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RORY SCHOLES
He was always something of a prodigy, catching the eye as a free-running, try-
scoring 15-year-old fullback, and seven years later Rory Scholes has graduated
to the Ulster side with his pace and formidable presence undiminished.
The former Campbell College, Ulster and Irish Schools,
and Hughes Insurance Academy product, has apparently
seamlessly progressed through the development
structures to make himself a key member of the current
squad.
Already a favourite for his combative, fleet-footed style
at Kingspan Stadium, the winger became part of this
season’s folklore with a mazy, powerful strike which
sparked the remarkable recovery in France a fortnight
ago against this afternoon’s opponents, Oyonnax.
With his side 23 points down at the interval, the 22-year-
old demonstrated the side’s attacking verve with a try
which left home defenders flailing in his powerful wake.
It was to light the fuse for a second 40 minutes that
culminated in Paddy Jackson landing a massive 78th
minute penalty to snatch a crucial 24-23 win in the
shadow of the Alps.
“I would have to say that the try in Oyonnax was my
most important for Ulster so far, I think it gave us a bit
of momentum as we clawed back that deficit. Stuart
McCloskey ‘popped’ me a great pass and I saw a gap
and went for it.
“I’m a winger on the team, and wingers should be
scoring tries and it was one I’ll remember for a while,
certainly,” says the flame-haired Scholes, a young man
who was determined to make it into the professional
ranks, spurning the opportunity of university to pursue
his ambition.
And just what was it during the interval at Oyonnax that
skipper Rory Best said which helped to fashion that
spectacular second half in France?
“Rory is just so good with the words he uses, you listen to
someone like him because he has so much respect and
he gives so much as a player.
“I just know that what he said, and how he said it, had us
raring to go, and along with a few changes the coaches
came up with we felt we could win – and we did!”
Scholes took to heart Les Kiss’ declaration to the whole
squad a year before he took full control of the Director of
Rugby reins, and just after he scored two tries against
Exeter at Kingspan in a pre-season friendly in August
2014.
“Les looked us all in the eye and said he wanted each
and every one of us – established, or like me, emerging
through the ranks – to make it hard for the coaches
when it came to selection, to aim to hold down a starting
place,” Scholes recalls.
“That still holds good, and when I got my chance it was
an opportunity to make selection difficult, but you we
have three highly-rated international wingers in Andrew
Trimble, Craig Gilroy and Tommy Bowe, who’s been out
through injury since the World Cup, and with Craig and
Andrew having layoffs too, I’ve been fortunate to play in
all our Champions Cup games this season, and in the
majority of the Guinness PRO12 matches.”
And Scholes has taken his chances whenever they’ve
come, with two important PRO12 touchdowns and
that potentially very important score two weeks ago in
Oyonnax.
He says he’s still very much “learning my trade”, but he’s
clearly ambitious to be part of an Ulster side which brings
home some silverware, and with representative honours
at U18, U19 and U20 level for Ireland, he’s already sure to
have caught the eye of senior Irish management.
For the moment though he prefers to concentrate on
making an Ulster starting place his own, and this season
– after his debut in 2013 – he’s enjoyed his longest run in
the side.
“I think I’ve been playing well, and when I got my chance
I was confident I could take it, and there’s no doubt that
confidence grows with a good run in the team.
“Every game is important, but this season is the most
important so far in my career, we’re a group of very
talented players and we have coaches who believe I
us, trust us to back ourselves, and in the last couple
of months I think we’ve, in the main, produced some
outstanding rugby,” he says.
Scholes is a formidably-gifted player, and as a youngster
he made his debut for Campbell at outhalf, before
making the fullback position his own for a few seasons,
picking up a Schools’ Cup winners’ medal in 2011 in a
side which included Chris Farrell and Mark Best, two
youngsters many think will play key roles in Ulster’s
future.
“Mr McKinney and Mr Robinson (John and Brian)”, he
says respectfully, “were and remain great influences with
me from my days at Campbell, and I see them regularly
and talk about things when I help out with coaching there
now.
“When I left school I thought about university, but my
parents Janice and Jim, supported me when I decided
I wanted to make a real ‘go’ of rugby, and after I finally
got into the Ulster Academy, first with Gary Longwell in
charge, then with Allen Clarke, I felt I was on the right
track.”
His father, a retired senior civil servant, was a season
ticket-holder at Kingspan Stadium before his son
featured on the pitch, and his mum is becoming more
and more involved in supporting Rory and the side.
“Dad tells me he was decent footballer in his time,” he
laughs, “but he never does anything but encourage me,
and if there is anything I want to ask him about how I
played I can do that, but he knows I’m in a professional
environment with top people helping me.
TALENTED SCHOLES IS CUTTING A DASH