Ulster Rugby vs Leinster

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You are known as a gentle giant off the pitch, but a fierce competitor on it – has that always been a personal trait of yours? NW: I think it’s a cultural thing. We were all raised by very strong women. I have been brought up to be gentle to my mother, my grandmother especially, be a very strong family man, then when we go out on the pitch you play for your family and for your supporters. So I guess that’s where the dual personality comes into it. It’s a gift that I’ve been given. I’m going to take advantage of it and will make the most of it for as long as I can because the time is very short. How would you like to be remembered by the Ulster fans? NW: Big Nick. That’s it. Good luck Big Nick, and thanks for all the memories.

you hear the fans singing the chants and the songs you definitely pick your act up. Even in the changing rooms when Besty’s having a chat there, we’re a family team and that goes for the 17 or 18 thousand people around us too. You have scored 16 tries during your four years at Ulster – which of those stand out for you? NW: Well I know they’ve all been from less than four metres! In terms of the important ones… I guess the first try against Toulouse this year because it probably set our platform nice and early. We knew that these boys were going to come at us hard for the first ten minutes, we just needed to weather the storm, we did. I got the ball off Robbie D and ran what seemed like 100 metres but was only probably three metres. That set a platform and we came away with a 38-0 win that night.

NICK WILLIAMS

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