DECEMBER was a good month for Ulster, and a great one for Kyle McCall.
The young prop, who admittedly didn’t enjoy the best of 24th birthdays in their defeat by Munster last Saturday, has been enjoying his first real run in the side over the past eight weeks.
In a battle with Callum Black and Andy Warwick for the number one shirt, McCall has stepped forward and made a real claim to be retained in the side by Les Kiss. He had made only four appearances in four seasons before being handed his first start in the win over Gwent Dragons in November. Since then, he has started six times, including the back-to-back Champions Cup wins over Toulouse, and was a 59th minute replacement in the opening round defeat by Saracens.
“It definitely has been a massive rollercoaster,” said McCall.
“December was a great month for us, and me personally, getting the opportunity just before that. I’m just trying to play well week in, week out to keep my place. Honestly, I’m just glad to get the opportunity to play. There’s so much competition in my position.
“I’ve been part of the squad the last couple of years, training week in, week out. Being involved with the squad has been great. To get that opportunity against the Dragons was great, and I really enjoyed it. Before that, I’d had a few games off the bench, but to get my first start was something special.”
He had been named to start his first-ever European game against Oyannax the week after the Dragons victory, but it was called off 90 minutes before kick-off at the Stade Charles-Mathon as a result of the terrorist attacks in Paris.
“I was really looking forward to that game, but if playing this week, it’s gonna be the same,” McCall said.
“They’re going to want to play rugby, especially on that surface, so they’ll run it and play it. We need to front up to that and be physical.”
He had started just three times for the province when he was handed his first European start on that famous night against Toulouse at the Kingspan Stadium. McCall, who revealed that his nickname among the squad is ‘Ralph’ after Simpsons character Ralph Wiggum, held on to his starting spot for the return leg at Stade Ernest-Wallon.
“It’s very new to me obviously," he said.
"Playing away in France, those big occasions, they put a bit of pressure on you. It also provides that sort of energy going into the game. I felt I fed off that quite well and I really enjoyed it.”
But does he get nervous?
“Not really. Maybe a little bit. I say to myself it’s more being nervous that I won’t work hard enough, rather than the opposition I’m up against. I’m more nervous about myself and what I’ll do. It’s about making sure I go out there and give my best.”
With the Six Nations coming down the track, Ulster had 11 players away on a pseudo-secret Irish camp at the beginning of the week. McCall wasn’t among them and bashfully played down the prospect of his form making him a candidate for a late call from Joe Schmidt.
“I’m just looking to play well for Ulster and, if anything comes along, that’s great. But I’ve only just started playing for Ulster.”
The ex-Ireland U20s prop joined the Ulster Academy in 2010. Along with second-row Alan O’Connor and slightly more established winger Rory Scholes, the trio have come through over the past 12 months to really catch Les Kiss’ eye.
“There’s good development within the academy and the age grades and Les is trying to feed that through. Les, Joe [Barakat], [Neil] Doaky and [Allen] Clarkey are all at academy sessions and trying to get everyone off the same hymn sheet. With that, boys will have an easier transfer into the seniors, it’s less of a shock going in. That’s how I felt anyway, and I think Al [O’Connor] and [Rory] Scholesy felt too.”
The home and away ties with the Top 14 side realistically offer Ulster’s best chance of progression to the knockout stages. With Stade Francais, Racing Metro, Clermont-Auvergne and Toulon all sitting with similar points tallies after three games, even ten points from the Oyannax games might not win the battle for a best runner-up spot.
But with Les Kiss emphasising the need to treat Oyannax with respect and play their usual game rather than going with a gung-ho approach, McCall is taking nothing for granted.
“It’s definitely not a straight opportunity for five points. It’s four points. We’re going there to get a win, which is never easy to do in France, no matter who the side is. They’ll be confident in their own back yard. It’s a massive challenge for us.
“The atmosphere was immense within the town the last time. The night before, there were parties and everything going on. It was a big occasion for them, and they’re going to bring that on to the pitch.”
