IT’S 14 YEARS to the day since Ulster last made an appearance in a European Cup final, a 42-14 Heineken Cup defeat to Leinster arriving 13 years after they had become the first Irish province to taste European success.
Weeks like this don’t roll along very often for a team like Ulster, and so they should be savoured by all involved.
Indeed, there have been points along the current group’s journey where such occasions would have felt a world away.
Think back to the uncertainty of the 2023/24 season. Richie Murphy’s appointment was no masterplan by Ulster and the IRFU. This was a hire that initially plugged an unexpected hole, before becoming a permanent arrangement.
Richie Murphy came in as head coach in 2024. Bryan Keane / INPHO
Bryan Keane / INPHO / INPHO
After almost six years in charge, Dan McFarland’s tenure had grown stale. While the province had been consistently competitive during most of McFarland’s reign, in his final season Ulster’s form hit a worrying slide. With the province eighth in the URC table and failing to qualify from their Champions Cup pool (losing three from four pool games), they made the relatively unusual move of parting ways with their coach mid-season.
It would be a full month before his interim replacement, Murphy, would take charge of an Ulster game given the Ireland U20s head coach already had his hands full with the U20s Six Nations. By any measure, this is not how a new coach wants to come into a job.
Following that turbulent mid-season period, Ulster would go on to finish sixth and reach the URC quarter-finals (losing 43-20 at Leinster), while making the Challenge Cup quarter-finals (a 40-17 win at Montpellier in the round of 16 followed by a 53-14 loss at Clermont). That run was enough to secure Murphy the position on a permanent basis, an appointment that was largely seen as a positive move.
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Stepping into the shoes of Ulster’s longest-serving head coach, the former Leinster assistant signed up for a rebuild. Patience would be required as Ulster focused on blooding a host of young players.
Marquee signing Steven Kitshoff had returned to South Africa, Billy Burns left for Munster, with Will Addison and Marty Moore (retired) also among the departures. The new additions were met with raised eyebrows. New Zealand out-half Aidan Morgan would last just one season in Belfast while Werner Kok – seen as a curious signing given Ulster’s options in the backline – would quickly become a fan favourite.
Werner Kok has proved a fan favourite in Belfast. Laszlo Geczo / INPHO
Laszlo Geczo / INPHO / INPHO
Other signings were more low-key, but just as intriguing, as Murphy’s son, Jack, moved north from Leinster while Sevens star Zac Ward joined on a short-term trial. Both are now key men for the province.
Murphy’s first full season in charge proved challenging, with injuries damaging the progress of a squad that didn’t have the necessary depth in some areas.
The province won just seven from 18 in the URC to finish 14th, as Zebre and the Dragons propped up the table. That poor return also meant Ulster would miss out on Champions Cup qualification for the first time.
And yet there was promise for the season ahead. Powerful number eight Juarno Augustus was brought in to add some ballast to the pack, while Wallaby prop Angus Bell was a real statement signing.
But the emphasis would again be on youth, as experienced heads in John Cooney, Alan O’Connor, Kieran Treadwell and Andy Warwick all called time on their Ulster careers.
And with all that turnover, the most important addition was arguably that of Mark Sexton, who joined Murphy’s set-up as attack coach. With Willie Faloon in place as defence coach, Murphy had now shaped the coaching ticket to include his own men.
And for much of this season, that coaching ticket helped mould Ulster into one of the stories of the year, the province playing with a clear identity and exciting game plan as they stormed their way through the opening rounds.
Eight games in, Ulster were third in the URC table, and were still top three as recently as round 14.
Mark Sexton has been a key appointment for Richie Murphy. Ben Brady / INPHO
Ben Brady / INPHO / INPHO
During that time, in-form players like Stuart McCloskey, Robert Baloucoune, Nick Timoney and Tom O’Toole were central as Ireland turned a slow Six Nations start into a resurgent, impressive finish.
A year previously, Ireland went through a full Six Nations without a single starting player from Ulster, with Ian Henderson and Rob Herring making a couple of substitute appearances off the bench.
It was a remarkable turnaround for a revitalised province, but those internationals were not the only catalysts. The Ward brothers, Zac and Bryn, have been highly effective while Nathan Doak has taken his game to a new level – leading to a deserved first Test cap.
Yet having so many players away in Ireland camp would always prove challenging for Ulster.
During the Six Nations a depleted Ulster lost away to the Ospreys, and a week after the championship ended they were beaten at home by Connacht, a result which now looks a key point for both provinces.
While Ulster recovered to beat Zebre (away) before home wins against Ospreys and La Rochelle in the Challenge Cup, defeats to a rotated Leinster team (home) followed by a thumping 41-14 loss at Munster saw them slide down to eighth in the URC table, clinging on to a play-off spot.
In all, a URC season of two halves. From round one to the turn of the year, Ulster won five from seven in the league (their round two game was postponed until Mach 2026). In 2026, they picked up just four wins from 11, the last of which came almost two months ago.
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Nathan Doak has taken his game to a new level. Ryan Byrne / INPHO
Ryan Byrne / INPHO / INPHO
Which leads us to this week, where it’s all on the line. Beat Montpellier in Friday’s Challenge Cup final, and Ulster will have a trophy to show for what has been a largely promising season, while also securing the status and financial boost that comes with being a Champions Cup side again in 2026/27.
Lose, and the season takes on a different complexion. They’ll be underdogs against a powerful Montpellier team flying high in the Top 14, and with McCloskey, Stockdale, Henderson and Herring among those unavailable, the task at hand is even greater – the pressure of playing in a European final amplified by the weight of those Champions Cup hopes.
The campaign has still been an improvement from where they were 12 months ago, bagging 14 more points across their 18 URC fixtures, but to walk away with no play-off rugby and no Champions Cup would be a deflating end to a run that had Ulster fans dreaming again.
Those dreams are still alive for those travelling over to Bilbao this weekend, where Ulster have one game left to achieve their goals of reaching the Champions Cup, and ending a 20-year wait for silverware.
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It's all on the line for Ulster at end of a season which promised so much
IT’S 14 YEARS to the day since Ulster last made an appearance in a European Cup final, a 42-14 Heineken Cup defeat to Leinster arriving 13 years after they had become the first Irish province to taste European success.
Weeks like this don’t roll along very often for a team like Ulster, and so they should be savoured by all involved.
Indeed, there have been points along the current group’s journey where such occasions would have felt a world away.
Think back to the uncertainty of the 2023/24 season. Richie Murphy’s appointment was no masterplan by Ulster and the IRFU. This was a hire that initially plugged an unexpected hole, before becoming a permanent arrangement.
After almost six years in charge, Dan McFarland’s tenure had grown stale. While the province had been consistently competitive during most of McFarland’s reign, in his final season Ulster’s form hit a worrying slide. With the province eighth in the URC table and failing to qualify from their Champions Cup pool (losing three from four pool games), they made the relatively unusual move of parting ways with their coach mid-season.
It would be a full month before his interim replacement, Murphy, would take charge of an Ulster game given the Ireland U20s head coach already had his hands full with the U20s Six Nations. By any measure, this is not how a new coach wants to come into a job.
Following that turbulent mid-season period, Ulster would go on to finish sixth and reach the URC quarter-finals (losing 43-20 at Leinster), while making the Challenge Cup quarter-finals (a 40-17 win at Montpellier in the round of 16 followed by a 53-14 loss at Clermont). That run was enough to secure Murphy the position on a permanent basis, an appointment that was largely seen as a positive move.
Stepping into the shoes of Ulster’s longest-serving head coach, the former Leinster assistant signed up for a rebuild. Patience would be required as Ulster focused on blooding a host of young players.
Marquee signing Steven Kitshoff had returned to South Africa, Billy Burns left for Munster, with Will Addison and Marty Moore (retired) also among the departures. The new additions were met with raised eyebrows. New Zealand out-half Aidan Morgan would last just one season in Belfast while Werner Kok – seen as a curious signing given Ulster’s options in the backline – would quickly become a fan favourite.
Other signings were more low-key, but just as intriguing, as Murphy’s son, Jack, moved north from Leinster while Sevens star Zac Ward joined on a short-term trial. Both are now key men for the province.
Murphy’s first full season in charge proved challenging, with injuries damaging the progress of a squad that didn’t have the necessary depth in some areas.
The province won just seven from 18 in the URC to finish 14th, as Zebre and the Dragons propped up the table. That poor return also meant Ulster would miss out on Champions Cup qualification for the first time.
And yet there was promise for the season ahead. Powerful number eight Juarno Augustus was brought in to add some ballast to the pack, while Wallaby prop Angus Bell was a real statement signing.
But the emphasis would again be on youth, as experienced heads in John Cooney, Alan O’Connor, Kieran Treadwell and Andy Warwick all called time on their Ulster careers.
And with all that turnover, the most important addition was arguably that of Mark Sexton, who joined Murphy’s set-up as attack coach. With Willie Faloon in place as defence coach, Murphy had now shaped the coaching ticket to include his own men.
And for much of this season, that coaching ticket helped mould Ulster into one of the stories of the year, the province playing with a clear identity and exciting game plan as they stormed their way through the opening rounds.
Eight games in, Ulster were third in the URC table, and were still top three as recently as round 14.
During that time, in-form players like Stuart McCloskey, Robert Baloucoune, Nick Timoney and Tom O’Toole were central as Ireland turned a slow Six Nations start into a resurgent, impressive finish.
A year previously, Ireland went through a full Six Nations without a single starting player from Ulster, with Ian Henderson and Rob Herring making a couple of substitute appearances off the bench.
It was a remarkable turnaround for a revitalised province, but those internationals were not the only catalysts. The Ward brothers, Zac and Bryn, have been highly effective while Nathan Doak has taken his game to a new level – leading to a deserved first Test cap.
Yet having so many players away in Ireland camp would always prove challenging for Ulster.
During the Six Nations a depleted Ulster lost away to the Ospreys, and a week after the championship ended they were beaten at home by Connacht, a result which now looks a key point for both provinces.
While Ulster recovered to beat Zebre (away) before home wins against Ospreys and La Rochelle in the Challenge Cup, defeats to a rotated Leinster team (home) followed by a thumping 41-14 loss at Munster saw them slide down to eighth in the URC table, clinging on to a play-off spot.
In all, a URC season of two halves. From round one to the turn of the year, Ulster won five from seven in the league (their round two game was postponed until Mach 2026). In 2026, they picked up just four wins from 11, the last of which came almost two months ago.
Which leads us to this week, where it’s all on the line. Beat Montpellier in Friday’s Challenge Cup final, and Ulster will have a trophy to show for what has been a largely promising season, while also securing the status and financial boost that comes with being a Champions Cup side again in 2026/27.
Lose, and the season takes on a different complexion. They’ll be underdogs against a powerful Montpellier team flying high in the Top 14, and with McCloskey, Stockdale, Henderson and Herring among those unavailable, the task at hand is even greater – the pressure of playing in a European final amplified by the weight of those Champions Cup hopes.
The campaign has still been an improvement from where they were 12 months ago, bagging 14 more points across their 18 URC fixtures, but to walk away with no play-off rugby and no Champions Cup would be a deflating end to a run that had Ulster fans dreaming again.
Those dreams are still alive for those travelling over to Bilbao this weekend, where Ulster have one game left to achieve their goals of reaching the Champions Cup, and ending a 20-year wait for silverware.
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Challenge Cup final hurdle Rugby Ulster