Ulster assistant coach Dan Soper believes Robert Baloucoune is playing with the confidence of a player who belongs at the top level.
Baloucoune is being tipped to secure a starting berth when Andy Farrell names his Ireland team to face Wales when the Six Nations kicks-off this weekend.
And Soper, formerly an innovative skills coach with Ulster, believes the 24-year-old is equipped, as much mentally as physically, to step up if called upon in Saturday’s opener in Dublin.
Asked to ponder the flying winger’s biggest ‘growth’ as a player since making his Ulster debut in 2018, Soper said: “I think it’s around confidence in his own ability.
“There has been no doubt about the raw, athletic ability that he had, but his understanding of the game has really grown and with that he has gained a huge amount of confidence.
“You see it on both sides of the ball now. He’s really confident. He probably used to be a bit of a catch and tuck and run sort of guy.
“But now his skills have come on so he’s confident to be able to throw passes and his offloads… you’ve seen some of his offloading is exceptional.
“He has confidence now as a rugby player and I think you see that when he plays. He has a real belief in his ability to match it with anyone out there.”
Baloucoune made a try-scoring debut for Ireland in a 71-10 mauling of the USA in the summer, before adding a second cap to his international CV against Argentina in November.
Soper also believes Ulster centre James Hume and rapid full-back Michael Lowry are ready to step up for Ireland if called upon during the Six Nations.
Hume, who made his international debut against the USA last summer, and Lowry, who is still awaiting his first cap, are both part of Farrell’s 37-man squad.
“I’m probably biased but yeah, I’d love to see them get an opportunity this weekend, it would be class,” said Soper who coached Hume and Lowry as teenagers when the two Ulster stars lifted the Schools Cup with RBAI.
Asked if he thought his former pupils’ rise would be as ‘meteoric’, Soper said: “Did I see it when they were young kids at school? They’ve always stood out, haven’t they.
“There’s no doubt to get to the level they’ve got to, you’ve got to have a certain amount of raw talent, but raw talent alone doesn’t get you into an international rugby squad.
“The good thing is the two of them are really coachable, they want to learn and they have matured into great young men with great potential that we’re starting to see at the top level.
“They always had that (Ireland) aspiration at the back of their mind. As I have too, that one day they would get the chance. Hopefully it’s this weekend.”
