'Our maul is better, our set-piece is going well' - Eric O'Sullivan making the most of Ulster's front row timeshare

The international windows can often prove tricky for clubs as they deal with depleted numbers.

Ulster head coach Dan McFarland may have jinxed himself a few weeks ago when he said he stock of forwards was looking healthy enough, and that "touch wood", he wouldn't have to get creative with any team selections for that weekend's United Rugby Championship meeting with Scarlets

In the end, he very nearly had to be creative a week later against Connacht.

If there was one area they couldn't afford an injury it was at hooker. With Rob Herring and Bradley Roberts in international camp, an injury to John Andrew the day before the game saw Declan Moore - recently signed from Munster - jettisoned into the starting team.

And with no other options available, loosehead prop Eric O'Sullivan was handed the 16 jersey, given a bit of throwing practice, and turned into a makeshift hooker. Break glass in case of emergency.

He didn't make it off the bench though, Moore playing the full 80 and scoring a try in the 32-12 bonus point win, but O'Sullivan says he had no fears of being sprung into the action if needed.

"Obviously I'm not a hooker but I got in on captain run’s day and got through the menu with the callers, Al (O'Connor) was good bringing me through the menu.

"On the bench I was quite relaxed, I wasn’t worried about it too much.

"If I got on I was going to have to throw it and it wouldn’t have been the end of the world if I had of thrown one crooked in my opinion.

"It wasn’t worth worrying about because it would have got into my head more so I was trying to stay relaxed,

"You are not used to the timing of guys moving in the lineout so you kind of have to get an appreciation of that and I think when the opposition see a prop throwing their