Ulster
coach Mark Anscombe’s departure was messy and abrupt and following in the wake of director of rugby
David Humphreys
taking the boat to Gloucester, it seemed the heart was torn out of the province, the summer left for patching up what was left.
But the change may transpire to be as much instructive as disruptive. In interim director of rugby Les Kiss, on secondment from Ireland and Joe Schmidt, Ulster may have fallen on their feet.
Kiss is expected to bring a Schmidt blueprint, an international instruction manual as well as a certain amount of influence that reaches beyond Ravenhill Road.
The 49-year-old knows what the Irish coach demands in performance, the detail, the discipline and the upgrading of personnel responsibility.
If Ulster wish to push their squad into the international arena, the former Australian Rugby League player's arrival may pay dividends beyond provincial success in the lead up to next year's World Cup.
Craig Gilroy, who began last season injured but has timed a perfect run to full fitness this year, went on the emerging tour to Romania over the summer.
The Bucharest trip reinforced his confidence in breaking back into the Irish side and in Kiss he has a coach who also gave him his first senior cap against Argentina in 2012.
There will be more clarity downloaded into the province, especially to the emerging players, about the entire regime of international rugby and Schmidt’s needs.
“Obviously they (Schmidt and Kiss) work very close together,” said Gilroy. “They know what they want. What Les wants at this level it would be similar to national level. You can take a real positive from that . . . .
“ A lot of the guys know him from the Irish set-up. It’s funny seeing him in the Ulster top as opposed the Ireland top and cap. He makes that transformation well and he’s really bought into the culture here and everyone’s getting on well. He’s brought in what I know he’s like... and that is a lot of detail . . . . It certainly worked with Ireland.”
Shop window
With a rejuvenated
Andrew Trimble
playing his best,
Dave Kearney
breaking through,
Robbie Henshaw
looming, Fergus McFadden,
Simon Zebo
,
Luke Fitzgerald
on the mend and
Keith Earls
all leaping at chances for centre or wing positions whenever offered, Bucharest was a welcome shop window. To Llanelli this week for Ulster in their opener and for Gilroy things have realigned nicely.
“I felt I finished the season and had a good tour to Romania, then had a good break and pre-season. I think I’m in a much better place now.
“I feel like I’m in with a shout and I can perform to my best again. I felt I showed that towards the end of last season on tour but I feel I’ve more to offer. . . I just want to play good rugby and bring what I’ve always brought, a little sort of X-factor a bit of spark and yeah, to play for Ulster, play for Ireland. That’s the dream.”
