Ulster v Northampton: Rea says Irish province must aim high after Clermont win

Marcus Rea says Ulster must back up their superb win at Clermont by beating Northampton in Belfast on Friday night

Marcus Rea's first European start last week saw Ulster earn a famous win at Clermont Auvergne and the back row says the Irish province must aim high for the rest of the Champions Cup campaign.

"We want to be a championship winning team, whether that's in the URC or in Europe," says the 24-year-old.

"We've shown we have the ability to beat one of the best teams in France and in Europe.

"There's a massive opportunity for us with the group we have."

But while Dan McFarland's side were impressive in standing firm to secure their opening 29-23 win at Stade Marcel-Michelin after the home side had fought back from 16 points down to lead midway through the second half, Rea acknowledges Ulster cannot afford to "pat ourselves on the back too much" as Friday's second pool game at home to Northampton approaches.

"We did that against Leinster and the week after got skelped by Ospreys," adds Rea of how Ulster were brought back to earth in Wales earlier this month a week after their win at the RDS.

"We enjoyed the changing room (in France) but we've a job to do this week and we have to stay focused."

'I tried to take in everything'

Rea says the squad will be mindful that they failed to immediately back up the Leinster win but is confident that won't be a mental burden heading into Friday's contest.

"It's on our shoulders to take the pressure and step towards it basically."

After making his debut against Leinster in April 2018, Rea had to wait over three years for a first Champions Cup start and despite the magnitude of last weekend's occasion, says he was determined to take in every moment of the contest.

"It's probably one I'll remember until the day I die when we won over there and toppled a French giant in one of the biggest arenas in world rugby.

"I tried to experience the crowd as much as I could. And take everything in at moments when I could. The memories that I have will be as good as any memento."

Marcus Rea believes his 'jackal turnover' ability gives him a better chance of becoming a regular in Dan McFarland's side

Jackal turnover 'something I've worked on'

Rea's proficiency with what has become termed as the 'jackal turnover' as possession is won by stretching over a tackled opponent to win the ball is probably one of the reasons why McFarland pitched him in for his European debut last weekend.

That followed replacements outings both at the RDS and the Ospreys games.

The back row, whose brother Matthew is also part of the Ulster squad, admits the turnover tactic is "something I've been working on".

"I've tried to make it some sort of a super strength for me and moving forward hopefully it's something that the coaches will be able to use me a player who is able to get the ball back."

And while there are some exponents of the art that he has studied online, he says it's largely a "feel-orientated type of thing".

"You need to read the situation and sort of predict what's going to be happen and sometimes you only get that in a game.

"It's something that I want to drive and between me and Nick (Timoney) and a few of the other back rows, if we can add that into our repertoire it will take us a long way."

Saints 'not going to roll over for us'

Rea is now hoping his performance in France will see him retained in the starting line-up for a big European night at Kingspan Stadium which will remind him of boyhood trips to the venue with his father Thomas.

Despite their opening 45-14 home hammering by a rampant Racing 92 last weekend, Rea believes Northampton will "come out swinging" in Belfast.

"The Racing backline were really, really good and found a few holes in their defensive line.

"Like any other English team, they are going to be big and bad. We are going to have to be switched on. They are not going to roll over for us."