Munster munching can act as a spur to succeed, insists Ferris
ULSTER hero Stephen Ferris expects his former side to bounce back from their record defeat — 64-7 away to Munster last week — when they play Connacht at Kingspan Stadium tonight.
“Sometimes you have to draw a line in the sand and move on,” he said.
“The likes of Rory Best and Iain Henderson, they’ll have been leaders on and off the pitch this week, Marcell Coetzee coming back in is another who has been there and seen it all before.
“I’ve been in a similar situation before and Connacht is one fixture that always seems to go Ulster’s way.”
On the whole, Ferris has been impressed with the province’s start to the PRO14 under Dan McFarland.
“I think a lot of people have said they’ve been playing a different brand of rugby and that’s been pretty evident,” he said.
“Billy Burns has hardly kicked the ball and you can see they’re really trying to keep the ball alive.
“The disappointing thing has been the defence, there’s been a couple of scores that have come a little too easily. There’s a couple of areas to address but the team went about their business well.
“They’ve dug in and there’s been a bit of resilience.
“To get beat by a record score will maybe be a shock, and there’s lots to address from that but if you’d said to me at the start of the season that Ulster would have won three, drawn one and lost one I think I probably would have bitten your hand off.”
Tonight’s game will be Ferris’s first since the announcement that he has joined Premier Sports’ broadcasting team. He will be alongside his old teammate Andrew Trimble in the commentary box, reuniting too with Mark Robson after their days together at Sky Sports.
Once again the British and Irish Lion will be looking to bring his trademark candour to the role.
“I think most people associate me with being very up front and honest — that’s two things of many I’ve been called in the past,” he said.
“But I’ve always believed it’s really important that you can look yourself in the mirror after- wards and be comfortable that you have said it like it is.
“Of course it’s tricky when you watch your team play and have to give a view, you have good relationships with the players, you’re passionate about your team and you don’t want to offend anyone. But it’s a balancing act and the supporters watching want honest, frank, open views.”
Premier Sports is the home of the Guinness PRO14 in the UK and will be showing all 152 games from the Guinness PRO14 this season. Visit www.premiersports.com to sign up to see all the live action.