RUGBY: Davidson believes timing is perfect
THE settling in period for the new management team at Ulster Rugby will begin next week coinciding with more players returning from their various international tours and of course the first real opportunity to get to meet the new head coach, Brian McLaughlin.
McLaughlin will be no stranger to many of them either having worked with them when he was Ireland skills coach, at under-age representative level or at schools level.
And the new assistant and forwards coach, will be stranger to many of the players as well, indeed some may well have watched Jeremy Davidson playing in the Ulster, Ireland and British Lions shirt and will know they are going to be dealing with someone who is extremely passionate about his rugby.
Davidson, whose playing career was cut short by injury, began his coaching career with Dungannon in the All Ireland League and after a three year stint at Stevenson Park, he moved to France as assistant coach at Castres, where he was joined midway through the first year by former Ulster head coach, Mark McCall.
Two years later, the 37-year-old former lock is back 'home' and in a role that he had only dreamed off many years ago.
Davidson, who shared his French experiences in the News Letter earlier this week, believes he can bring a lot of what he has learned to Ulster Rugby.
He has experienced the highs of helping a club in the mire turn things around to quality for the Heineken Cup and also the lows of battling at the other end of the French Super 14 League, regarded as one of the toughest leagues in club rugby in the world.
Now it is all about Ulster.
Davidson said: "It is just fantastic being involved with Ulster Rugby, particularly at this time not just for in a club that has been developing, but at a time when Irish rugby is very buoyant.
"Ulster have a young squad coming through and to come in as a coach to a new structure and under a head coach like Brian (McLaughlin), who is very experienced, it is a really exciting time for me.
"I know from chatting to a lot of people, both within the squad and outside, everyone is really excited about the times ahead.
"Working with what is a predominantly Ulster management squad is fantastic and I think it is always something I have wanted to do."
The new management team, headed up by David Humphreys (Operations Manager), which includes Davidson and McLaughlin and Neil Doak (skills) and Peter Sharp (defence) will sit down next week and discuss aims and set goals and targets.
"Everyone will have some input, " said Davidson. "I think it will be great to have a number of people putting forward their ideas, discussing others and finally coming up with where we want to take the team as a group.
"Irrespective of what is discussed and what targets and realistic achievements are agreed, the one thing which will be common throughout is that everyone wants to make Ulster a great team, performing well and getting consistency week on week.
“That is something which has not been happening."
Davidson did say that he certainly wanted to make sure he could play his part in the continuing development of the young players in the squad and was looking forward to working with them.
"There has been a bit of gap developing between where Ulster are and where Munster and Leinster are, but we are looking to change that.
“You only have to look at how Ulster did against Munster last season down at Thomond Park to see what they are capable off.
"We want to get the players up to that level every week and have the expectation that they can play like that every week. There is no reason why not when you look at this squad.
"One of the objectives will also be to turn Ravenhill into a fortress again."
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Weather for Belfast
Tuesday 14 February 2012
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Temperature: 6 C to 9 C
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Temperature: 5 C to 10 C
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