BEFORE THE SEASON began, Stuart McCloskey laughed when it was put to him that he was now one of the more experienced members of the Ulster squad at the age of 26.
At the same age, the same query is put to Iain Henderson. Only he takes a different approach.
“There’s a fair few new faces but I’ve been really impressed by everyone who’s come in,” he opines, opting to talk up the young lads making their mark than himself.
“Coming back into pre-season a few weeks after the Ireland tour, I was really impressed (with) how pre-season was running, and it stood to us the way guys were training and stayed true to it since I came back in, and it’s been great.”
It is no understatement to again state that Ulster are in a state of flux with a new coach having just arrived and a major change in terms of playing personnel to go along with him.
And yet Henderson remains the constant. Despite a lengthy delay in announcing his new contract with the IRFU last season, the lock did agree to another three years in Belfast, confirming his place as one of Ulster’s now longest serving players.
After a tough summer, which saw him only play one of Ireland’s three Tests against the Wallabies down under after picking up an injury against Munster late last season, he’s now back in the fold ready to make an impression.
It’s safe to say he’s been pleased so far.
“It’s definitely a positive change,” he says of the turnaround in playing staff, with the likes of Tommy Bowe, Andrew Trimble and Paul Marshall retiring and Charles Piutau departing for Bristol Bears.
“Those guys have been missed and will be missed, but like I said the young players and the new guys who have come in have stepped things up and really taken the bull by the horns in training.
That started last week against the Scarlets, whom Ulster eventually edged past 15-13 in their Guinness Pro14 opener, marking a winning start to the Dan McFarland era in Belfast.
Most pleasing was the number of young players on show, with the likes of Eric O’Sullivan, Adam McBurney and newest Academy inductee Angus Kernohan impressing.
But arguably the stand-out performer was Henderson, who popped up with four key lineout turnovers off Ken Owens, halting the visitors’ momentum at vital moments when they looked to threaten.
It’s something we’ve rarely seen from Henderson so far in his career. Usually thought of as a strong ball carrier first and foremost, this was one of the first times we’d seen him in a different role.
Understandably it drew comparisons to certain other second rows that Henderson has played alongside in his career, two giants of the game for both country and province.
In training. Source: Matt Mackey/INPHO
“Those are two guys who ran the line-out extremely well,” says Henderson when compared to Paul O’Connell and Johann Muller.
“I feel at some stage, those guys aren’t going to be there for the entirety of everyone’s career, someone’s going to have to step into that role.
“The last couple of years that’s been Dev (Devin Toner), that was an automatic transition with Ireland, and it’s something that I’ve enjoyed learning and being able to practice, not only in training but in games as well.
Tonight [KO 7.35pm, eir Sport/Premier Sports], the focus turns to revenge against one of only two sides to walk away from Kingspan Stadium last season with an away win: Edinburgh.
The Scots proved to be something of a considerable thorn in Ulster’s side last season, winning in Belfast and then pipping them to the final play-off spot in Conference B as well.
Under Richard Cockerill they’ve found a hardened edge, and with a raft of new signings in at BT Murrayfield this season, they have a repeat appearance in the knockout stages in their sights, as well as top dog status in Scotland.