Young gun McCann happy with 'rewarding' elder statesman role for Ulster

Not exactly a chiseled veteran but Ulster back row Dave McCann was thrust into the role of elder statesman on Saturday night.

Dan McFarland's injury-depleted side lost out narrowly to Connacht at the Sportsground, 22-20, after leading by 17 points with 32 minutes to play.

That they almost pulled off a fine win with a callow side will be of some comfort. Another positive from the evening was the continued good form of McCann, who at just 23 has 31 senior appearances to his name.

Flanker Reuben Crothers, lock Joe Hopes and back Ben Carson were making their senior debuts, while Eric O'Sullivan, John Andrew, Harry Sheridan, Dave Shanahan, Aaron Sexton, Stewart Moore, Ben Moxham and Ethan McIlroy came in for first starts of the season in Galway.

In addition, Ireland full-back Will Addison pulled up with a hamstring injury in the warm-up.

Starting among the replacements, McCann, who leads the BKT URC tackle chart, came off the bench after just two minutes when Crothers was forced off for a head injury assessment.

"I think he is ready," Bernard Jackman told the RTÉ Rugby podcast. "I think he will be very much in that rotation for first-team places in that back row."

Asked about being one of the older players on the night, McCann said: "It was a change but it was good.

"I feel that some of the people who are younger, Tom [Stewart], Doaky [Neil Doak], Stewart Moore, Ethan McIlroy, have actually played 50 times, a couple of them, so they had the experience, and then it was good to help Carsey, Reuben and Joe on their debuts so it was a rewarding experience.

"It was a step forward for us defensively, there was a lot of adversity, chopping and changing right up until the warm-up but I think we dealt with that and came out of the blocks well