Johnny Wattersonon how the province have prospered under Brian McLoughlin, their attacking approach particularly suiting centre Darren Cave

WHEN IRELAND won the Six Nations Under-20 Grand Slam in 2007, it was not Munster’s Keith Earls playing at outside centre but a young Ulster man called Darren Cave. When Cave made his international debut in May of this year, that too came in a little under the radar as Ireland beat Canada 25-6 far away in Vancouver.

But Cave’s performances under Ulster coach Brian McLaughlin have been attracting some attention. While Earls soared in his career and was picked this summer for the Lions tour, Cave plotted a slower course but one he hopes will bring him to the same elevated place as his former team- mate.

His try against Connacht in the Magners League last month showed some of his running ability and strength at shrugging off tackles and this season he has made the Ulster outside centre position his own.

Out of little expectation team Ulster has also been attracting glances.

A change of emphasis pre-season has made them a fitter team. They are not the biggest so mobility has become part of the Ulster pattern as much as muscle.

“We did a lot more running this year. Three trips to the hills and one to the sand hills,” says Cave. “We are not a massive team so we’d struggle to maul teams out of it but we are very handy at running the ball and that was an important change. I’m not sure if more of the players are buying into it but there is more energy in the team, more backs scoring tries”

This week in Edinburgh, Ulster could reach a point where their fortunes are finally beginning to change. A victory in Murrayfield would make them the only Irish team with a two win start and with Leinster facing a mighty challenge in Brive, the champions could struggle to remain credible challengers.

“I think in past years in Ulster it has been subconsciously acceptable to go away and lose to teams,” says Cave critically. “That attitude had to change and it has. Ulster hasn’t won away from home for something like nine matches (since beating Treviso in 2005-06). Edinburgh beat us early in the season but we showed we can score tries and play a bit of rugby.

“I think we have improved since then. We had a similar team. They came away with the victory but we out scored them two tries to one and we also believe we left a couple of tries on the pitch. So I think we can go over to Edinburgh this time with a bit more confidence.”

To get out of the pool would also push Ulster’s profile higher. The Ireland team has been denuded of Ulster players in recent years, in part due to their struggle to make impressions in the Heineken Cup as Munster and Leinster have dominated, especially over the last four years.

“Definitely the way we are playing now in Ulster, it will allow more players to get into the Irish squad,” says Cave. “The players who have come through are predominantly from Leinster and Munster, and rightly so.

“I’m not complaining. That’s fair enough because those matches between Leinster and Munster, like the semi-final last year in the Heineken Cup are Irish trials. Those matches are such shop windows for players, and rightly so. That’s where the players are seen.”

It has been said Ulster are a better team with an Ulster coach at the helm. When they won the Heineken Cup back in 1999, it was Harry Williams in charge. He had taken over from Davy Haslett, like McLaughlin a former school teacher from RBAI. South Africa’s Alan Solomons had a successful run for three seasons before Mark McCall had a difficult run and made way for Australian Matt Williams.

But Ulster now seem more settled than they have been in many years. Clearly winning helps and on the back of that, the modest McLaughlin preaches a policy of baby steps and prudent gains. If Declan Kidney is master of the understatement, then McLaughlin has been a willing pupil.

“Last year we were definitely good in some games. It was attack that let us down,” says Cave. “But Neil Doak has been fantastic in that area and the forwards are comfortable with the ball. We’ve worked harder. There are new dimensions.”

The season after Ulster won the Heineken Cup in ’99 under Williams and captain David Humphreys, they lost all six matches in the competition. A win in Edinburgh today and they take a giant step towards reversing that sorry 10 year-trend.