Ulster Rugby: Artificial pitch 'will certainly change things', says assistant coach Dan Soper

Ulster assistant coach Dan Soper says the installation of a new 3G artificial playing surface at Kingspan Stadium should provide "more consistency".

Work on the project has been ongoing at the stadium at Ravenhill this summer.

"I think it certainly will change things - the consistency it will bring in terms of the surface to play on, but also to train on," said Soper.

"I'm really looking forward to it. I'm really optimistic it will help us in how we play and we go about things."

"It will be just first class. I'm looking forward to getting on it and training on it.

"When you look at the teams in the league that have those pitches - Connacht, Edinburgh and Glasgow, particularly those three - and you look at the way they play and the manner in which they're able to play even when the weather is a bit worse for wear, the consistency of the surface makes such a difference.

"I know speaking to the Connacht coaches and players, they're a year into it and they absolutely love it. I'm sure it will be the same for us."

Dan Soper believes Ulster will benefit from moving from a traditional grass pitch to a new 3G artificial playing surface at Kingspan Stadium

Ulster's preparations for their opening United Rugby Championship game against Zebre on 21 October began with a shakedown against Leinster on Saturday, with warm-up fixtures against Benetton on 30 September and Glasgow on 7 October still to come.

"It's been a different pre-season for us in that it's been much longer than normal pre-seasons and that was really very refreshing during that first bloc of pre-season, without having that nagging voice in your head saying you are playing in three weeks," explained Soper.

"We were actually able to get on with coaching individuals and helping them get better. That was really refreshing and enjoyable and I think the players enjoyed that as well.

"We're now well aware we're getting towards the end of that and we've got to start getting a bit of cohesion, have some good performances and get ourselves ready to hit the league in good form.

"We've had a couple of hit-outs and given different combinations goes, some young guys are getting some opportunities and they've learnt a huge amount of what it is to go up a wee level."