Ulster Rugby's David McCann looking to make more memories on the pitch after big month

McCann also seems to have won the battle for the blindside flanker spot in the competitive Ulster back-row, starting the last four games.

McCann – a boyhood Ulster fan – is hoping the next few weeks will be even better as Dan McFarland’s side chase United Rugby Championship glory and he had no hesitation in penning a new deal to stay at Kingspan Stadium.

“Obviously growing up watching Ulster and sitting in the stands or on the terrace and then getting the sensation of actually playing so it’s kind of just chasing that for the next two years but the Leinster game down in the Aviva was a special experience so just representing the team you’ve watched for your whole life is good,” enthused McCann.

“We’ve got a good balance of older guys and younger guys coming through so I don’t think anyone would be sticking around if they didn’t think there was a chance of winning.”

McCann started the try scoring against the Dragons, crossing the whitewash for the first time in 26 appearances in a white shirt.

“It was a good,” he said. “A bit of a relief as the games had been racking up but the tries hadn’t so it was good to get off the mark.”

The result didn’t go Ulster’s way against Leinster at the Aviva Stadium in the last-16 of the Heineken Champions Cup but playing against a host of Ireland’s grand slam winners, including of World Player of the Year Josh van der Flier, is an experience McCann will treasure and learn from.

“Running on the pitch I made sure I looked about to enjoy that moment and then after that you’re sort of just into playing and the result wasn’t what we wanted, and our performance wasn’t where it needed to be but you don’t want to look back on things and not have enjoyed them,” he added.

“It’s definitely quite a moment to get your first start in Europe and you’ve got to separate the result sometimes from what the actual experience was like.

“We were muted, and I think there were some pretty key learnings, and we identified a few things we didn’t do well and what they did do well.

“You’ve got to give them credit – they have a lot of experience in those big ones and they have gone well in big games and we took our own learnings after what they did and moved on.

“The bigger the game you get a taste for it and then you just want more and more.

“Having experience of that you don’t ever want to step back but keep going and building on that and win stuff ultimately.”

McCann knows with international players in the Ulster back-row he has to be patient, but now he is in possession of the number six shirt he doesn’t want to give it up.

“It’s a good blend of experience and less experienced but also vying for the same position,” he said. “It’s good because it pushes you on and if I start looking behind me that’s not going to help me get into the team.

"Sherry (Harry Sheridan) is obviously pushing and there are people in the Academy as well in the back-row who are working hard to get in the team and aren’t far off.

"Then the likes of Jordi (Murphy) who has 30 caps for Ireland or whatever it’s hard to get ahead of him and then he obviously pushes you in training.”