Ulster's Gilroy looking forward to home comforts

Ulster have yet to play in front of their home fans in 2015, with their last game in Belfast a 13-10 win over Connacht in the GUINNESS PRO12 on Boxing Day.

Three successive away games have since followed with the last Saturday seeing an injury-ravaged Ulster side fall to a 60-22 loss to European champions Toulon.

But they can now enjoy some home comforts with back-to-back games against first Leicester in Europe before a return to GUINNESS PRO12 matters with a clash against Benetton Treviso.

And Gilroy, who was a spectator in France last weekend, is targeting a continuation of their impressive home record this season which has seen only Toulon beat them in Belfast so far.

"Obviously you want to win every game but it's certainly good to keep our home record up there and keep the fans and everyone behind us and get the confidence up going in to what is close to being the tail end of the season," he told the Belfast Telegraph.

"I think Boxing Day was the last one so it's been a few weeks now. Everyone is looking forward to getting back and I know I am.

"The next game we have is at home again against Treviso so with the home record we have it's important to keep that up."

Already suffering from a number of absentees, Ulster's cause was not helped last weekend with Paddy Jackson and Stuart Olding both suffering differing elbow injuries which will keep them out for 12 weeks, while Louis Ludik will be out until the end of February with a fractured rib.

But Gilroy has backed others within the squad to step up to the mark in their absence.

"It's unfortunate (because they are) three guys who were going well. It's disappointing with Jacko there in that key position at ten," he added.

"It's extremely disappointing for them but they'll get the best care and no doubt they'll come back ready to go.

"Until then, it's a challenge for us to do what we can to best facilitate that, to get the personnel we need in and try to make the best of a bad situation.

"That's the whole point of having a squad. These things happen, it's a physical game.

"Guys get injured so you need to have back-up. You need those guys to keep doing the work even when they're not selected so when their time comes, they're ready."

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