Exeter newcomer Aly Muldowney is dreaming of life in the Aviva Premiership following a smooth transition to the Chiefs.
Former Glasgow lock looking forward to life in the Premiership
Exeter newcomer Aly Muldowney is dreaming of life in the Aviva Premiership following a smooth transition to the Chiefs.
Muldowney, who joined up with the Sandy Park faithful after stints at Moseley and Glasgow Warriors respectively, is now looking to crack on with a lifelong dream to play in English rugby's top-flight.
"My dream when I started playing rugby was to try and play at the highest level possible and play in the Premiership - it is something I have wanted to achieve for a while," he said.
"Coming to Exeter, I have that chance now. I won't say I am a Premiership player until I have got myself into the team, but now I have the chance to work hard and try and get myself into that team."
Challenge
Having previously faced the Chiefs whilst playing for Moseley, the 27-year-old confirmed that it was the fans' backing for the club that encouraged him to sign.
"One of the main reasons I came was the town itself and how much the people love their rugby here," he added.
"Previously I have played in Birmingham and Glasgow, both of which I would say are football cities, but somewhere like Exeter you can see how much they buy into the rugby team and how much they follow the club, so it was a massive attraction to play somewhere that has that kind of support."
But Muldowney realises that it will be no easy task breaking into the first team, with a cluster of other locks vying for his position, but it is a challenge that he is more than willing to take on.
"There are quite a few players in that (second row) area, but it is going to be a long old season. Of course it's good to have competition for places as it brings the best out of us all," he added.
Lifelong ambition
However the locks immediate aim is to impress in pre-season so that he can fulfil his lifelong ambition, and although hoping to debut against Leicester Tigers on September 3 in the new season's first game, he admits that no player enjoys pre-season.
"Pre-season wherever you play is always tough and horrible," he said.
"The conditioners try to bring as much fun into it as possible, but pre-season is a horrible process to get through.
"The good thing about here, unlike a lot of other clubs, is that we have done quite a bit of rugby already - that has been a big plus for me, especially as a newcomer coming into the club.
"That is why it is so good we are doing so much rugby in this first week - because we can get used to all the patterns. When you go to a new club it can be several weeks before you really know all the moves and that, so already we are getting an insight into how the team plays."
