It has been a whirlwind season for Ulster prop, Corrie Barrett.
This season, the 26-year-old was finally given the opportunity to fulfil a childhood dream of playing for his province and he has grabbed it with both hands.
It all started with a call from Ulster to come in for a trial period over the summer.
“I was told to come in and give it all I’ve got over six weeks.” Corrie explains.
“At the end of that I would find out if I had a contract. This was the chance I’d been waiting for since I dreamt of playing for Ulster as a child.”
Barrett clearly impressed during that spell because his efforts were rewarded with a contract and a starting place in Ulster’s opening game against last season’s league champions, Glasgow Warriors.
“When I got the phone call saying I’d got the contract it was a huge weight off my shoulders and a dream come true because I grew up going to games as a fan and it has alwaysbeen what I’ve aspired towards.”
“Even though it wasn’t that long ago, when I look back I recognise what a huge moment my debut starting against Glasgow was. There is a lot of pressure going into that.
“However, my main memory is of coming out of the tunnel onto the pitch and hearing the crowd singing ‘Stand Up for the Ulstermen’. When I ran onto the pitch I just couldn’t take the smile off my face. It was emotional and I was close to welling up!
“It was a class experience but then you just have to flick the switch and get into game mode.”
Indeed, Barrett has remained in ‘game mode’, featuring regularly for Ulster so far in this campaign and developing his reputation as a solid and reliable set-piece operator.
Despite a difficult season for Ulster which has included some chastening defeats, the emergence of 26-year-old tight-head prop has been one of the success stories under ‘Project Murphy’.
With Ulster’s renewed emphasis on developing home-grown talent under their new head coach, Richie Murphy, Barrett seems like the perfect fit. Indeed, his transition into a side featuring a number of his former schoolmates from the Royal Belfast Academical Institution (Inst) has looked seamless.
However, the Schools’ Cup winner did not follow the well-trodden route from Inst to Ulster’s senior team via the academy.
Barrett’s route has been more circuitous and taking the ‘road less travelled’ has paid dividends for the prop who enters the senior Ulster set-up battle-hardened after several seasons in the English Championship and further afield.
“I came through the traditional route - the school system and went into Ulster’s sub-academy.” Barrett explains.
“However, I got an offer to stay on at the sub-academy but it was actually Dan Soper (Ulster’s assistant coach) who suggested I go out to New Zealand to play.
“I played for Otago and Dunedin Sharks. I loved it as I am always looking to grow and improve as a player and it was a great learning experience.
“I came back into the Ulster sub-academy but then made the decision to move to Munster where I played for the ‘A’ team and club rugby for Garryowen as I pursued my first professional contract.
“Everything was going well and then COVID hit and I moved back to Belfast. I was working for my dad’s business and training by myself as much as I could over lockdown.
“Eventually, as things started to open up I got a short contract with Bedford Blues in the English Championship. I extended my time there and even had a brief stint with Saracens providing injury cover.
“I wanted to move to a full-time professional environment and improve my scrums and lineouts so I moved to Doncaster Knights.
“Doncaster are a great club and those seasons playing in the English Championship were invaluable because the games are really abrasive, physical and forwards-dominated, so it definitely toughens you up. You’re also regularly playing Premiership teams in the Cup competition, so you’re exposed to high-quality opposition.
“I was holding off on a contract offer because I was looking for a new challenge as I never like to get too comfortable. It was always my ambition to play for Ulster and so I was always keeping an eye on the situation here.
“As fate would have it, the opportunity came up and here we are.
“It felt like the right timing to come home and it wasn’t overly daunting coming into the squad because I know so many of the guys - the likes of James Hume, Callum Reid, Mikey Lowry - who I had played with at school.
“The more senior guys also made me feel welcome from the moment I arrived for the trial and it has all felt quite seamless.”
As for next steps, Corrie insists he is taking things one day at a time and is wary of ever getting comfortable or feeling like he has ‘made it.’
“Getting comfortable is my biggest enemy. I am here to do a job and, like everyone else in the squad, it’s my aim to start as many games as possible for Ulster. I certainly won’t be taking my foot off the pedal.
“My dad is a big inspiration for why I’m doing everything. He was a good player himself and has coached me from the age of four and been my biggest supporter. He even flew across to New Zealand three times to see me when I was out there.
“Now I’m at Ulster, Jimmy Duffy (Ulster’s forward coach) has been brilliant with me. I think he hits the nail on the head when he says ‘Just do your role.’
“As a prop, you need to do your bread and butter work - the scrum, the lineout and the maul - really well then everything else on top of that is a bonus. You just have to nail your basics first and foremost.”
Following Ulster’s heavy defeat to Leicester in the Champions Cup, Barrett was one of the few players to emerge with extra credit in the bank thanks to his role in helping to stabilise the creaking scrum.
Now, another challenge awaits as Richie Murphy’s men prepare to face Exeter Chiefs at home in their last Champions Cup group game.
As with everything else in his career so far, Barrett is ready to take the next challenge in his stride.
“We know these are going to be tough games. Playing in the Champions Cup has been another new experience for me.” Barrett explains.
“We have to just focus on ourselves and put our best foot forward. And for me, I just need to do my job.”
