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100/1 FOR US TO LIFT THE TROPHY, THAT'S JUST NOT FERR; RUGBY AFTER BEING WRITTEN OFF ULSTER AIM TO PROVE A POINT IN HEINEKEN CUP.


Byline: MICHAEL SCULLY

STEPHEN FERRIS Stephen Ferris is the name of:
  • Stephen Ferris (Rugby Player) (born 1985)
  • Stephen Ferris (Footballer) (born 1984)
 has revealed Ulster are on a mission to prove people wrong after getting off to a winning start in the Heineken Cup.

Ireland flanker Ferris is delighted with the province's opening day's work against Bath at Ravenhill last week and is looking forward with confidence to a tough trip to take on Edinburgh at Murrayfield on Friday night.

But the 24-year-old admits that Ulster have been fired up by pre-tournament predictions that they would flop - despite the historical evidence that backs up that view.

It's now a decade since they side won Europe's premier club tournament - and since then Ulster have failed to qualify for the knock-out stages.

"I saw in the paper that the bookies had us at 100/1 to win the Heineken Cup. That really annoyed me," said Ferris.

"We wanted to prove we are a team on the up on Friday night and I think we did that.

"One of our goals is to get out of the group this season."

As it happens, Ulster were the only Irish province to win on the opening weekend of this season's tournament after reigning champions Leinster and Munster lost to English teams.

But Ulster did manage to overcome Premiership opposition - and fully deserved their 26-12 home victory.

However, Ferris acknowledges that if Ulster are fired up to prove a point, Edinburgh will be this week after their 31-7 away defeat by Stade Francais.

On top of that the Scottish outfit have already recorded a victory over Ulster at Ravenhill.

"We have had a good start but we have to keep our feet on the ground because Edinburgh is a place where we always have a tight game," said the Grand Slam grand slam
n.
1. The winning of all the tricks during the play of one hand in bridge and other whist-derived card games.

2. Sports The winning of all the major or specified events, especially on a professional circuit.
 winning back row.

"They beat us at Ravenhill earlier in the season and the result there always seems to turn on a bounce of the ball or a kick from Chris Paterson Chris "Mossy" Paterson (born March 30 1978 in Edinburgh) is a Scottish rugby union footballer. He is a fullback, wing or fly-half who plays for Gloucester and Scotland. Chris recently earned his 64th cap for Scotland, and served as captain of the Scotland team in the 2007 Six .

"They are a dangerous side and we will need to close them down and play some more rugby like we did against Bath.

"It was a fantastic start for us and we just need to keep the ball rolling. Getting the result was the most important thing for us.

"We are playing some good stuff and teams are starting to respect us more. I don't think we were the underdogs going into the game."

Ferris believes that Ulster can start with a clean slate Noun 1. clean slate - an opportunity to start over without prejudice
fresh start, tabula rasa

chance, opportunity - a possibility due to a favorable combination of circumstances; "the holiday gave us the opportunity to visit Washington"; "now is your chance"
 despite the loss in Belfast since it's a different competition.

He said: "Even though Edinburgh beat us, we can take some encouragement from that game because we created a lot of chances.

"This is a different competition and people up their games for the Heineken Cup. I think it's a pretty even group and every side is going to be difficult to beat at home.

"We are riding on some momentum at the moment and we will look to take that to Edinburgh.

"But we have to stay on an even keel keel

1. the ventrally directed large surface of the bird's sternum, the site of attachment of the major muscles of flight. Called also carina.

2. the prominent area over the sternum in Dachshunds.
 and not get ahead of ourselves - we have won one game, not the Heineken Cup."

Skipper Paddy Wallace Paddy Wallace (born 27 August 1979) is an Irish rugby union footballer from Belfast where he attended Campbell College. He plays for Ulster. He was a member of the Ireland U19 side including Brian O'Driscoll that lifted the U19 World Cup in 1998.  added: "We need to win our home games and we have started on the right note.

"But we aren't out of our group yet and there is a lot of hard work ahead this week before going to Edinburgh."

CAPTION(S):

START Ulster celebrate on Friday SUCCESSFUL Stephen Ferris' Ulster were the only Irish province to enjoy a win on the opening weekend of the Heineken Cup
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Article Details
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Title Annotation:Sport
Publication:The Mirror (London, England)
Geographic Code:4EUUK
Date:Oct 13, 2009
Words:581
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