David McCann eager to embrace all aspects of Ulster role in bid to end long trophy drought

The former RBAI and Ireland U20s captain has played in all three backrow positions in his five starts for the province this season but doesn’t want to be defined by the shirt number on his back.

“I think the way that I play, I can play in each of the positions and that facilitates other people to play the way they want to play,” McCann said.

“So, if you have a big ball carrier or a groundhog and I can play with them, or I can do a bit of both those things; so I feel I actually allow other people to do their roles.

“I’m happy enough to play where I’m asked, and it doesn’t actually change the way I play overly what number is on my back – it is more just like play like a backrow with a certain style I play with than play traditional roles.”

McCann admits he learned a lot from Duane Vermeulen and is backing the double World Cup winner to be a success in his new role as a coach with South Africa.

“There is a lot you can learn because Duane certainly had a lot of time in the saddle,” he said. “It is that sort of calmness, he’s always in control, he’s not ever pushing too much or forcing things.

"He is just sort of in control of his own body and own mind, so that is the main thing and very impressive.

“I can see why they have definitely took him on board, just that very clam cool head, always controlled plus the experience and the technical ability; I can see him being very good and it is not a surprise.”

McCann admits he hasn’t picked the phone up to Vermeulen since he left Ulster.

He said: “I’m sure I could ring him but I’m not sure he’d help me out too much! He is a good guy so I’m sure if you wanted to use him as a sound board, he would be there for you.”

McCann has gone the full 80 minutes in all five games he’s started and even the one game he benched, he was pressed into action after two minutes, playing the rest of the game.

“I don’t really think about it too much, I find I’m not too tired towards the end of the games but if you get a run of five or six games in a row you maybe start to feel it,” he said. “But I felt fine throughout the season.”

McCann picked up an injury in training which ruled him out for two months and is eager to get back to his early season form.

“It was disappointing, but people have far more disappointing injuries,” he said. “It is disappointing but at the same time you are playing professional rugby, you are going to get injured.

“It was just perspective that it wasn’t the end of the world. It was disappointing and I wanted to play in those games, but I’ll be back and feature in the rest of the season.”

McCann is hoping that he can don the green shirt of Ireland in the near future.

“I loved playing for Ireland underage and that is something that I want to do at senior level,” he added. “Watching how well Ireland are playing really drives you on but it is a real competitive environment, so you want to get in there and try your hand.”