Lock Neil McComb is looking forward to being involved in the top of the table clash with Glasgow on Friday night.
Last week McComb was set to play for his club Belfast Harlequins but was recalled onto the Ulster bench for the Zebre game and then got no pitch time.
“I want to be playing week in week out where ever I’m going to get my rugby, I want to be playing ever week with Ulster and I was delighted to be called up to the squad because I was disappointed not to be involved in the first place.
“It’s just about getting on the pitch and showing Mark that I should be here week in week out,” said McComb.
“It’s highly competitive in the second row and it has been like that for the past couple of years, this year has been good for me due to injuries I’ve been given a chance and I have felt I’ve taken it and signing on for another two years I’m delighted to be here and get more starts.”
McComb captained Campbell College to Schools’ Cup success in 2002 and is gald to have penned a new deal to stay at Ravenhill.
“I know I’m here for the next two years and now I can concentrate on playing rugby where as before I wanted to make sure I was playing well week in and week out to get the contract.
“Now it’s about showing Ulster why they have backed me for the next two years.”
The Ulster lineout has come under scruinity in the last few weeks but McComb feels it has been a potent weapon for this season.
“We now have a few boys that can call the lineout, with some else calling it that allows you to concentrate on your own game and you don’t have to worry about that.”
“We have a lineout where we have main jumpers and callers so it’s just working out the balance of who is playing that week.”
“If you are jumping that is not your only role now you are also a lifter and it’s about everybody paying attention it’s just not the lifters or the jumpers it’s all eight at the one time doing the right things.”
McComb is just not a lineout operator he likes to get round the paddock as well.
“I think it is important to the ball in your hands as early as possible to give you that confidence but there are some games where you mightn’t even touch the ball and you just have to get on with the hard yards, I’ll take the ball whenever I can get it and have a good run with it.”
McComb has played a lot of his rugby at Quins in the back row and he’d be happy to play there for Ulster if required.
“As long as I’m playing I’m happy, I was back row cover on the bench for a couple of weeks but unfortunately I didn’t get on, I’ll play where ever they see me fit to play.”
Ulster got maximum points against Zebre even if the performance left a lot to be desired.
“We were happy to get the bonus point and if we are winning ugly and taking the points you have to be happy, we are still sitting at the top and it’s just about looking at Glasgow and whatever team turns up on the night is going to take the points.”
Ulster have already won in Glasgow this season and he’ll be happy with any sort of win on Friday night.
“We have played them three times now and we know exactly what both sides are going to bring, They will have had a look at us and we’ve looked at them and we know it is going to be a battle up front so as long as we can get good set piece ball for our backs we have confidence in them to score tries.”
“We don’t want to slip up because it will allow them to gain on us and even the Leinster and the Scarlets in third and fourth could creep up, we want to be winning and taking the points no matter how.”
“We’re just taking each week as it comes and you can really look at the following week until you know what’s happening this week obviously we want to take the points and move onto the next week.
Ulster are missing a whole match squad for the trip to Glasgow with Ireland call ups and injury but McComb still expects a victory.
“The boys are training day in day out together and we know we are going to field the best team and we have all the confidence in us to win.”
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