Ulster lock eyes green jersey

Ulster lock Lewis Stevenson got a sniff of what international rugby was about earlier this month. Now he wants more.

The 28-year-old comes from the same Ballyclare High School stable as his hero Gary Longwell, who made 26 appearances for Ireland and was one of Ulster’s European Cup heroes of 1999.

Stevenson was involved in one of the Ireland training camps in the build-up to the Six Nations and it gave him a hunger for more involvement. He knows it is now up to himself as he prepares for tonight’s RaboDirect Pro12 clash with bottom side Zebre at Ravenhill.

Stevenson is again skipper Johann Muller’s second-row partner in a side that shows numerous changes from that which disappointingly fell to the Ospreys last week.

Ireland squad members Chris Henry, Declan Fitzpatrick and Iain Henderson are recalled up front, with Tom Court shuffling across to loose head. Paddy Jackson, Darren Cave and Ravens winger Chris Cochrane come into a rearranged back line which sees Luke Marshall starting in the Ulster No 12 jersey.

For Stevenson, though, tonight has a two-fold goal for the former Exeter Chiefs and London Harlequins player who signed a new three-year deal with the province last week.

“I think last season was a bedding-in year for me after my return,” said Stevenson, a former Ireland Schools and U21 international. “But things have gone really well for me this season. It was brilliant to be in camp and being in the Ireland set-up was a first for me. It was a real eye-opener for me as well as being a real privilege.”