Ulster will keep feet on the ground

The Belfast-based province are the only top level team in Europe to boast a 100 per cent start to the current campaign.

They have won all eight of their opening fixtures, including consecutive triumphs over Castres Olympique and Glasgow Warriors to sit top of Pool Four in the Heineken Cup, the latest a 46-19 league victory over Newport Gwent Dragons.

Anscombe, who only took up the head coach post in the summer, has been thrilled by his charges start to the season but is adamant that they will continue improving.

"It sounds nice and the guys are proud of their effort but it's still early in the year," said the New Zealander

"We're going well and it's starting to come but we don't know what it's going to be looking like in a couple of months.

"You have to enjoy your wins but you also have to learn from them and keep moving forward. That's what we have been doing so far and it's what we will keep endeavouring to do.

"Winning breeds confidence, and that's the key thing, but with winning you have to keep your feet on the ground, there is no way that we are the complete or perfect team."

Last season's beaten Heineken Cup finalists return to European action in December with a double-header against previous runners-up Northampton Saints.

They kick-off their back-to-back showdowns at Franklin's Gardens, a venue the Saints hold a fierce record.

Anscombe is well aware of the threats Northampton pose and he already has one eye on his Pool Four rivals.

"Northampton is a little way off yet and there's a lot of work to be done before those matches," said Anscombe. "But we want to keep winning.

"They are a good team. They have a lot of talent and depth. We have to play them there first and nobody goes to Franklin's Gardens and has an easy game.

"It will be a tough battle. We know what lies ahead and are keeping a record of what they are doing. We know what their threats are.

"But all we can do right now is look at the next game. If we keep doing that we will come through okay."