'I'm here to prove that I'm also the standard that can get into a national team'

Chay Mullins arrived at Ravenhill in the summer with a point to prove after leaving Connacht.

The Ireland Olympic Sevens player wants to be capped at full international and knows the only way to do that is play well in the white shirt of Ulster.

placeholder image — Chay Mullins on international duty with Team Ireland Sevens during the 2024 Olympic Games in Paris. (Photo by Cameron Spencer/Getty Images)

Mullins has been reunited with his former Ireland U20s coaches Richie Murphy, Mark Sexton and Willie Faloon and, despite Ulster having international wingers like Jacob Stockdale and Rob Baloucoune, the Bristol born 24-year-old is relishing fighting for his place.

“That was definitely in the conversation, I'm fully aware there's lads here that are world class in their own ability, but I'm here to prove that I'm also the standard that can get into a national team as well,” said Mullins. “I firmly believe that I've done a lot in the Sevens and I've done a lot in the last two years, trying to get me to the point of where I can play consistently. And it's just about getting those games...last year I got a good run of games in the first half of the season and I believe I can get games in this season that can kind of get my point across that I'm not just a passenger really.”

Mullins is looking forward to Ulster’s mini-tour of South Africa on and of the pitch as they play the Bulls and Stormers.

“That's one thing I can say coming here, everyone's given me a warm welcome,” he said. “I've felt totally confident on and off the pitch and, for me as an individual, I'd probably say that's something that when I'm going into a game confident with the lads around me that I'm comfortable in the environment, it makes me a better player and I know that everyone else in that team is going to be better.

"So going to South Africa again it's another chance to get closer as a group and learn off each other as well. It is dauting, we know what they are for their physical forwards, they've got nippy backs, but we've got to be concerned ourselves with how we want to play the game as well. We are looking for that 80-minute performance, but there's so much good in the games that we're doing...it's staying in the moment the whole game really, because there are moments where things happen and you can see mentally heads drop a little bit. What we've got to do is go to South Africa and play for the full 80 minutes and stay within the game.”

ULSTER: (15-9) Jacob Stockdale, Chay Mullins, Jamie Benson, Stuart McCloskey, Michael Lowry, Jack Murphy, Nathan Doak; (1-8) Tom O’Toole, Tom Stewart (captain), Keynan Knox, Ben Donnell, Cormac Izuchukwu, David McCann, Nick Timoney, Juarno Augustus.

Replacements: Henry Walker, Eric O’Sullivan, Scott Wilson, Eli Snyman, James McNabney, Matthew Devine, Jake Flannery, James McKillop.