We’ll go over with all guns blazing: Reidy
Ulster ace fired up after flying out of traps following injury return
DESPITE, somewhat ironically, being the result that has set up the Challenge Cup tilt that brings Ulster to Northampton on Saturday evening, December’s loss to Gloucester will not be remembered fondly by anyone in the province.
A careless reverse from a winning position against a side who spent a large chunk of the season bottom of the Premiership ended the Champions Cup hopes for another season and, at a time when they were unbeaten domestically, brought about further accusations that this iteration of Ulster had found comfort on the flat track of the PRO14.
One to forget for all involved then, but especially so for Sean Reidy. Lost in the shuffle somewhat of the chaotic defeat was the shoulder injury picked up by the influential flanker.
When, some two weeks later, it was revealed that the twicecapped Irish international would require shoulder surgery that could keep him out for three months, it was something of a bolt from the blue.
Not often attracting the same headlines as Ulster’s small cohort of Test stars, you can guarantee such news was keenly felt within the walls of Kingspan Stadium where Reidy had already earned man of the match honours on three occasions during the campaign. At that stage, with so much then unknown about the season’s structure, it felt possible that the 31-year-old had played his last rugby of the year.
Instead, since making his return ahead of schedule at the end of February, he appears primed and ready for the season’s run-in.
In his first game back against the Ospreys he looked every inch a player who had been champing at the bit to get back among the action. And while the side’s PRO14 charge faltered, he had maintained his form through the end of winter and into the spring, earning yet another man of the match award in Sunday’s Challenge Cup last-16 thumping of Harlequins.
A typically all-action performance, the numbers said plenty of his involvement: 16 carries, 17 metres and 20 tackles.
Ahead of the quarter-final with Northampton in Franklin’s Gardens on Saturday, Reidy believes understanding his body in the latter years of his career has been the key to ensuring he was ready to hit the ground running after injury.
“You have got to know your body and you have got to know what you can do,” he said. “Injuries are part of the game but if you do get them you have got to try and come back as strong as you can.
“I’m just doing what I can with what I have got. The older you get, the wiser you get and you know your body. You know what you can achieve so I just keep grinding away.
“The loose forwards are going really well, and it is a shame Marcell (Coetzee) is injured because he is a big part of this outfit, but it is up to the rest of us to keep pushing each other along and get the best results.
“There are plenty of guys as well behind the scenes pushing us along — Matty and Marcus Rea, Greg Jones and David Mccann are all pushing us — so there is a pretty good mix at the minute and it is an enjoyable little mini group to be a part of.”
With Reidy bagging two of the side’s eight tries against Harlequins, last week quickly became something of a rout.
A result that came after Harlequins opted to rest much of their starting side, Reidy stressed that Ulster can’t concern themselves with what side the Saints will choose to field but instead can only focus on their own efforts to end this season with silverware.
“We were pretty disappointed we weren’t in those PRO14 playoffs,” he said.
“It’s good that we could harness that energy and disappointment into the Challenge Cup but we know we have a lot of work ahead of us.
“I’m not sure what their motivation is but any side that can potentially win silverware are going to be vying for that, All we can do is focus on what we can control and that is going to Northampton and putting in a good performance
there. They are a very proud team and we’ll have a good look at them this week and we’ll go over there all guns blazing.”
Those hoping for more of a contest will hope that Saints do too.
With the Harlequins game having been rendered such a non-contest, all eyes will be on the Northampton selection to be
confirmed on Friday afternoon.
Dan Biggar, George Furbank, Courtney Lawes, Lewis Ludlam, Owen Franks and Nick Isiekwe were just a handful of the players who missed out on their win over Dragons last weekend, while the likes of Tom Wood, Piers Francis and Paul Hill were rested.
Like Ulster — who gave no update on skipper Iain Henderson’s
shoulder injury except to say he was being monitored — Saints said yesterday it would be later in the week before the status of their walking wounded became clear.
Ulster’s forwards coach Roddy Grant said: “The Saints are a very good team that have gone well for the last few months.
“They are back up playing
some good stuff. They have some very good individuals. They had a few injuries for last week and by the looks of it have rested a couple of guys as well.
“If they come back in they’re brilliant players and if they don’t and they play the exact same team they played against Dragons, then it’s still a really good team.”