Rory Sutherland highlights past help on path to Ulster role

One of the English Premiership side’s most prized assets was Scottish and Lions loose head prop Rory Sutherland.

Ulster were quick to snap the front-rower up on a short-term contract with the help of John Andress.

The former prop spent his formative years at Ravenhill ahead of embarking on a successful career in the English Premiership with Worcester, Exeter and Harlequins before moving of the border to Edinburgh.

Since hanging up his boots Andress became a player agent with Edge Rugby Management and Sutherland is among of number of high-profile clients on his books.

“John’s had a huge influence on my whole career,” enthused Sutherland. “When I came into Edinburgh as a youngster he was one of the senior players at tighthead and I learned a lot from him.

“He was very good for me as a youngster in training and in games, I played a lot of games with him as well...he’s a good man.

“Whenever everything was going south at Worcester I had a chat with quite a few clubs but Ulster was one when I played for Edinburgh and when you came over it was always a tough game, Ulster at home.

“It’s a team looking for silverware, a team that’s capable of silverware...so coming across and playing in a team like that was something I’d love to do.”

Sutherland had also crossed paths with Ulster forwards coach Roddy Grant before arriving at Kingspan Stadium.

“Similar to John, when I came in as a youngster to Edinburgh, Roddy was one of the senior players,” he said. “He was very good for me and he was a hardy player and a good role model.”

While things were going wrong at the Aviva Stadium against La Rochelle, Ulster’s set piece held up.

Dan McFarland’s side won 16 of 17 lineout on their out throw and despite Sutherland propping against Uini Antonio - who stands at 6ft 5, tops the scales at 25st 7lb and has been described as a human piano – they were 100 per cent and the scrum on their own feed.

“I try not to think about that too much (facing Antonio), most of the tightheads I come up against are bigger than me but it’s easy enough to prepare for games like that,” said Sutherland. “It went well in training during the week and Dan’s been very good for me with my scrummaging, so it went well, we’re happy with it and we’ll take that into this week.”

Ulster travel to Galway for a Friday clash with Connacht.

Andy Friend’s team are 11th in the United Rugby Championship but won both games in the Challenge and Sutherland is expecting a tough battle.

He said: “There’s obviously a bit of emotion there from the last few weekends but we’re trying to build as best we can to a good win at the weekend and it will be a good battle for us up front both in the scrum and the maul...it will be a good challenge.”