Ulster half-back Nathan Doak is relishing playing with his brother and playing in Cavan

NATHAN Daok is entering his third year with Ulster and seems to have taken to provincial rugby like a fish to water.

The 21-year-old from Lisburn has played 44 times for the Ulstermen since 2021 and aims to improve even further.

Last season, Doak scored 77 points in 671 minutes of play, including three tries.

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Ahead of this weekend’s friendly with Glasgow Warriors, he said: “We haven’t looked into results too much, we are just focused on what we’re trying to do, however when the competitive games come around, it will be about results and we’ll hopefully have put it all together by then.

“We’ve had progression over the past three weeks but going into the Glasgow game, we want to put it all together before we play Zebre in two weeks.”

This Saturday’s game against Glasgow will be the first time Ulster have played a game at a GAA ground.

This occasion has been seen as a move to bring Ulster rugby to the wider province and give fans in the three counties in Ulster but not in the North a chance to see the Ulstermen play.

Doak said: “I think it’s quite exciting, it’s the first time Ulster have played at a GAA ground, so hopefully the supporters in Cavan that can’t make it up to Belfast for games get that opportunity to come and see us.

“As a team, we haven’t talked about it too much, it’s more about the process and what we’re trying to do in a game this weekend, that’s what excites us the most.”

Ulster’s last outing was a big day for the Doak family in general, with Nathan starting the game as captain for the side and Nathan’s younger brother Cameron playing alongside him.

Nathan and Cameron’s dad, Neil, also played for Ulster and has an impressive coaching resume, such as backs coach for Ireland in 2013.

Nathan said: “I’d like to hope I’ve given him some wisdom as my dad did with me. I’m sure he was happy when watching it back at home. Hopefully, there’s another opportunity for us to play together again sometime.

“I know it’s his dream to see us play at Kingspan together one day. I know that hasn’t happened yet but he has always instilled that in me, so I’m trying to bring Cameron along as well and, hopefully, it does happen one day and we can bring a smile to the old man’s face.”

This week, head coach Dan McFarland stated that he wanted to adopt a style of play that involves the backs more.

Last year, the team's top try-scorer, and also the URC’s top try-scorer, was hooker Tom Stewart with 16.

McFarland said: “It’s not just a technical approach you have to take, it is a change in mindset as well, especially when the things you’ve done in the past have worked for you to a great extent.

“I don’t expect to see the fruits of what we are trying to achieve straight away, this will be a gradual process over the course of the season.”

Doak seems to be taking the bull by the horns and holding himself and his fellow backs to account.

“We, the backs, had an honest meeting between ourselves and over in Treviso I don’t think we were at the level that we set ourselves, so we had a good learning experience there,” said the former Wallace High School player.

“Just coming off the pitch there, we saw a really good process of taking what we said in the meeting and bringing it out onto the pitch, so that was really exciting for me.

“There are a few more younger backs in the squad so it is about giving them confidence at this level, even in preseason and training, to back themselves.

“Hopefully the backline can get back to where we were a few seasons ago, but that takes hard work, so hopefully, from the start of the season, the only way is up.”