So Iain, how’s the rehab going?

It’s going really well. Shortly after coming back from New Zealand, I got my knee looked at – and I had a few fixups from last season on my hand, so the team have been looking after me really well at home. Hopefully I’ll be getting back into full rugby training soon. With the season ahead, we want to make sure I’m getting back to full fitness. With a bit more training, and a few good weeks under my belt, I’m hopeful my return will be in a couple of weeks.

Given the season ahead, it must be important that you get your return right?

That’s the thing. There are loads of URC, European and International games to be played over the next twelve months, and that includes a big summer next year. Ensuring the body is in the best position and place to deal with all that is important. I’m 100% taking the guidance of the guys looking after me, and I have full faith in them. I know they have my personal and long-term interests at heart.

After the disappointment of the United Rugby Championship Semi-Final last season, how are the team feeling?

Every year, it feels we are getting better, and making improvements – and that includes exciting new players coming through. Ensuring the guys that have been around a bit longer, like myself, are keeping driving that is important, and we want to keep getting better. The new guys are superb – the effort, skill level and professionalism – I couldn’t fault any of that. We are right behind our Support Staff, and everyone in the organisation, as we work together to hopefully ensure we can take that one extra step next year.

Speaking of the South African teams, what do you think they have brought to the BKT United Rugby Championship?

At the start of last season, they started in a way that they wouldn’t have wanted to. We had a chat our side in Kingspan that we shouldn’t be fooled by this, as it wasn’t a true representation of how they are going play and end up when they found their feet. With how strong they finished, and how difficult they were to overcome at home that was something that from the start of the season might have seemed shocking. But we know the quality of South Africa as a rugby nation, and the clubs individually are very good too. That extra dynamic has brought another level of difficulty to the league, which I think is exciting.

And in terms of touring South Africa, how do the squad find that?

It gives the chance for clubs to go on a rugby tour, which is great for team bonding, and good for us to be able to experience as a playing squad. A lot of the younger guys, or the lads that don’t play International, they don’t go away anymore. I feel that has disappeared a bit out of professional rugby, so it’s good to get that aspect of things in the URC. We’re heading back to South Africa in a few weeks, and this will be the third time this calendar year. The lads have a real appetite to get away with each other again and enjoy each other’s craic, and that’s a really healthy thing.

Connacht up first. How are you feeling with an Inter-pro to start the BKT URC?

It’s an exciting one to start – talk about hitting the ground running! In terms of pre-season, I’ve been fortunate enough to watch it from the sidelines. I’ve been doing my rehab at the side of the pitch, and the intensity at which they are training at is something that they are really going after. It’s about ensuring that we hit the ground running, and don’t look sluggish in the first game. The intensity that an Inter-pro brings is something that you can’t sit back and wait to come to you. Playing Connacht first-up especially, it’ll be about who will throw the first punch, and who’s going to come out and start the game. That’ll be something we’ll be wary of, and I look forward to seeing who does it.

Ulster Rugby will be at home for three of the opening four rounds of the new BKT United Rugby Championship season, including two inter-provincial derbies.

Round 1:
Ulster v Connacht
Sat 17 Sep, 7.35pm

Round 3:
Ulster v Leinster
Fri 30 Sep, 7.35pm

Round 4:
Ulster v Ospreys
Sat 8 Oct, 7.35pm

Match tickets for each of these fixtures are available to buy now at ulster.rugby/buytickets.