O'Connor eyes Ulster starting berth

With fellow second rows Dan Tuohy and Iain Henderson sidelined by injury, O'Connor made his first GUINNESS PRO12 start in Ulster's 30-0 triumph over Edinburgh Rugby on Friday night.

The 22-year-old academy graduate made previous PRO12 substitute appearances against Leinster and Munster almost two years ago but injuries had since slowed his progression.

However, now fully fit, O'Connor believes he is in prime position to provide a repeat performance against Glasgow Warriors on Saturday having made his mark against Edinburgh.

"It went well," he told the club website. "I was delighted to get the full 80 minutes. Your aim is to get a start, then that's a foot in the door.

"If you do a job there then the aim becomes to try and work your way up. I'm always trying to impress the coaches, whether that's in training or in a match.

"I would love to line up out against Glasgow, that would be a dream. I just need to keep working hard and to try and impress."

After beginning his youth career with Leinster, O'Connor made the move north following a conversation with current Ulster forwards coach Allen Clarke.

And the lock is adamant that he wouldn't be the player he is today without Clarke's continued help and support.

"Allen spoke to me after the U20s World Cup and offered me a chance at Ulster," added O'Connor. "He has been fantastic ever since and has helped my development massively as a player.

"He expects you to know your role and to know your details. He wants you to work hard and to respect everyone around you."

Follow us on Facebook, join the conversation on Twitter, sign up to our YouTube channel for extensive match highlights and sign up for our newsletter for regular updates on the GUINNESS PRO12