Rugby

Frustrated Rob Herring raring to go against Munster

Rob Herring takes on Munster's CJ Stander during the sides' clash at Kingspan last season. Munster's 9-7 victory that day proved a major dent in Ulster's hopes of a home semi-final. Picture by Mark Marlow / Pacemaker
Rob Herring takes on Munster's CJ Stander during the sides' clash at Kingspan last season. Munster's 9-7 victory that day proved a major dent in Ulster's hopes of a home semi-final. Picture by Mark Marlow / Pacemaker Rob Herring takes on Munster's CJ Stander during the sides' clash at Kingspan last season. Munster's 9-7 victory that day proved a major dent in Ulster's hopes of a home semi-final. Picture by Mark Marlow / Pacemaker

ALTHOUGH at times during his Ulster career he’s displayed more gas than you might expect from a hooker, it was still a surprise to see Rob Herring end up where he did against Exeter.

The joint skipper came on in place of Roger Wilson for the last 14 minutes in the unfamiliar surroundings of the back row, finishing the game at openside at Paddy Jackson’s drop goal claimed a precious victory.

“Starting to run a few maps at 7 during training to prepare me for it,” laughed the Irish international.

“You’ve just gotta do what the team needs on the night. Outside the set piece, it’s all the same really.”

Of all the men you’d believe when they say they’d play anywhere they’re needed, Herring is the easiest to believe.

Since joining the province in 2012, he reached 100 appearances last month against Scarlets but had it not been for the presence of the Ireland skipper ahead of him.

Yet he signed a new two-year deal last December and said at the time that there was never any real thought of pitching up anywhere else.

But the fact that he’s played just 38 minutes of the last four games combined, and just 18 of them in the front row, leads to inevitable frustration.

“Yeah obviously I’m raring to go. It’s probably been a bit frustrating in the last few weeks, the limited game time, but I’m hungry for a big game this weekend and ready to step up again.”

The emotional wave that drove Munster to crash right over the top of Edinburgh at a packed Thomond Park last weekend was led by a dominant pack.

Herring is expecting the same ferocity to roll up to the Kingspan Stadium tomorrow night, and knows Ulster cannot afford a repeat of their scrum struggles against Exeter.

“I haven’t played them this season but they’re always a tough pack to play against. Their game is very forward-orientated.

“That’s going to be the task for our forwards this week, to front up and stop them. That’s where a lot of their momentum comes from. When their forward pack gets going, they’re a good side.

“They have a good scrum. Last week was probably the first time we struggled in the scrum. I think it was more of a blip than something to be concerned about.

“We had a scrum session today, the boys are all working hard and there’s some new boys coming in this week, coming back from injury and they’re keen to go.

“We always have a back five who are really willing to scrum, which a lot of teams don’t. It’s up to the front row to provide that platform for them.”

When it came to the crunch at the end of last season, Ulster’s bid to gain a home semi-final partly fell down around their Christmas inter-pro loss at home to Munster.

Paddy Jackson couldn’t find the distance with two late penalty attempts as the home side fell to a 9-7 defeat. It was ultimately the difference between facing Leinster at the RDS and facing them in Belfast.

“We haven’t won [against Munster] in two years. Last year when they beat us by two points at home, they were on a streak of losses and that sort of kick-started their season again.

“Looking back at that game, we were bitterly disappointed. We’ll do our best this weekend not to let that happen again,” said Herring.