Pro14: James Hume recalls Thomond debut drubbing as Ulster prepare to host Munster

James Hume has started seven of Ulster's 11 games this season - including the recent European matches against Toulouse and Gloucester

Ulster centre James Hume is looking forward to renewing hostilities with a Munster side who inflicted a record hammering on the northern province during his debut in September 2018.

Three-time Ulster Schools Cup winner Hume came on as a replacement in Munster's 64-7 rout at Thomond Park.

"You've just put on an Ulster jersey for the first time and it was a childhood dream," recalls Hume, 22.

"It was a really weird one because everyone was so annoyed and distraught.

"I was kind of like really in between being happy and also being annoyed."

A week later, Hume was on the losing side again after coming on the bench as Connacht clinched victory in Belfast but things quickly got better as the former RBAI star made his first start in a win over Benetton.

Since then, apart from a spell which saw him ruled out from late October 2019 until early February of this year by a hamstring injury, it's been a tale of steady progress for the centre.

'I want to be the best'

After the 2019-20 season resumed in August following the Covid-enforced break, Hume started in every Ulster game during the concluding weeks of the campaign including the Heineken Champions Cup quarter-final defeat by Toulouse and the Pro14 decider against Leinster, where his early try briefly put Dan McFarland's side ahead before the champions took control.

This season Hume has been a fixture at 13 in seven of Ulster's 11 games and appears the man in possession of the jersey at the moment.

"I wanted to take that 13 jersey," acknowledges the 22-year-old.

"I feel like I'm on a strong road to being there and hopefully stay injury free and keep working on my defence with JP (Jared Payne) and working on that attack with Peely (Dwayne Peel).

"I'm not in any position to take that for granted or (on the other hand) take a back seat.

"I want to get better. I want to be the best so that's something I'm really driving at the minute."

Hume says earning a first interpro away win since 2015 on Sunday was a big boost for Ulster morale

Will Munster start De Allende and Farrell?

While it's not clear what centre combination Munster will bring to Kingspan Stadium, Hume says he would relish a midfield battle with Chris Farrell and South African World Cup Cup winner Damian de Allende if Johann Van Graan opts to start his front-liners.

"If I want to be the best in my position then I've got to challenge myself against Ireland internationals and World Cup winners.

"I'm not going to back down from that. That's the type of challenge I thrive on. Whatever combination they go for, I'll be putting my best foot forward.

"Even if Munster don't go full strength, they've got exceptional depth.

"It will be class (to be involved) and will be great to get back home as well. They are unbeaten (in the Pro14) as well and will not want to come up here and back down."

But Ulster should go into the game in good spirits after battling to a first away interpro win since 2015 in Sunday's 32-19 triumph over Connacht at the Sportground.

"That was a big focus coming into the week. We spoke the first day we were in about not winning an away interpro since 2015 so that was in the back of our minds.

"Coming off the back of two very narrow European losses was a tough place to be but it was an unbelievable feeling after the game to get that win at the Sportsground."