New Exeter signing Ian Whitten is out to prove he’s not just a stop-gap
There is now a well-trodden path between Ravenhill and Sandy Park, with second row pair Lewis Stevenson and Dan Tuohy, as well as fly-half Gareth Steenson, among those to have played their rugby in both Northern Ireland and Devon.
For Whitten, 25, the decision to move away from last season’s Heineken Cup runners-up came from a desire to play in his preferred position in the centres rather than get stuck out on the wing where he spent much of last season.
He told The Rugby Paper: “At Ulster I felt like I was always filling in for someone else. I wanted to move away to see if I could get more games and feel like I was really an important part of a team.
“Of course if I’m needed on the wing, I’ll play there, but Rob Baxter knows that I consider myself a centre first and that’s where I’m hoping to play most of my rugby.
“I played a fair few games last season for Ulster, but most of it was out on the wing. I wanted more games in the centre and that was the main reason for the move to Exeter.
“There are a few Ulster boys who have been to Exeter in the past and I spoke to both Lewis and Dan who said they really enjoyed their time there.
“Gareth has obviously been there for a while now, and although I didn’t know him too well in our days at Ulster – he’s a couple of years older than me – we’ve got to know each other a bit now.”
As an Irish centre Whitten’s international opportunities have been understandably limited – his only two caps both coming on an Ireland summer tour to North America three years ago which coincided with the Lions visiting South Africa.
And while he admits a return to the international fold remains very much a distant ambition, he has not given up hope on forcing his way into Declan Kidney’s plans.
“I have to be realistic – last season I didn’t do well enough to be automatic first choice in the centres at Ulster so my first aim has to be to see if I can do well in a different environment,” added Whitten who made his debut for the Chiefs in a narrow 8-6 loss to Connacht last week.
“Anything that comes after that would be a bonus. It’s obviously very difficult with the likes of Brian O’Driscoll, but those players will not go on forever. I have had a taste of playing international rugby and once you have done that you always want to get back there.
“I’ve got two caps to my name, you never want to finish up with just two caps, so it’s something that’s still an ambition.
“There are other ambitions now, though, I want to play as much as possible in the Heineken Cup. We’ve got a really tough group with Leinster and Clermont. I watched Ulster lose to Leinster in the final last year, so it will be great to go up against them, it will be a huge game for us.
“There will be a lot of competition in the centres, I played with Sireli Naqelevuki last week and we have a load of other guys pushing for a spot, I need to perform to get the nod.”
PAUL EDDISON
