Scott Wilson with Ulster debut 'dream' for Munster meeting

The 21-year-old tight head prop has been drafted on to Ulster’s bench as Dan McFarland’s side face an injury crisis in the front row for the visit of the defending league champions.

Ireland props Marty Moore and Tom O’Toole are both injured, plus summer signing James French suffered a concussion in last week’s defeat against Connacht leaving Greg McGrath as the only fit senior tight head in the squad.

Wilson, a former U20s Grand Slam winner, has been named among the replacements as cover for Greg McGrath.

The front rower plays his club rugby for Queen’s in Division 1B of the All Ireland League.

“I went to same primary school as Stephen Ferris so when I was growing up I was a big fan of his and I’m in contact with him to this day,” enthused Wilson. “I’ve been a season ticket holder with my Dad for 12 years, so it’s something I’ve always wanted to do and dream...and now I’ve been given an opportunity I’m trying to take it.”

Part of the Wallace High side that reached a Schools’ Cup final, it was at Queen’s under the tutelage of his schools’ coach Derek Suffern that Wilson start pushing for representative honours.

“I’d been told by Derek Suffern that there were a few boys coming down to look and I was told ‘no pressure do what you do’,” he said. “In the first game of the season against Armagh I got a hat-trick (of tries), I got a phone call on the way home that they would like me to come in and see what I was like and go as a development player and work alongside the other age group boys.

“Then Covid hit again and they brought 15 boys into Newforge as an elite group and I got brought into that and then went into the PTS, NTS and then into the Academy through there.”

Being part of a Grand Slam-winning team also was unexpected for Wilson.

“It was something I didn’t expect, going into my last year at school I had never even played age grade Ulster,” he said. “I was told in my first year out of school I might get an Ireland 20s call, so went down to 20s camp but then was let go with them saying I wasn’t quite there yet, but then worked hard at Queen’s and got a few good games and then got brought down at Christmas and did well enough to get on to the starting team for the first game.

“Winning the Grand Slam was one of the best days of my life.”

Wilson enjoys training with the Ulster senior squad.

“At the start it was like getting through the session without making a mistake, now you go to a session and learn as much as you can and get as many reps as you can,” he said. “It’s a cool experience training with boys you’ve watched on the sideline a couple of years ago.

“With every session you’re learning something new and trying to take everything on board and make sure you’re taking strides from those pointers you’re given.

“Tom (0’Toole) is very helpful and so is Marty Moore, both in regards to scrummaging...and Dan (McFarland) has taken me under his wing, he’s been very helpful as well.”

Ulster make 11 changes from the side that lost to Connacht last weekend with Ethan McIlroy, Stewart Moore, Eric O'Sullivan and Nick Timoney the only starters from Galway to keep their places.

ULSTER: (15-9) Ethan McIlroy, Rob Baloucoune, Stewart Moore, Stuart McCloskey, Jacob Stockdale, Billy Burns, Nathan Doak; (1-8) Eric O’Sullivan, Tom Stewart (captain), Greg McGrath, Cormac Izuchukwu, Kieran Treadwell, David McCann, Marcus Rea, Nick Timoney.

Replacements: Rob Herring, Callum Reid, Scott Wilson, Iain Henderson, Dave Ewers, John Cooney, Jake Flannery, Jude Postlethwaite.