Rob Herring “short of minutes” but prepared for Ulster’s Champions Cup match against Bordeaux

Ulster hooker Rob Herring has stated he feels “short of minutes” but is “feeling good” as the team prepares for its second Champions Cup fixture against Bordeaux on Saturday. Herring’s initial appearance for the province this season occurred when he came off the bench during their significant 61-21 loss to Toulouse on Sunday. Herring expressed his belief that he is nearing full fitness following a calf injury that caused him to miss the commencement of the campaign. He commented, “It was a frustrating pre-season for me, I got back close and then it was a re-injury, and it took a bit of time.” Herring added, “I’m feeling good, I’ve been training well, a little bit short of minutes but I’m trying to put in a better performance than last week.” In the absence of injured players Herring and Tom Stewart, young hooker James McCormick received an opportunity, scoring a try during the substantial defeat by Toulouse. Herring conveyed his admiration for the 22-year-old’s displays and perceives a healthy competition for positions emerging within the hooker unit. Herring further stated, “I’ve been watching him closely and helping him when I can, but he’s had a really good season.” He continued, “He has had a few injuries in the past which stunted him but it’s good to see him going well. We have a really good hooker unit so it’s good to see us all challenging.” The 34-year-old player expressed his hope that Ulster’s return to the Kingspan Stadium will inspire a strong reaction against formidable opponents, and he urged the supporters to contribute. Bordeaux commenced their European campaign with a notable 42-28 victory against Leicester on Sunday and presently hold the second position in France’s Top 14 league. “It’s good to be back home and the challenges don’t get any easier but that is Europe so hopefully we can reset and bring new energy into training this week,” he remarked. Herring added, “On European nights, the crowd want to get behind you and it’s up to us to give them moments in the game where they can do that, whether it’s momentum swings, big mauls or scrums, those get the crowd going and that’s up to us to deliver.”