RUGBY UNION: Ulster's John Cooney looks to make an impression

Cooney has plenty of big match experience wining the Heineken Cup and European Challenge Cup with Leinster and has Pro12 winners medals from his time in Dublin and the 27 year old won his first Ireland cap in the summer.

“It’s a big deal with him (Ruan) leaving but I prefer coming in where a big player has been before because I love a challenge.

“ I’d rather fill big boots than small ones,” said Cooney.

“It’s a big challenge but that’s what I’m here for.”

“I remember hearing about him (Ruan) on the radio that he’d have to leave and just thought straightaway that there’d be an opportunity there with me being out of contract at the end of the year.

“I texted my agent straight away thinking it would be great for me.

“I was hoping they’d get on to me about it and a few weeks later they did.

“ I met with Bryn Cunningham then and Les Kiss as well and liked what they were saying. It was all pretty straightforward.”

Cooney is hoping to become the first choice pivot at Ulster after having to wait behind Eoin Reddan and Isaac Boss at Leinster and Kieran Marmion in Galway.

“Playing time was the main thing, with Ruan leaving I thought I could get some games here.

“I’ve been unlucky with a few injuries and stuff.

“Me and Kieran, the games were sometimes split between us but I want to start the big games.

“ I don’t want to be playing one week and out the next.

“I was lucky when I was young, growing up with two Irish internationals at Leinster.

“When I went to Connacht, Kieran was going well and I had three shoulder surgeries which set me back.

“Since then I’ve had seven or eight months injury free and want to press on. For me the main thing is games.”

Cooney was on the bench for Leinster in the 2012 Heineken Cup final and the 2013 Pro12 final beating Ulster on both occasions but now he wants to end the Kingspan Stadium side’s trophy drought which dates back to 2006.

“I would have been surprised with the squads they’ve had over the years.

“ I was talking to a few friends recently and just saying, if you take the Connacht team that won the Pro12, you wouldn’t necessarily say it was better than the Ulster team on paper but it’s more than a squad, you need the culture and the confidence.

“People are concentrating on the players we don’t have but I think the culture we have will be completely different.

“Jono (Gibbs) is coming in and his aim is to make us a lot tougher.

“The confidence will go up and there’s a lot more to a team than just the players.”