Daily Mirror (Northern Ireland)
MA K E N O J O N E S ABOUT IT
Greg knows record is not good enough but vows it’ll change
GREG JONES is eager for Ulster to ease their provincial pain in tomorrow’s clash with Connacht at Kingspan Stadium.
Dan Mcfarland’s men are still catching their breath from Friday’s frantic 54-42 loss to Leinster at the RDS Arena in Dublin.
It was the northern province’s second Interpro defeat of the season and added to their dispiriting recent record against their domestic rivals.
In their last 12 outings against Irish opposition, Ulster have recorded just three wins – two of them coming at home to Connacht and Leinster last season.
With Connacht in their crosshairs tomorrow and Munster also rolling into town next week, it’s a grim statistic Jones is eager to put right.
“It is definitely something we have talked about, losing two from two (Interpros) this season,” said the Dublin-born No8.
“We really hope to win these next two, because it is something we spoke about at the start of the season, we need to be better in the Interpro series.
“The last few seasons our record hasn’t been where we wanted it to be, so it is definitely something we are focusing on these next two weeks, to try and make that right.”
The fact Connacht recorded their first win in Belfast in 58 years last season brings an added dimension to tomorrow’s clash.
That shock result of 14 months ago is the last time Ulster suffered a loss on home soil.
“That has also been talked about,” said Jones, who touched down for two second half tries as Ulster rallied at the RDS last week.
“With them having come here last year and beat us we are looking to right that wrong.”
Asked if Mcfarland, a former forwards coach at Connacht, took last year’s loss ‘personally’, the young back rower said: “I’d say so, but it is personal for all of us.
“We want to do well because a lot of the guys are competing against guys for places on the national team. It is a lot more personal than other games.”
Ulster, who trailed by 33 points at the RDS before launching their late fightback, recorded the highest points tally for a losing team in a Pro14 game.
“I’ve never played in a game like it,” said Jones. “There are positives but also negatives and our start wasn’t good enough if you want to compete with a team that good.
“There was some great bits, particularly from a lot of the young guys with not a lot of experience, but that initial beating we took sort of soured the whole thing.”