James Hume's Ulster high hopes after 'some really dark times'

The friendly was the centre’s first hit out since suffering an ACL injury against Cardiff.

“Some really dark times but I have exceptionally good friends and family,” said Hume. “It could have been way worse if it wasn’t for them and Tom Stewart helped me a lot through it as he was getting his ankle rehab for five months of my nine.

“I’ve spent nine months with Gareth O’Neill and there have been highs and lows but he’s an absolute legend...it was great to be back out there with those two.

“It was nice to come in after that Zebre game as I felt like I could make an impact and change some things and do what I do well...that was in the back of my head going into this game.

"Just to do the basics well and lead from the front and the Reds are top opposition...it just goes to show that when we play well we can toe-to-toe with the best.

“I think I did waterboy in the Leinster game and that was ages ago, I’ve been in and around the matchday experience but hadn’t had a week to build up to it, so it was great to have that.”

Jacob Stockdale and Stuart McCloskey also returned from injury against the Super Rugby side, both only playing the first half. But Hume got an extra 10 minutes after the break.

“It was either 40 or 50 minutes and turned out to be 50 and they wanted me to get back into experiencing a half-time and then going again in the second half,” he said. “My glutes shut down at half-time and I felt like I couldn’t move in the second half, so it took me a couple of minutes to get going...but I’ve now experienced it.

“It was great, even just going through the week and having a Friday night game, you do your work Monday, Tuesday, off Wednesday and sharp captain’s run and then that build-up to Friday night.

"Having not had that in nine-and-a-half months...try to get my nutrition right again and my recovery right and I felt I did that in the last couple of days and I felt really good.

“I didn’t want to make a big thing of it at the start of the week, I do have nearly 100 caps and I’ve been here before and it’s a long injury...I just wanted to get out and do my thing and not put too much pressure on myself.”