Celtic League: Stephen Ferris is delighted to be back playing rugby so the prospect of travelling to face the Llanelli Scarlets at Stradey Park on Saturday, while a difficult assignment, is an undertaking he embraces with relish. At 21 years of age, the life of a professional rugby player can be easily distilled into a desire to play as many matches as possible, whether with Ulster, Ireland A or Ireland.
Having been tantalised by a first cap for the national team against the Pacific Islands in the November Test series - the number eight acquitted himself very well - Ferris suffered the acute disappointment of breaking his hand in the final representative match to be played at Lansdowne Road before redevelopment, Ulster's defeat by Leinster.
At a time when the young man was looking to press a claim for inclusion in Ireland coach Eddie O'Sullivan's Six Nations Championship squad, he instead had to endure a seven-week enforced sabbatical from competitive action.
"It was a week after winning my first Irish cap which was a dream come true. The operation meant that I could not be considered as a contender for the Six Nations squad and I understood that but it was disappointing not being able to put yourself in the mix. That's not to imply that I would have been selected had I stayed injury free."
O'Sullivan, though, hasn't forgotten the raw power and footballing skills that first brought Ferris to his attention and this was reflected in his selection for Ireland in a recent A international against England and his involvement in recent extended Irish squads.
Ferris has just returned to his province after being in Dublin with the national side earlier this week. He enjoys the company of players who challenge him to develop and learn. As far as last Saturday's Six Nations Championship match between Ireland and England at Croke Park is concerned, the young Ulsterman took in proceedings in a bar in Belfast.
"There was a tremendous buzz in the place. They had massive screens so that everyone had a decent view; at least those that made it inside because there was a huge queue outside the place. I watched the game with a few of my Ulster team-mates and really enjoyed the afternoon watching Ireland beat England, and easily at that."
His immediate preoccupation is Saturday's Magners Celtic League game and a potentially tricky trip to Stradey Park. Llanelli have held the upper hand over the Irish province this season, beating them home and away in the Heineken European Cup pool stages, including an amazingly facile win at Ravenhill. Motivation won't be a problem for the visitors.
Ferris pointed out: "It's a massive game for us in the contest of the league. People have pointed out that Llanelli have chosen a weakened team because of international commitments but they still have a strong squad and it's always a tough place to go and win.
"Our objective will be to play well enough to try and get their crowd to turn on their own team a little bit. We drew there last year."
Saturday affords the defending Celtic League champions Ulster an opportunity to regain top spot from a Leinster side they trail by a couple of points.
Coach Mark McCall has confirmed his match 22, one that includes four players - Isaac Boss, Simon Best, Paddy Wallace and Andrew Trimble - who took part in Ireland's 43-13 victory over England last weekend. Neil Best damaged a thigh when coming on as a replacement in Croke Park and misses the weekend game.
New signing Sam Harding has been included in the squad and will be hoping to make his debut. While Ferris will be concentrating on his Ulster responsibilities this weekend, his medium term goals centre on making a national squad, either the senior one that will tour Argentina this summer or the Churchill Cup one, the latter taking place in England.
ULSTER (squad): K Campbell, I Boss, D Humphreys, P Wallace, A Trimble, P Steinmetz, K Maggs, P McKenzie, B Cunningham, T Bowe, J Fitzpatrick, B Young, S Best, P Shields, S Philpott, J Harrison (capt), T Barker, R Caldwell, K Dawson, R Wilson, S Ferris, S Harding.
CONNACHT (squad v Border Reivers): P Durcan, A Farley, A Flavin, D Gannon, J Hearty, R Hogan, C Keane, S Knoop, M Lacey, M McHugh, C Muldoon, J Muldoon, R Ofisa, C O'Loughlin, C Rigney, D Riordan, D Slemen, M Swift, P Warwick, B Wilkinson, G Williams, D Yapp.
CARDIFF BLUES (v Munster): B Blair; T James J Robinson, M Stcherbina, C Czekaj; N Robinson, M Phillips; T Filise, R Thomas, G Powell, D Jones, R Sidoli, S Morgan, R Shellard, X Rush. Replacements: S Roberts, G Williams, B White, M Lewis, W Evans, M Luveitasau, N Macleod
Stephen Ferris
Date Of Birth: Aug 2nd, 1985
Height: 1.93 m
Weight: 110 kg
Position: Number eight
Honours: Ireland (1 caps)
