United Rugby Championship: Ulster v Munster (tomorrow, Kingspan Stadium, live on TG4)
It may be seven years and counting since Marty Moore last lined out for Ireland in a senior international, but that doesn’t mean the Dublin born prop has given up on a recall to Andy Farrell’s squad.
In 2016 Moore left Leinster for Wasps in the English Premiership, but his game time was limited due to an injury ravaged spell.
So, after two years with the English giants Moore returned to these shores to take up residency in Belfast.
He has now put injury problems behind him and has gone on to become one of Ulster’s most consistent performers over the last 18 months. His name has also been brought up when discussing Ireland squads, but as yet no phone call from Andy Farrell has ever materialised.
“I’ve kind of said it before and it hasn’t changed a whole lot for me is like I feel I have a point to prove. But it’s not necessarily to Irish selectors or the Irish coaches. It’s more to my own teammates here and the coaches here that I deserve to play for this club and start games. So, I don’t think there is any added motivation needed to what I do here week to week,” said Moore.
But before Moore gives any consideration to gaining further international recognition, the short-term focus turns to the visit of Munster to the Kingspan Stadium tomorrow evening. It’s the final inter-pro of the regular season and it offers Ulster the chance to claim a rare double over Munster following their 15-14 victory in Limerick last October.
After coming through a physically draining loss to Leinster on St Stephen’s Day, it is anticipated that Munster head coach Graham Rowntree will rotate for the trip north and leave a number of frontline stars behind.
But Moore is hoping that Munster will arrive in Belfast as strong as possible for he hopes to be a full blooded derby.
“Everyone is hoping for it to be what it should be – a proper inter-pro clash.
“Apart from the big European games they are the ones that everyone savours the most when all the Irish players, top players are out with their teams and you get to go head-to-head with the best that’s there to offer, so yeah, I think both teams will be hoping for that.”
Having arrived in Ulster a survivor of many a Leinster-Munster derby, Moore says that the intensity of lining out for Ulster against the boys in red is no different from his days when he wore the blue of Leinster.
“I don’t think there is any one game in the inter-pro series that is more or less than the other. There is mutual respect but there’s that intense rivalry that doesn’t change much whether it’s Leinster, Connacht or Munster. I think that everyone wants to come out on top and try and prove a point. And apart from league points, it’s kind of a pride thing as well.”
