Paul O'Connell liked what he saw as Ireland players were put through their paces in an Ulster training game over the weekend.
The new Ireland forwards coach got to see his players in action against Dan McFarland's men in an intense Sunday session ahead of the Six Nations opener in Wales this weekend.
And as O'Connell hit the ground running as part of Andy Farrell's coaching team, he admitted that his return to the sidelines has been 'different' and 'challenging'.
“It’s going very well,” the ex-Ireland captain said in a video released by Irish Rugby. "It’s been a massive work-load so far to get up to speed and learn the language and learn how we’re doing things."
He added: “It’s a very different environment to what I was used to at the end of my Ireland playing career. And then in terms of coaching, very different from what I’ve been used to in France.
"And with Covid now it is even more different again. It is very challenging in the hotel but we’ve a great set-up and we’re making as good a job with it as we can.
"We have plenty of engagement with the players on that and they seem to be enjoying themselves and relaxing as well. So it’s different and challenging but very good fun.”
And a stern Ulster training test is exactly what the ex-Munster man relished - a chance to get a look at his pack under 'stress' ahead of a crunch Cardiff opener.
“When you come together as a group and train against each other, preparing moves and plays, you don’t have that stress of pressure that you get in a match," he explained.
"I’d say we’re 90% of the way there. Against Ulster you’ve a few guys here with a few points to prove. They’re big men, physical and very well-organised.
“And whenever you watch them, they’re very well-organised and excellent. So having them here as a hit-out has been brilliant.
“We have guys playing under that stress, feeling that stress. It would be tough if our first experience of that was the test match against Wales. So this gives us something to review as part of the build-up.”
