BOWING out in Bilbao. As the curtain came down on Ulster Rugby’s season not only did a chance of silverware slip away but the realism of what could have been kicked in.
Ulster were second in the United Rugby Championship at one point during the season and made it to their first European Cup final in 14 years. It was a season that promised so much but, in the cruel world of sport, delivered so little. To miss out on a top eight finish in the league is not only a huge blow financially, it means they’ll be back in the Challenge Cup instead of the Champions Cup next season.
Unfortunately, it was a step too far this season but compared to last year there are plenty of positives. You just have to have been to the Affidea Stadium this past season to have seen the difference.
Yes, Ulster made mistakes, yes, they left games out there but it wasn’t for the lack of effort. This squad got the fans back on board this season by not only restoring the fractured relationship and making quality time for them after each match, they also gave them plenty to cheer about from the stands with many nights of attacking rugby along with their never give up attitude.
It was also a very positive Six Nations for the large contingent of Ulster players in Andy Farrell’s squad. Stuart McCloskey just missed out on Player of the Championship but was crowned Ireland Player of the Year and picked up Moment of the Championship for his transacting wonder tackle on Marcus Smith at Twickenham.
En route to Bilbao
The disappointment has been there for all to see in recent weeks, though. To miss out on a top eight finish was a huge blow for Richie Murphy’s side, especially as he said afterwards “no team has ever missed out with 52 points”.
Then came the final. Bilbao had it all, the spectacular stadium, the Irish takeover with Ulster and Leinster fans in town for the weekend for the Challenge and Champions Cup finals, but in the end both Irish provinces were blown away by French powerhouses.
Montpellier dominated against a young Ulster side, with an average age of just 24. Speaking afterwards Richie Murphy told us: “These young lads will learn from this, we now know what level we have to get to in order to win at this level, but will come back stronger and we want to be back in this final next year.”
Montpellier stalled any momentum that Ulster had gained with their fast start and early Nick Timoney try but a 59-26 defeat was hard to take and left the Ulster players feeling completely demoralised afterwards.
“I feel like we’re in exactly the same position as we were at the end of last season now,” James Hume told me in his post match interview for UTV. “We have to use this hurt now to drive us on next season,” Mike Lowry added. “There’s a lot of lads in the changing room that only won their first cap for Ulster last season and they were playing in a final tonight so there’s plenty of positives in that respect.”
The magnificent San Mames stadium in Bilbao
Ulster’s young team weren’t expected to reach the final or get up near the top of the table during this season but they showed they can compete with the best, it’s now figuring out how to stay there consistently. Injuries and suspensions didn’t help in the end but as Nick Timoney said after the game in Bilbao: “We really feel like we are building something special and I think the fans know it too, they have been amazing all season and we are so lucky to have them, I feel so lucky to play for this club.”
It feels like Ulster deserved more this season and they will no doubt have to ask some hard questions of each other during their end of season debrief but one thing is for sure, they’ll be back fighting again next season.
Ulster fans in Bilbao
Another one of our sports stars who’ll come back fighting next season is Mark Allen.
His heartbreaking World Championship semi final defeat will be hard to get over. THAT black ball he missed to get into the final will play over in his head for a long time. But he also claims this will make him stronger.
“I couldn’t believe it because I really felt I could’ve been in the final this year,” he told me at his Mark Allen Foundation Golf Day at Massereene in Antrim.
“As soon as I got home I went to pick my daughter up from school, I’d been away for three weeks so when she came running across the playground I thought she was going to tell me she missed me but instead her first words were ‘daddy how did you miss that black?’
“So that quickly brought me back down to earth! But I wouldn’t have it any other way. Yes it hurts and I am absolutely gutted as all I’ve ever wanted to do is win the World Championship but it will just make it even sweeter when I do win it that’s the way I look at it.”
Allen also told me he’d reached out to Rory McIlroy though his caddie Harry Diamond. “I’ve messaged Harry, I’d love to pick Rory’s brain and see how he dealt with the disappointments, especially around the Masters because I think I could learn from it too.”
Allen isn’t back in action until July so is planning to take time off and enjoy more of the green fairways before returning to the green baize.
Winners and a few familiar faces at the Mark Allen golf day
Speaking of golf and Rory McIlroy, have you seen the Devil Wears Prada 2 movie yet? We’re used to seeing Rory on the big screen but not in that way, he and his wife Erica have a cameo role in the iconic film.
That’s two movies he’s been in recently, including Happy Gilmore 2, which came out last year. I guess when you reach Rory’s level of fame everyone wants a piece of you. From Holywood to Hollywood, Rory really has done it all!
Did you know Rory McIlroy, and wife Erica, make a cameo appearance in The Devil Wears Prada 2
