TWO GAMES AND 25 days have passed since Ulster’s heartbreaking Heineken Cup quarter-final exit at the hands of Saracens at Ravenhill, but the ‘what-ifs’ are still playing heavily on their minds.
Even this week as they head into the official opening of their newly developed stadium. Even with Friday’s home tie with Leinster not only having a say in whether they play in Ravenhill again this season, but also their progress to the Pro12 knockout stages; the pain of the European exit still stings.
Watching Saracens cruise into the Heineken Cup final in a half-empty Twickenham last Saturday didn’t help. At the mention of the 46 – 6 rout Clermont, Johann Muller slips into a groan and a mumble far removed from his usual purposeful and polite tones, but they return in time for him to say:
“People say to me, ‘they deserve their place in the final’. I say, ’100%, but did they deserve their place in the semi-final?’ That’s the question.
“At the end of the day they played brilliantly and it was a good day for them, but it makes it worse. It makes it tough.
“We wanted to be there so desperately. It didn’t work out, but the future of Ulster rugby is in good hands and I’ve no doubt I’ll come to this place next year and the following year to watch finals or semi-finals.”
Speaking in an interview for UlsterRugby.com, the Springbok added:
“I texted David [Humphreys] on Saturday after the game and said the depression just set in all over again.
“I never felt that prepared and that good going into the quarter-final probably in my career, because we had everything going for us. Everybody was fit, everybody was playing… but obviously things didn’t work out the way we wanted them to.
The other side has brought them a a massive 58 – 12 win over Connacht at home, but also a disappointing 27 – 9 loss to the Warriors in Scotstoun.
The results have not only strengthened Glasgow’s claim to a semi-final berth in May, but also leave the northern province checking over their shoulder on fifth-placed Ospreys, five points adrift of the playoffs with a trip to Zebre coming up tomorrow.
