Making ready to scrum towards Springbok World Cup winners by day, sprucing off chapters of his dissertation by evening. Scott Wilson’s breakthrough season at Ulster has concerned one thing of a balancing act.
When the province introduced in three tighthead props forward of final summer time’s pre-season coaching – James French, Greg McGrath and Ben Griffin all arrived on offers of various lengths, the latter pair having since departed – it primarily spoke to the necessity to fill the void left by Jeff Tomanga-Allen’s exit and the unavailability of Marty Moore and Tom O’Toole by means of the early weeks of the season.
As well as, nonetheless, the strikes hardly augured nicely for Wilson’s prospects of being closely concerned within the senior set-up.
But the 21-year-old has featured constantly for each departed head coach Dan McFarland and now his interim substitute Richie Murphy.
This month he had his academy contract upgraded to a growth deal and the teenager has been as stunned as anybody together with his stage of involvement.
“I in all probability began the yr with the purpose of getting one cap,” Wilson mentioned.
Up to now, he has turned out 11 instances this yr, together with a second begin within the United Rugby Championship (URC) win towards Cardiff final week.
Because the season has gone on, the goalposts have moved for Wilson.
He added: “I then bumped [the goal] as much as 5 or 6 and that is going into quantity 12.
“I in all probability didn’t anticipate to get as many begins both, so simply taking all of it week by week and daily and going from there.”