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“Following my operation nine weeks ago I
spent a week in a cast and then moved into
an elbow brace with restrictive movement.
After five weeks that came off completely and
I gradually built up movement and started
passing drills, doing weights and push ups
to strengthen and straighten my arm. For
the past two weeks I have been back on the
pitch in team training so things are going
well, I am feeling good and I’m excited to be
back playing again.
“I have really missed being a part of the team
environment, I was out for a year last season
and it was horrendous watching the guys
train and play together so to have another
nine weeks on the side-line was frustrating.
But I am back training now and everything is
going well, I am feeling stronger and faster
than I was before the injury so that’s positive.
“Being back before I or anyone had
anticipated is a massive credit to my surgeon
Dr Michael Eames, GG (Gareth Robinson),
the physio team, S&C staff and the coaches.
I cannot thank them enough.”
Sitting joint second in the Guinness PRO12
table with 53 points, Ulster have five games
remaining and must keep their spot in the top
two to secure a double header playoff and
final at Kingspan Stadium in May.
“There is huge belief amongst the squad at
the minute,” says Stuart. “From next week the
only remaining injured player will be Andrew
(Trimble). We haven’t been in that position
all season where there is only one player out
with an injury. I know not having Trimby in
the squad is a big deal but to have almost
a full squad to pick from is great, everyone
is fighting for positions so I think we are in a
good place. I don’t think we have shown our
full potential yet this season. We have had
bursts of good play for 20 or 30 minutes but
we have not been able to sustain that for the
full 80 minutes; that is the goal going into the
last few games of the season.
“It is important to stay where we are in
second or push on to first place, get a home
playoff and then to play a final at Kingspan
Stadium would be class. The stadium and
the fans deserve a big occasion like that.”
For the past two weeks Kingspan Stadium
has played host to the Danske Bank Ulster
Schools’ Cup Final, the Subsidiary Shield,
Medallion Final, Girls Schools’ Cup Final
and High Schools Final. Having celebrated
his 22nd birthday just last week Stuart
remembers those days well but things have
changed dramatically for him since then:
“In terms of training I only started doing
weights in lower sixth at SINI and then I was
picked up to play Under 18s for Ulster and
worked closely with Chris Shields and Matty
Maguire just preparing my body for joining
the Academy. At school I trained two days
a week, with two days in the gym and a
game on Saturday so when I started in the
Academy it was not dissimilar, just a lot more
intense. It was a more professional regime
with different sessions being scheduled
throughout the week, a lot more time was
focused on strength and conditioning, weight
training and nutrition.
“The biggest difference in myself is body
weight and muscle mass, having a much
stricter gym routine over the past four
years. My speed has definitely improved
and psychologically I have developed a
lot. At school I did no video work and now
I sit down after every game to analyse my
performance to see where I can improve.
Enhancing your knowledge of the game
is massive, so if I was to offer any of those
young players a piece of advice that is what
it would be. In the professional set up we are
encouraged to study the video footage and
pick out things that we could improve on and
bring suggestions to training, so doing your
homework is worth it. Also for those young
players, I wouldn’t get bogged down in doing
weights, your skills are more important. I
wasn’t a big guy at school but my skills got
me into the Academy set up, so now the
season is over for many, the most important
thing is to keep working on your rugby skills.”
Ten weeks ago Stuart Olding tore his ACL playing against Toulon at
Stade Felix Mayol, this week he returns to the starting line-up following
an intense rehabilitation programme and he is feeling stronger and
faster than ever before…
6
ULSTER
RUGBY
www. ulster rugby.comSTUART OLDING
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