Marty Moore: Prop fully focused on Ulster rather than notion of Ireland recall

Marty Moore says his main rugby mission is proving his worth to Ulster rather being pre-occupied with notions about a recall to the Ireland squad.

Moore moved to Ulster in 2018 and while he played for Ireland A in November, has not earned a further full cap.

He has battled mainly with Tom O’Toole for Ulster’s tighthead spot.

O’Toole has been part of Ireland squads over the past two seasons while Moore, 31, apart from his call-up for the A game against an All Blacks selection last month, has not been in Andy Farrell’s plans.

But asked whether he felt he had a point to prove to the Ireland coach, Moore insisted that all his focus is on impressing Dan McFarland and his backroom team.

“I feel like I have a point to prove but not necessarily in terms of Irish selection or Irish coaches, more to my own team-mates here and the coaches here that I deserve to play for this club and start games,” Moore told Ulster’s weekly news conference.

“I don’t think there’s much motivation or added motivation needed to what I do here week to week.”

And with Moore selected for the New Year’s Day interpro against Munster at Kingspan Stadium, he added: “I don’t really need any added incentive to tear into that challenge.”

After being out of favour with Ireland for so long, Moore’s inclusion in the A squad was a talking point for a game which saw the arguably third-string selection suffer a 47-19 hammering.

“It was still good to get a run out at that level and train in that system again,” added the Dubliner, who came on as a replacement in the RDS game.

“Just getting a good week’s work in whereas otherwise I would have probably been off and just back in in the gym here just keeping myself fit, so it was a bonus from that perspective.

“It probably shows that games don’t go unnoticed. That you’re in the back of the mind when it comes to selection to an extent.

“It does drive you a bit but it’s been so many years now that it’s not the driving factor [in terms of motivation] when it comes to how I play or whether I play good or back week in, week out because if it was, I’d be playing pretty bad after these years [of being out of Ireland favour].”

Moore ready for Munster ‘breakdown battle’

As for this weekend’s game, Moore, like forwards coach Roddy Grant, is anticipating an improved Munster from the side which Ulster defeated in Limerick in late October, even though Peter O’Mahony and Tadhg Beirne are among big names who won’t feature.

Moore’s selection will see him battling with Munster loosehead Dave Kilcoyne, who was also part of the Ireland A squad last month.

“Everyone is hoping it will be what it should be, which is a proper interpro clash. Apart from the big European games, those are the ones that everyone savours the most when all the Irish players are there and you kind of go head-to-head with the best that there is to offer.”

After holding on to win 22-20 against Connacht in Galway despite the home team’s late rally, another victory would further bolster belief in a side that suffered three successive defeats prior to last weekend’s Sportsground contest.

“With Munster it’s always a battle of breakdown and set-piece but especially breakdown and securing clean ball,” added Moore.

“We did that in parts against Connacht. We could have been a little bit cleaner during periods of the game but it’s just about controlling that territory and holding on to that ball against Munster.”