Ludik: Ulster are ready to build on recent wins

Ulster’s South African full-back Louis Ludik is looking towards tomorrow night’s Guinness Pro 14 clash with Munster in Belfast with relish — but he knows the province has not always been as consistent as it needs to be in the league or in Europe.

Following bonus-point wins in the back-to-back Champions Cup group games with Scarlets, Ludik believes that there are real grounds to suggest that Ulster’s reputation of flattering only to swiftly deceive is about to change.

“Momentum is important, and after two big wins we have that, but in rugby it’s something that can be broken and stopped quite quickly,” said Ludik.

“Getting two wins and 10 points in Europe, we’ll take the positives out of those matches into what is a really big game with Munster.

We do have a genuine confidence now about what we can do, and the belief to carry that on.

“In the past we had problems with that, we’d play well in one game and then struggle the next, but we hope that’s in the past now,” said Ludik.

The South African smiles at any suggestion that his timely return from long-term injury might have been the spark for his team’s improved form.

“There’s a lot that has been falling into place, with Billy Burns, Will Addison and Jacob Stockdale, for instance, playing some amazing rugby.

"The forwards have been great too — some good, solid scrums and getting over that advantage line with excellent mauls,” he says.

Ludik’s versatility has seen him play at full-back, centre and wing quite regularly, happy to contribute wherever head coach Dan McFarland decides.

“We know what’s coming with Munster, they’re not going to make it easy but we just have to take it to them.

"This week is massive for us, and we have to be at our best,” said Ludik.

“It’s great to play anywhere in a side which is performing so well.”