Ulster scrum-half Nathan Doak says the side want to give Edinburgh a “right performance” on Friday night after their heavy defeat at the Hive Stadium last season.

The northern province were beaten 47-17 by their United Rugby Championship rivals in May to bring their disappointing 2024-25 campaign to a bruising close.

Richie Murphy’s side began the new season in better shape with a six-try win over Dragons at home on Friday but Doak said attention quickly turned to the trip to the Scottish capital.

“Edinburgh are a very different side. What they did to us last year, we haven’t forgotten that either,” he said.

“That was said in the changing room after the game there, so we’ll all be dusting ourselves down.

“We want to go over there and we want to give them a right performance and we’ll take it to them.”

Doak started the season opener against Dragons and was impressive with the boot as he went five-from-five off the tee in the 42-21 win.

After John Cooney departed for Brive in the summer, the 23-year-old will be expected to be Ulster’s first-choice in the number nine jersey this season but says he is expecting competition from the likes of David Shanahan and Conor McKee.

“We all want to push each other, even with John gone,” he added.

“John set a really good precedent of trying to get the best out of ourselves at scrum-half. That’s definitely stayed on, even though he’s left.

“Nothing’s changed in that department. We’re all pushing each other to try and make each other better.”