Stephen Ferris plays down Ulster trophy talk

The former Ulster, Ireland and British Lions backrow, now working as a pundit for Premier Sports, was part of the last team to bring silverware back to Ravenhill in 2006.

While Ferris thinks Ulster have been punching above their weight in recent seasons, he doesn’t believe the recruitment at Kingspan Stadium was sufficient enough compared to other clubs to take Dan McFarland’s side to the next level.

“I don’t think Ulster are going to compete in Europe and the URC (United Rugby Championship), and when I say compete, I mean getting to a European Cup semi-final or getting to a final of the URC,” he said.

“It just feels like, and we’ll call it the transfer window now, because that is what it is starting to become at the minute in professional rugby, and I think it is brilliant to see.

“As fans, pundits and former players you are always excited to see who is coming into teams. You see the Sharks signing Eben Etzebeth, Lukhanyo Am came back during the summer, (Rohan) van Rensburg coming back in and they have managed to re-sign a lot of guys as well, and the other teams have been getting really strong.

“Leinster have so many internationals playing for them.

“I’ve analysed Ulster for the last 10 years and I actually think they have punched about their weight in terms of quarter-finals, semi-finals and finals they have managed to get to. Yes they never get over the line but knockout rugby is on any given day. you look at what the Bulls did to Leinster last year.

“Last year Ulster came out an said their number one goal was winning the URC. I think if you just concentrate getting to the play-offs and take one or two games as they come it certainly can give you a fighting chance.

“I definitely believe Ulster will make the top eight, but I still think Ulster are at a stage where they are developing and a lot of young guys are coming through.

“Some of the world class signings that I hear are just around the corner maybe post rugby World Cup can maybe push Ulster on to getting that elusive silverware.”

Ferris has a simple solution to what is needed.

“I still don’t believe there is enough grunt and enough ignorance in the pack at Ulster,” he said. “Frank Bradshaw-Ryan has been brought in, I think he will be a really good week in, week out player in the URC but needs to get up to European level, knockout level, international level, and it is probably going to take him a couple of seasons to get to there.

“(Jeff) Toomaga-Allen the prop he is sort of coming to the end of his career, I think he’ll be a good week in, week out player against the likes of Benetton, Cardiff, Ospreys at home that type of thing, but if you want to go to the next level you have to sign a Duane Vermeulen when he is 27 or 28 years of age, you have to sign a Ruan Pienaar when he is 27 or 28 years of age.

“The rumblings coming from Ulster are they are trying very hard. The likes of Bryn Cunningham are leaving no stone unturned to try and make big signings and try to get a bit more quality in certain positions, and in my opinion those position are still up front.”

“They signed Jordi Murphy from Leinster, is he a starter for Ulster when everyone is fully fit? Maybe he makes the bench. Jack McGrath has left, he came up on really big money and didn’t have much of an impact so I think there are a few holes that need filled in the Ulster pack for them to make significant strides in the big games, you see from the South African sides it all comes down to bigger, stronger, the more muscle you have usually comes out on top.”