ULSTER’S POWERFUL NUMBER eight Juarno Augustus wants to raise his game to another level for what looks to be a crunch interprovincial at home to Leinster with the URC nearing the play-offs.
The 28-year-old former Northampton Saints star is in his first season in Belfast and is intent on doing all he can to help the currently third-placed northern province finish as high as possible in the URC with four rounds of the regular season still to play.
“It’s going to be big for us (hosting Leinster) but it’s all in our hands,” the South African said.
“I think if we play the way we want to play and do what we want to do, we can easily stand out against any other team so that’s what we’re going to try and do and see if we can get the result.”
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“At Saints, (we) only had Leicester as the derby game. Here we have Munster, Leinster and Connacht as our big rivalries, so we just want to go out there and be the best in the country.”
Though admitting that he has not been able to produce consistently game-changing performances, Augustus is determined to hit his straps before this season ends.
“It hasn’t been good for me since I came, I’m trying to get back to my best and hopefully help the team when they need me.
“You can say it’s fitness, you can say it’s a lack of consistency, I can’t put my finger on it, but I haven’t been my best so hopefully I can get to play my best rugby.”
Having spent nearly three months out with an ankle injury sustained at Connacht in December has not helped Augustus build momentum and, indeed, he may be facing surgery on this issue in the off-season.
“We initially thought that it (the ankle) was going to be worse and then I went to London to get a scan and they said that I’ve had this previous injury so I can play with it now and maybe get it fixed after the season, so that’s our plan,” he explained.
“It’s always frustrating getting injured but it’s always nice getting back out there, and my first game back against Edinburgh (in March), I just wanted to show what I can do.”
Augustus certainly did, putting in a storming 80-minute effort which also produced a try in the victory at the Hive Stadium.
He hasn’t hit those heights since, so Ulster and Augustus now need another huge performance, starting against Leinster.
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'We just want to go out there and be the best in the country' - Ulster back row Augustus
ULSTER’S POWERFUL NUMBER eight Juarno Augustus wants to raise his game to another level for what looks to be a crunch interprovincial at home to Leinster with the URC nearing the play-offs.
The 28-year-old former Northampton Saints star is in his first season in Belfast and is intent on doing all he can to help the currently third-placed northern province finish as high as possible in the URC with four rounds of the regular season still to play.
“It’s going to be big for us (hosting Leinster) but it’s all in our hands,” the South African said.
“I think if we play the way we want to play and do what we want to do, we can easily stand out against any other team so that’s what we’re going to try and do and see if we can get the result.”
“At Saints, (we) only had Leicester as the derby game. Here we have Munster, Leinster and Connacht as our big rivalries, so we just want to go out there and be the best in the country.”
Though admitting that he has not been able to produce consistently game-changing performances, Augustus is determined to hit his straps before this season ends.
“It hasn’t been good for me since I came, I’m trying to get back to my best and hopefully help the team when they need me.
“You can say it’s fitness, you can say it’s a lack of consistency, I can’t put my finger on it, but I haven’t been my best so hopefully I can get to play my best rugby.”
Having spent nearly three months out with an ankle injury sustained at Connacht in December has not helped Augustus build momentum and, indeed, he may be facing surgery on this issue in the off-season.
“We initially thought that it (the ankle) was going to be worse and then I went to London to get a scan and they said that I’ve had this previous injury so I can play with it now and maybe get it fixed after the season, so that’s our plan,” he explained.
“It’s always frustrating getting injured but it’s always nice getting back out there, and my first game back against Edinburgh (in March), I just wanted to show what I can do.”
Augustus certainly did, putting in a storming 80-minute effort which also produced a try in the victory at the Hive Stadium.
He hasn’t hit those heights since, so Ulster and Augustus now need another huge performance, starting against Leinster.
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Rugby URC