20 Questions:
With Ultan Dillane
1. Pre-match meal?
Usually have spaghetti bolognese or some type of a pasta dish for the carbs. An oat smoothie is another easy way to get the carbs in.
2. Favourite player growing up?
David Wallace. I always admired his ball-carrying skills and his leg drive in contact. He had an unbelievable career.
3. Best away day room-mate and why?
That would have to be either one of my house-mates. I am used of being around Eoghan Masterson and James Connolly so either of them are good for away trips. It makes the routine the same as a home game.
4. Who would headline your houseparty?
I’d have Lil Yachty in the main room and Kölsch outside somewhere. Probably not everyone’s cup of tea, but he’d set a good tone.
5. First song they would play?
Peek a Boo for Lil Yachty and Unterwegs for Kölsch. These are my favourite tunes and you can’t go wrong with either to get a party going.
6. You win the Lotto, first thing you would buy?
Connacht Rugby.
7. Favourite movie?
I watched The 5th Wave on Netflix recently and I would highly recommend it. It’s an American science fiction action film. Chloe Grace Moretz is the main star. The plot is a bit out there but it’s a great watch.
8. Favourite TV show and why?
Breaking Bad again on Netflix is a great show, so much so I watched it twice. Game of Thrones would have to be my favourite ongoing TV show. Another one that is hard to stop watching.
9. Earliest rugby memory growing up?
I’d say that would be my first training session with Tralee RFC when I was 12. I winded my friend in a tackle and thought I’d messed up but it turned out to be a good attribute, so I suppose I was a bit of a natural.
10. Who is the joker in the dressing room?
Dominic William Able Robertson McCoy always has a good gag to tell. We call him Honest Abe. There are a few other jokers around the place but Dom is the main joker of the pack.
11. Favourite holiday destination and why?
Probably Ibiza, lovely weather and nice beaches, just good fun.
12. Favourite away ground to play at?
I’d say any of the away inter-pro grounds. Ravenhill, Thomond Park and the RDS are all really hard places to win but there is always an incredible atmosphere for those games and they are the fixtures that everyone wants to be involved in.
13. Three people (dead or alive) who you would invite to your dinner party?
I would say Elon Musk the businessman and my late grandparents whom I never met.
14. Most memorable moment in rugby?
That would have to be winning the Pro12 with Connacht two years ago. It was just an incredible season and the final was an amazing occasion. Hopefully there will be more moments like that to come.
15. Do you have any pre-match superstitions / rituals?
The same nutrition plan is probably my pre-match ritual but also music. I always play different genres as it gets closer to the game.
16. Who is the best player you have played alongside and why?
For me I think Tadhg Furlong never really has a bad game. It didn’t surprise me when he was called up to play for the Lions and he did really well.
17. Who is the best player you have played against and why?
Israel Folau I think. He is a really dangerous player from anywhere on the field and he is just an incredible athlete.
18. Can you tell us an interesting fact about yourself?
When I was six I trained in Shorinji Kempo (meaning Shaolin Temple Fist method) for a year before moving to Ireland. It is a form of martial arts for anyone not familiar with it. It was a really cool experience.
19. Name three things that are always in your fridge?
Steak burgers, three litres of milk and yakults
20. Best advice you ever got?
Always wear sunscreen – from The Sunscreen song by Baz Luhrmann, a good lesson on life!