Andy Warwick: how hard graft will work for Ulster in SA
WITH warm weather and dry tracks awaiting them in South Africa, never mind having to play a match at altitude, you could be forgiven for reckoning that precious few props would be relishing Ulster’s two-game trip south of the equator.
It will be lung-busting work both in what is expected to be a potentially fast and loose game on Sunday against the Southern Kings at sea level in Port Elizabeth, and then the itinerary will test the squad even further when, five days later, they play the Cheetahs at a mere 4,600 feet above sea level in Bloemfontein.
If Andy Warwick is harbouring any reservations about the challenge, he’s largely keeping them to himself as he returns to South Africa 10 months after being involved in Ulster’s first visit when they only played the Kings and came uncomfortably close to tripping up.
Since then, of course, much has changed concerning the squad’s coaching ticket and playing personnel, while thanks to Callum Blacks departure to Worcester, Warwick is now Ulster’s most experienced and front-line loose-head prop.
“Personally it’s good to get two starts and I think it’s been going not too bad,” says the unassuming Ballymena man who is expected to play his 98th game for Ulster on Sunday.
“That will be a big achievement,” he adds when reminded of the proximity of his century of appearances, though this will clearly not be achieved before he returns from South Africa.
“I’ve been building into it nicely and hopefully they’ll keep coming,” is all he will say on the matter of the looming milestone.
Of more importance is what lies immediately ahead for Ulster on this mini tour and, for Warwick, who has actually played at South African altitude when on tour with Ballymena Academy over a decade ago, the need to continue to impress new coach Dan McFarland regarding the province’s clear ambition to develop a high-tempo style of play.
Not always ideal for a prop, but then both Tom O’Toole and Eric O’Sullivan, the latter currently Warwick’s understudy, are showing that they are ideal fits when it comes to ball-carrying, tackling and speed around the park, in addition to the more primary tasks of scrummaging and hitting rucks.
“Eric’s a good player and he’s improving especially in the scrum. He’s actually one of the fittest props that I’ve seen so fair play to him and I’ll just have to match that fitness,” Warwick says of the current competition for the number one shirt.
He has been working hard on his all-round game and accepting the gauntlet which has been thrown down by McFarland.
“Obviously he (McFarland) wants to play a quicker, faster game and he has said ‘if the ball is there you have to play it’,” says Warwick who has managed one try in 97 games.
“In training, Dan has us working really hard, with really sharp and intense sessions.
“He wants the ball a lot quicker so that’s now on the forwards to get to the rucks quicker so that we can ideally get the backs really quick ball,” he adds, just in case anyone reckons forwards are now expected to run-in tries like Craig Gilroy’s effort against Edinburgh.
While playing at pace is punishing, Warwick has embraced the benefits of being able to produce it along with the overall work ethic which has accompanied McFarland’s ambition and contributed to Ulster’s late surges to secure their opening two victories.
“It’s more challenging (to play at a high tempo),” admits Warwick.
“If you’re playing quicker you’re out there working with the team and it’s great as with the Scarlets game you could see that they were on their knees and we were out-working them.
“It’s so much better putting pressure on the opposition than feeling it yourself.”
Ulster were certainly under the pump when they came back from being 23-6 down to defeat Edinburgh, thanks to John Cooney’s 82nd minute penalty, but that determination to chase a game by playing heads-up attacking rugby should stand them in good stead.
Having said that the emphasis, on Sunday, will be on ensuring that the Kings are unable to play their width-finding game which did Ulster so much damage last November though the South Africans will have taken confidence ahead of their first home game of the season after a late comeback sealed a losing bonus point at the Dragons.
“They’re a crazy side,” Warwick says while dredging up the memory of last year. They play from anywhere and you have to be ready for everything.
“They’ve got quick backs and, look, we’ll have to control it and go a wee bit better than we did last year.”
And ahead of their long haul south, with more comfortable wins the priority after the narrow squeaks over the Scarlets and Edinburgh, the player who made his debut at the Blues back in 2014 sounded confident.
“It comes down to us working hard and not giving up. I think if we keep doing that, the performances will get there and hopefully this game will see the start of that.”
• DUNCAN Taylor is already in a race to be fit for the Rugby World Cup next year after Saracens director of rugby Mark McCall revealed the Scotland centre will miss the rest of the season.
Taylor has damaged both the anterior and posterior cruciate ligaments in his left knee during last the Premiership Shield match against Northampton at the start of the month and has undergone surgery that McCall described as “successful”, which will keep him out of action until June.