IN HIS SIX years at Ulster, Ruan Pienaar has been asked the same question every season and, try as he might, every time he’s only ever been able to give the same answer. How he would dearly love to finish his stint with the province by getting his hands on that elusive piece of silverware.
The northern province have enjoyed a good start to the campaign and ahead of Friday’s Pro12 interpro with Munster are sitting top of the table after six games. In Europe, the campaign has started with a win and a loss.
It’s still early days but is this the year for Ulster?
“We get this question every year and I guess it’s the same answer every year from us,” the South African admits. “That’s the aim, that’s what we want to achieve and I truly believe we have a good enough team and a good enough squad to be in contention for that.
“But you have to be consistent in your performances and Les [Kiss] has really hammered in that every point matters this season.”
Kiss has admitted that his team aren’t ‘quite flowing’ yet and Pienaar agrees that they need to develop a clinical edge if they are to harbour realistic hopes of silverware this year.
“For us in the league and Europe every point matters and sometimes you’re not going to perform as well you want to but you still need to grind out those wins and we just need to be ruthless in those areas when we get the opportunities to take teams out,” he continues.
“It’s one of the things we’d like to get better at. I think we’re doing well maybe getting a 10 point lead but then for some reason letting teams back in and the games get closer than they’re supposed to be, or that’s the feeling I’m getting anyway.
“It’s just about taking those opportunities and converting it into points and get the scoreboard pressure getting up against a team.
“That’s what we’re lacking at the minute but we’re getting there, hopefully we’ll get a good performance this weekend and get some momentum going into a crucial stage of the season where you’re losing players to international duty and you’re needing players to step in.”
Even before the international window, Ulster find themselves down to the bare bones with the treatment room at Ravenhill becoming busier and busier. Iain Henderson joined the growing injury list yesterday after sustaining a shoulder complaint during the win over Exeter.
Pienaar, however, feels he’s in the best condition physically and mentally for quite some time having spent pre-season with the province.
“I’m enjoying my season so far, enjoying my rugby although there is a lot of things I want to work on personally and as a team but I think we’re in a good place at the minute,” the scrum-half explains.
“Physically and mentally I feel a lot better than previous years, I think it was non-stop for me for the last couple of years and didn’t really have a decent break or a good pre-season heading into my season with Ulster.
“I think that has been brilliant for me and the S&C coaches look after me really well to try and get me in good shape so yeah as I said I’m enjoying my rugby at the minute and it’s nice to have started the season with Ulster.
“Normally I miss the first couple of games and I’ve enjoyed being here full-time now and focusing just on Ulster.”
Ahead of the second interpro fixture of the season, Pienaar is expecting an emotionally charged evening under the lights in Belfast as Munster play their first away game since the passing of Anthony Foley.
A memorial plaque in Kingspan Stadium’s away dressing room will have been erected and Ulster will have their opportunity to pay full respects to their southern rivals.
“It doesn’t get any easier, it’s a tough one against Munster,” he says of Friday’s game.
“Obviously they’ve had a tough two weeks with the passing of Anthony Foley and all those emotions and stuff has spurred them on to perform for him and what he stood for.
“It’s a really tough challenge, they’re a really good team. I don’t think we’ve beaten them the last couple of games we’ve played so it’s a nice challenge for us.
“You really feel for them, it’s been a tough couple of weeks. With Nevin [Spence] a couple of years ago, we know what it feels like. Although it’s a really sad and emotional time, it lifts a team up almost because you’ve got something special to play for and I think that’s what they’re feeling.”
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