Piutau hopes to reward Ulster’s patience with silverware
The 26-year-old All Black was a startling piece of recruitment from Auckland Blues in 2014 by operations manager Bryn Cunningham, though rules relating to the number of overseas players in the squad delayed his arrival in Belfast and he spent a year ‘in waiting’ at Wasps, where his extravagant gifts were highlighted in the Aviva Premiership.
Next season he’ll be at Bristol, reputedly lured to the Championship club by a seven-figure salary, though he’s insistent that his commitment to Ulster remains total, especially in the midst of the holiday Guinness PRO14 series of Inter-Provincials. He’s acutely aware of the frustrations of supporters who found last weekend’s 44-16 capitulation to Connacht particularly hard to stomach.
“I get frustrated as a player week in, week out when I’m playing, I know my teammates’ potential so when we don’t perform to our best I see their frustration. I can understand where the fans are coming from, but I think at the same time that frustration needs to be used in a positive way.”
Piutau accepts that the New Year’s Day clash with Munster is vital to Ulster’s prospects this year. “The guys are hurting. Training has had a bit of bite, the intensity is really up there and we’re challenging each other. That’s the feeling at the moment. Connacht showed a lot more energy and physicality all over the pitch. You saw them dominate. You can’t do much when you’re always on the back foot,” said the full-back.
After a much-needed break from action, Piutau will return to the side for the Kingspan Stadium ‘derby’. “The main thing for me is playing my part, and those guys that played that game don’t need any more motivation than the pain they’re feeling. Even though I didn’t play, that hurt me. It’s about coming back and learning, and showing that we’ve learned in the next game we play.
“That’s the great thing about this match, we get another opportunity on New Year’s Day to put on a better performance and make that jersey proud. It’s a big occasion, against a fine Munster team who’ll be hurting a bit too after losing to Leinster.”
