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TOMMY BOWE
“It was brilliant to continue the momentum that
we had gathered in the two weeks leading up
to last weekend in Parma,” he says. “To go
over there and get maximum points and keep
us in the hunt towards the end of the season
was great. I was delighted to reach 150 caps, it
seems like a long time ago since it was my first
cap, but it’s great to reach that milestone.”
It was 13 years ago that Bowe made his
senior debut and he remembers it well:
“My first cap was in April 2004 against
Connacht, I remember running out onto the
pitch behind Andy Ward, who was captain at
the time and the hairs standing up on the back
of my neck. Jonny Bell put me in for a try that
day, so it’s one game that will stay with me for a
long time.”
Having racked up 59 tries and 295 points,
the fan-favourite has had many outstanding
moments for the men in white:
“I have a lot of amazing memories in an Ulster
jersey and I hope that many more great
memories are to come, but the top 3 at the
minute would have to be:
»
»
Beating Toulouse 38-0 at home in 2015
»
»
When David Humphreys kicked a drop goal
against Ospreys to win the league in 2006
»
»
Most recently, beating Clermont at home in
December was a great day, the supporters
were amazing and we played some great
rugby”
Along with the many ups that his 150 cap
career has seen to date, there has been
one significant disappointment:
“The toughest game I have played in has to be
in the 2013 PRO12 Final against Leinster at the
RDS, it was Johann’s last game. We had gone
so well that season and to lose that game was
really disappointing, especially when we were
the better team on the day. To come away with
nothing was heart-breaking.”
Since Tommy’s debut the Province has
experienced a huge amount of change…
“So much has changed at Ulster and in rugby in
general from my first cap but at the end of the
day, the craic, the hard work that goes in behind
the scenes and the camaraderie is still the same
as when I started and I think that’s what makes
this game so special. The surroundings of
course are a lot more modern now, the support
has increased, the use of sports science,
technology and video analysis is integral and
players are getting bigger and faster and
stronger but at the end of the day it’s 15 people
on a pitch and it’s still a great sport steeped in
tradition.”
There is plenty more to come from
the Monaghan man as he aims
to catch up with Ulster’s
most-capped player Roger
Wilson, and his eyes are
firmly set on silverware:
“My goal this season is to keep pushing for a
place in the team, and for everyone in the squad
it’s just pushing on to win the PRO12. We are not
going to shy away from that, it’s something we
are all focused on - the team, the supporters,
the management - we are all pushing hard to go
on and win the Championship.
“The pursuit of that goal continues this weekend,
it’s essential that we get maximum points,
meaning all games between now and the end
of the season are must-wins. It’s a great way to
be, we certainly have the squad to do it and we
are all excited by the challenge.”
TOMMY BOWE
LOOKS BACK ON 150 CAPS FOR ULSTER
Tommy Bowe celebrated his 150th cap with a 17-40 win over Zebre
on Sunday: