have all made their senior debuts over the past 12 months and that will stand us in good stead for the seasons ahead. Brett Herron and Kieran Treadwell are two other young players who have performed well for us in some challenging circumstances. Kyle McCall is another who has gone from strength to strength and has a really bright future, for sure. The development of the Ulster A squad was a key target of yours. You must be pleased with their progress? I’ve been really pleased with how the Ulster A team, coached by Kieran (Campbell) and Willie (Anderson) have navigated their way through their British & Irish Cup pool to date. To win 3 out of 4 matches leaves us in a really strong position going into the final two rounds. To get to the quarter-

finals would be a magnificent achievement, given that they are competing with much more settled squads. I must say that John Andrew has led the team superbly from hooker, and he has been well supported by the likes of Lorcan Dow, Stephen Mulholland, Mark Best and David Busby. It was one of the things I identified when I came in - that the A team should be more competitive - thereby giving us greater strength-in-depth, so it’s been great to see and hopefully it continues to develop. The Academy is also a vital cog in the system. What are your thoughts on the current set- up? We have identified some key positions where we need to start producing local young players. This season, 12 of the 19 players on our Academy panel are forwards and I have high expectations that a good number of those will go on to play professional rugby. It’s not an overnight solution but we are investing in a group of young players, and building a great coaching structure, even at age grade and sub-Academy level, to provide players with a pathway into the senior set up. We’ve handed senior debuts to three Academy players already this season, so that is great from a development point of view. I’d like to thank Hughes Insurance for their support in helping us to build a solid Academy programme. It is also important to recognise the part our clubs play in the progress we have had in our A team and Academy. I believe that club rugby is still one of the vital components of any rugby programme, especially here in Ulster. How have you enjoyed your time in Belfast so far? I’ve thoroughly enjoyed my time in the city, and the Province in general. We have our places that we like to go for a coffee or a bite to eat, but the city is so vibrant and there’s so much to see and do. I’ve tried to get out and see as much as possible, and that includes our local rugby clubs and schools. I must say that the local rugby community here in Ulster has been brilliant in welcoming me and I’ve felt very much at home. I’m looking forward to getting out to see even more in 2017.

LES KISS

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