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it happens it must be addressed. Darren Cave,
Jared Payne, Andrew Trimble, Peter Nelson and
Luke Marshall are just a few of the Ulster squad
who have demonstrated – unsurprisingly – the
self-belief and application to return to fitness,
talents undimmed and ambition burning even more
fiercely.
Most recently there was the heart-warming sight of
a 22-year-old back returning to the Ulster jersey, his
enthusiasm for the battle certainly unaffected, his
abilities undiluted.
But Stuart Olding wasn’t just coming back from a
dreaded cruciate injury picked up nine months ago,
the likeable young man had just come back from a
long ‘rehab’ for the same problem when, minutes
into his comeback for the senior side, he was being
wheeled back into the Kingspan Stadium treatment
room knowing he would be facing another long,
gruelling series of operations and physical and
mental concentration to take his place again
amongst the veritable galaxy of midfield talents
Ulster can call its own.
For Olding, his family and his friends inside and
outside the game, his is a story of remarkable
stoicism, of course, but also of an indefatigable
spirit and single-minded belief that the last two
years have been but the accepted contrast to the
rewards he had won for his talents: a professional
career and, by 20, international recognition.
Les Kiss, the Director of Rugby at Ulster, took
particular pleasure in the last fortnight when Olding
tested himself, first, for Ulster ‘A’ and celebrated
with a typically free-running try, and then he started
for the PRO12 team against Treviso last weekend,
scoring again in the bonus-point win.
Kiss, when in charge of Ireland on the summer tour
of North America, selected the youngster for the
trip, then gave him his first Ireland ‘cap’.
“I never doubted that Stuart would make it back
to full fitness, he’s been great to have about even
when he could only think about building up his
physical work in the gym,” says a man delighted to
have his backline wealth growing in interest!
“What’s his best position? To be honest I don’t
really know for sure, he’s that good. He can do a
good job at ‘10’, he’s an intelligent footballer who’s
impressed at full-back. Just to have him back is
great, he offers so much and he deserves some
good luck now.”
Tommy Bowe has had his demons to deal with
regarding serious injury, but only last week he was
‘purring’ at his team-mate’s and friend’s active
return to the fold.
“It’s said too easily, but we have watched Stuart
work his way back from two cruciate injuries –
things which would have done for many a lesser
character – and I know that I have just found his
recovery truly inspirational.
“Whatever ‘face’ you manage for the public, no
matter how positive you are naturally, we all have
our ‘moments’, dark thoughts when not involved in
playing, often having to rest and wait for the healing
process to take grip.
“Stuart Olding available and firing for Ulster, ready
to fight for an Ireland place again, that’s just a good
news story, period,” says the hugely intelligent
Bowe, for once that endearing laconic delivery
steeled by unmistakeable admiration.
Of course, rugby and any other sport is dotted
with instances of early, sad retirements or fading
powers because of injury, in Ulster’s European
Cup-winning season another blond-haired centre,
Mark McCall, was reluctantly forced from the game
he adorned by a chronically-timed problem.
His success as English club rugby’s most
successful coach, at mighty Saracens, is deserved
reward for a rugby brain which might have been too
easily lost to the game.
At every school, at every club, there are instances
of careers – high-flying or not – which have been
cut short, enjoyment of the sport curtailed through
unfortunate happenstance.
But for Stuart Olding there is a redemptive
quality to his very welcome return to arms, but
he shortened the odds against that by his own
character, hard work and bloody-mindedness,
helped immeasurably by the expert medical
guidance of the Kingspan team.
Tonight, perhaps, the Dragons might feel the fire
of his undiminished flames on their necks when
a rejuvenated Ulster starts a series of three home
games in a fortnight.
A win is critical to the Ulster side’s PRO12
ambitions, for Stuart Olding there’s victory in being
involved again.
ARTICLE BY ROD NAWN
FREELANCE JOURNALIST
AND SPORTS ENTHUSIAST
@RODNAWN1