ULSTER AND IRELAND hooker Rob Herring has hailed the impact being made by new attack coach Mark Sexton at the Affidea Stadium, ahead of meeting Edinburgh tonight [KO: 7pm, Premier Sports 1].
A greater urgency to move the ball at speed was in evidence in last weekend’s opening round home win over the Dragons, when Ulster ran in six tries, and the 35-year-old veteran has fully bought into the new system.
“Mark has really nailed in on the detail on what the forwards need to do,” said Ulster’s most capped player, when he will be benched behind Tom Stewart.
“And he doesn’t let anything slip,” Herring insisted when describing the former Connacht and Ireland U20s assistant coach’s approach.
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“He’s really got a keen eye for detail, and he’s just been driving us to handle that. The expectation on the forwards is different. It feels different.
“It feels like there’s a lot of work. But I think also the decision-making from the backs, they’re taking the ball at the right time and taking pressure off the forwards’ carries.
“I think they’re mixing it up really well,” Herring added.
“It’s sort of the ecosystem of attack where if everyone’s working hard and trying to get into place early and the ball’s moving to the right area early, then it just makes the opportunity to get quick ball easier.”
Herring continued: “It’s very similar to what we’ve been trying to do at Ireland over the years. I think you’ve just got to show expectation on the guys who haven’t been in that squad.
“(To demonstrate) What is expected of them and how to play the game we’re trying to play. It’s pretty exciting and there’s quite a bit of a fresh feeling around the squad.”
Ulster’s away record last season brought them a miserable return of just two wins across all competitions in what was, overall, a dire campaign and May’s final round saw them pumped 47-17 at Edinburgh.
“That was one of those games where I think Edinburgh probably beat us in most aspects of the game, which was tough to take,” said Herring.
“(It was) Tough to sit on that all summer.
“I’m not going to say we owe them anything. We owe ourselves to go there and put in a good performance and really see where we sit after that as a squad.”
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'It feels different' - Rob Herring on new approach at Ulster yielding more tries
ULSTER AND IRELAND hooker Rob Herring has hailed the impact being made by new attack coach Mark Sexton at the Affidea Stadium, ahead of meeting Edinburgh tonight [KO: 7pm, Premier Sports 1].
A greater urgency to move the ball at speed was in evidence in last weekend’s opening round home win over the Dragons, when Ulster ran in six tries, and the 35-year-old veteran has fully bought into the new system.
“Mark has really nailed in on the detail on what the forwards need to do,” said Ulster’s most capped player, when he will be benched behind Tom Stewart.
“And he doesn’t let anything slip,” Herring insisted when describing the former Connacht and Ireland U20s assistant coach’s approach.
“He’s really got a keen eye for detail, and he’s just been driving us to handle that. The expectation on the forwards is different. It feels different.
“It feels like there’s a lot of work. But I think also the decision-making from the backs, they’re taking the ball at the right time and taking pressure off the forwards’ carries.
“I think they’re mixing it up really well,” Herring added.
“It’s sort of the ecosystem of attack where if everyone’s working hard and trying to get into place early and the ball’s moving to the right area early, then it just makes the opportunity to get quick ball easier.”
“(To demonstrate) What is expected of them and how to play the game we’re trying to play. It’s pretty exciting and there’s quite a bit of a fresh feeling around the squad.”
Ulster’s away record last season brought them a miserable return of just two wins across all competitions in what was, overall, a dire campaign and May’s final round saw them pumped 47-17 at Edinburgh.
“That was one of those games where I think Edinburgh probably beat us in most aspects of the game, which was tough to take,” said Herring.
“(It was) Tough to sit on that all summer.
“I’m not going to say we owe them anything. We owe ourselves to go there and put in a good performance and really see where we sit after that as a squad.”
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