Ulster's Kyle McCall continues to raise the bar for prop forwards

The front row has played in 11 games this season, starting in nine and featured in all six European Champions Cup games and is feeling comfortable in the number one jersey after experimenting with playing at hooker.

McCall explained: “It was an experience. I was young and trying to break through a wee bit earlier than maybe I should have but it was a great experience for me.

“It was a great experience to learn the hooker’s role and how it’s so important for the props, I really enjoyed it.

“It was about me trying to break through a wee bit earlier but it just didn’t evolve.”

“In that Dragons game on my first cap, when Rory got yellow carded I moved across and I threw one lineout I was pretty comfortable but I learnt from that experience of playing hooker.

“If needs be I can move into the middle of the scrum and I’d have the confidence to do it as well.

“It was just getting an opportunity and trying to take it with both hands.

“If you’re playing well then you get selected again, it was about taking that chance and trying to do my best week on week to get better.”

McCall stands at 6ft tall and weighs in at 17st 4lb not overly big in terms of the modern prop but he feels scrummaging is more about technique than brute force.

“Technique and strength. For props, especially with the new law, it sort of slowed that down a bit and it comes down to more strength and technique because there’s less of a bind or a banging in using your weight.

“Props are not expected to do 80 minutes anymore which helps with explosive power at the set piece.

“There are two props on the bench and it’s one position where it’s just a straight swap whereas in the back row it can be for anyone.

“In that sense yeah, but in another sense the scrum takes a massive amount out of your legs.

“If there are long scrums, and some games are different, and a lot of scrums it takes it out of your legs.

“If the scrums are longer it does take it out of your legs and that makes it harder to work (around the park) but every prop should be aspiring to do as much as they can even with that workout on their legs in the scrums.”

A modern prop is also judged on work rate as well as scrummaging and McCall managed to top Ulster’s tackle count in the win at Toulouse.

“Well I love tackling and I love that contact and physicality alongside my work rate.

“I didn’t go out to be top tackler it was just something that occurred by really enjoying the experience and trying to do the best I can for the team over in Toulouse.”

“Rory Best talked about it to think about that feeling in the changing room afterwards if we won and I just wanted that so much that I wanted to put my body on the line.”

McCall was happy to get a game at Kingspan.

“I think my first three games were all inter-pros and all away.”

“I wanted to play for Ulster and what a great experience it was to come out at the home stadium.”

“It was immense and phenomenal and my first home game was Saracens.”

“I came off the bench but that (at home) added an extra buzz that I really fed off and really enjoyed.”