Playing best wings in the world excites me
Ulster's Zac Ward says facing up against Bordeaux-Begles duo Louis Bielle-Biarrey and Damian Penaud, considered two of the best wings in rugby, "definitely excited me".Bordeaux host Ulster in the last 16 of the Investec Champions Cup on Sunday and Bielle-Biarrey and Penaud, who both helped France to the Six Nations title, are expected to feature.Bielle-Biarrey was the top try scorer in the Six Nations and was named player of the tournament.Ward, 26, won his first cap for Ulster in the Pool One match between the sides in December, which Bordeaux won 40-19 in Belfast."I want to compete against the best in the business," said Ward, who made the switch from sevens rugby after the Paris Olympics. "It was my first cap here playing against those two guys. I was a bit nervous beforehand, but a friend of mine said they were just two guys with two arms and two legs, so just to try and think of it like that. "It's easier said than done but I'll try and do the same this weekend."
'Dream come true'
Bordeaux are heavy favourites to progress against Ulster after Yannick Bru's side finished as top seeds after the pool stages. After a disappointing first half of the season, Ulster have now won their last three matches in the United Rugby Championship and Ward believes that momentum will help his side in France."We know going into this weekend that it's a huge ask and a huge task, but we want to give a good account of ourselves for 80 minutes," added Ward."We showed the last time we played them here, we were ahead after 60 or 65 minutes. If we can carry that through for 80 minutes, then we will be in a nice spot." After taking the long road to Ulster's first team through Ireland's rugby sevens programme, Ward, who is the son of former back row Andy, says playing for his home province "was always a dream"."For that now to be a reality is really special. "It was a dream come true getting my first cap, and now I've got a taste for it I really don't want it to end anytime soon."
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