So what does Ulster’s Quarter Final win mean? Really!! To me!

First topic message reminder :

This isn’t an article about how many or how few Ulster players get International recognition, nor is it a pop at Munster about who might be the current second best provincial team. It’s not even an “I told you so” to all those good friends who have had to endure countless hours of me telling them how good this Ulster team was and what could ultimately be achieved.

Lat year when the HC draw was made I cringed, as I’m sure many other Ulstermen did. Clermont and Leicester, two heavyweights of European rugby, stood in the way of at least equalling last years Quarter Final achievement. Me, I always though we were good enough. Never bragged though! At least not when I was sober . Like last years team, maybe I was thankful for small mercies. Getting to a QF after 12 years trying was, after all, a marvellous achievement.
Many thought Ulster overachieved last year. Would they settle for another Magners League/Rabo top four place? Would this be seen as progress? Not if you were a true Ulster supporter, we had tasted soup at the top table and liked it. We wanted more. But wait!! After a reasonable start we dipped in the league. Our better players were at the World Cup or injured. We were “a team in crisis”. Could our season be turned around? Clermont came to Ravenhill and the question was answered. The rest, including an amazing night against Leicester, is history.
We needed results to go our way and thankfully they did. Who will ever forget the wet Friday night in Galway when Connacht turned over the mighty Quins?
So an away win in a Quarter Final at Fortress Thomond Park. Not possible they said. Only done once in the HC. This Munster team were unbeaten in this years competition. Even I had my doubts. (See my prediction on Sport Guru!!).
Yesterday’s result was a wake up to anyone who doubted this Ulster team. The desire to win has never been illustrated so well. Players who were prepared to put their bodies in places where most of us mortals wouldn’t even contemplate came through the test. Victory in the “Lions den” achieved, even though there were those who though it wasn’t possible. There were those who predicted an Ulster win but did they really believe it? Am I happy we didn’t beat Clermont in the South of France? Maybe a little bit. It was maybe better to meet Munster in Thomond than in the Aviva!
I went to Milton Keynes last year and stood watching a team that maybe felt they had reached their goal. It was an admirable performance. Sure we might have won but it was great achievement to get to the knock-out stages after 12 years of trying. That and a semi-final in the league was more that we could have wished for. Sure given the success of Leinster and Munster this was more than could be expected. We had closed the gap hadn’t we? But there were those including me who thought we could and should have done better. Especially in Dublin against a Leinster team with an eye on the HC Final.
I was at the HC final last year. Sang my heart out for Leinster (and make no excuses) and came away wishing it was Ulster. In 1999 I don’t think people really realised what Ulster achieved. For many years we have had to endure taunts that the competition was without the English teams. We beat what was put in front of us that year. The best the French (Welsh, Scots and Irish) could put forward!
We now stand in a place where many thought it wasn’t possible. Win against Edinburgh at “home” and a game against Leinster or Clermont awaits us. If we can get past Edinburgh, and I won’t be taking anything for granted, I will sit beside my friends in Twickenham supporting my own team. How good will that be?
Stand Up For The Ulstermen!!

Whoa whoa whoa back up the old truck there Rava!

Believing Wilson is not as good is Wannenburg is very different to suggesting that Ferris, Best, Bowe and Willie Faloon are on par with, or perhaps even better, than any overseas players we have signed.

I'm back. I'm sure you missed me!

Congratulations to Ulster on a great win in Thomond Park.

Enjoy the win while you can!

Great to have you back sin! Sorry you guys are out buddy

Have a on me!

Good man sin.

Do yourself a favour and avoid the Afoa citing thread.

He was in bed with the covers up over his head trying to recover.

The semi should be a great game, you will be disappointed about the loss of the Afoa but it's a day when other guys need to step up to the plate. Munster had to play John Kelly in the centre for the Leinster game and had to then bring on Rob Henderson after him, they both stepped up. You need everyone to bring it.


It's in the past and move on, other guys will have to step up anyway, you can't rely on the usual names. Sexton did it too. That's what rugby is all about it's how you adapt to things that go wrong.

SUFTUM!

Hope you had good crack in Limerick. Is there a thread with what the crack was like anywhere.

Stand - I survived the Rolland v. the Welsh fans thread, so I'm fairly battle hardened and well clued in on the old tip tackle!

Jenifer McLadyboy wrote:He was in bed with the covers up over his head trying to recover.

How did you know Jen

Congrats to Leinster as well on their spectacular win.

Ah but we were on the same side then

Crack was mighty in limerick. Massively enjoyable place for rugby

Standulstermen wrote:Ah but we were on the same side then

Crack was mighty in limerick. Massively enjoyable place for rugby

Don't tell me your in denial about the tip tackle

I suppose you'd have enjoyed siberia with that result!

Sin é wrote:Hope you had good crack in Limerick. Is there a thread with what the crack was like anywhere.

The craic was mighty Sin. Great place, great people. Awesome stuff. Sorry you couldn't make it down sir ! One of the best cities I've visited anyway.

Only down side was that an Irish team got knocked out of the HEC .

Munster have a lot to be positive about and build on though. Great game and could have gone either way.

I have kept schtum I will have you know. Do they have heineken in Siberia?

Hey Sin get yourself to the SF man!

We can all sing stand up for the Ulstermen together!

roddersm wrote:

Sin é wrote:Hope you had good crack in Limerick. Is there a thread with what the crack was like anywhere.

The craic was mighty Sin. Great place, great people. Awesome stuff. Sorry you couldn't make it down sir ! One of the best cities I've visited anyway.

Only down side was that an Irish team got knocked out of the HEC .

Munster have a lot to be positive about and build on though. Great game and could have gone either way.

Cork will blow your mind.......

roddersm wrote:

Sin é wrote:Hope you had good crack in Limerick. Is there a thread with what the crack was like anywhere.

The craic was mighty Sin. Great place, great people. Awesome stuff. Sorry you couldn't make it down sir ! One of the best cities I've visited anyway.

Only down side was that an Irish team got knocked out of the HEC .

Munster have a lot to be positive about and build on though. Great game and could have gone either way.

Wow! You mustn't have travelled much!

I doubt if the players see it that way at the moment. They must be devastated. For the rest of us, as Rory says, its only a game !

Standulstermen wrote:I have kept schtum I will have you know. Do they have heineken in Siberia?

Wise!

You'll get guinness anywhere. Might be a bit chilled though.

Sin é wrote:

Jenifer McLadyboy wrote:He was in bed with the covers up over his head trying to recover.

How did you know Jen

Congrats to Leinster as well on their spectacular win.

Thanks. How did I know? Because that's where I was when we lost to Munster on Black Sunday.

roddersm wrote:

Any other Ulster fans staying down?

We're staying at Grand Canal Hotel, stayed there before and it's a decent enough spot. Pretty close to the grounds as well.

Jenifer McLadyboy wrote:

Sin é wrote:

Jenifer McLadyboy wrote:He was in bed with the covers up over his head trying to recover.

How did you know Jen

Congrats to Leinster as well on their spectacular win.

Thanks. How did I know? Because that's where I was when we lost to Munster on Black Sunday.

jebus, but your lucky if youve only had one 'under the blanket' moment. Try being a Munster fan with all those near and not so far games.

Sin é wrote:

jebus, but your lucky if youve only had one 'under the blanket' moment. Try being a Munster fan with all those near and not so far games.

Who said that was the only one? The only knockout HC one v another Irish province perhaps. Leinster used to be the most frustrating team to support. They would go out and rip a team apart and then lose to some pack of spas the following week.

Sin é wrote:
Wow! You mustn't have travelled much!

I doubt if the players see it that way at the moment. They must be devastated. For the rest of us, as Rory says, its only a game !

Thought Limerick was brilliant right enough

Small margins sin. Losing a tight one is tough to stomach but Munster will be back stronger next year. A lot of young lads there. Chin up old bean

Nice one Shauna, we're staying a bit further out. Are you new around here? Greetings

roddersm wrote:
Nice one Shauna, we're staying a bit further out. Are you new around here? Greetings

I am indeed Rodders, been following for a while but never actually signed up. Thought I'd take the plunge and join you bunch of eejits

Sin é wrote:I'm back. I'm sure you missed me!

Congratulations to Ulster on a great win in Thomond Park.

Enjoy the win while you can!

Didn't miss you one bit

Nah, just joshing. Thanks for the congratulations.

God, listen to them. Ulster fans spent years under the blanket. Years!

Like Sin I just came out from under the blanket....

First of all well done to Ulster full value for the win. I look forward to May 5th. The Pro12 has become a minimal return this year.

Secondly I hope to never see Monsewer Poite ever again.

Thirdly for Afoas citing , would have rathered the penalty..sad to see him banned but it was a poor tackle.

Enjoy the journey....

Cannot understand why McLaughlin is being let go..

Jenifer McLadyboy wrote:

Sin é wrote:

jebus, but your lucky if youve only had one 'under the blanket' moment. Try being a Munster fan with all those near and not so far games.

Who said that was the only one? The only knockout HC one v another Irish province perhaps. Leinster used to be the most frustrating team to support. They would go out and rip a team apart and then lose to some pack of spas the following week.

JMcL

Are you sure you are not from Cork...never heard that term being used in the Pale before by a native

DOD you're a gentleman sir

roddersm wrote:DOD you're a gentleman sir

Thanks Rodders...you flatter me...tired and emotional would be a better description.

DOD wrote:

Jenifer McLadyboy wrote:

Sin é wrote:

jebus, but your lucky if youve only had one 'under the blanket' moment. Try being a Munster fan with all those near and not so far games.

Who said that was the only one? The only knockout HC one v another Irish province perhaps. Leinster used to be the most frustrating team to support. They would go out and rip a team apart and then lose to some pack of spas the following week.

JMcL

Are you sure you are not from Cork...never heard that term being used in the Pale before by a native

You are probably quite young then. It went out of favour many years ago. It probably just reached Cork in the last 10 years.

I don't think so. It has been a favourite"term of endearment" in Cork for many decades.

I am flattered by your thinking I am young though

DOD wrote:I don't think so. It has been a favourite"term of endearment" in Cork for many decades.

I am flattered by your thinking I am young though

No problem. You can be any age on the internet. Spa is a term that is not PC any more. As it is a shortened version of spast1c. I refuse to give it up though, and don't mean it in any way that is insulting to physically or mentally challenged people.

We used to use it back before you were born when you were allowed to say loads of stuff that you could not get away with now.

Reminds me of a couple of brothers from Donegal that I knew when I used to live in Amsterdam..... a little while ago.

They had a black labrador who the named (quite reasonably for Donegal at the time) N*&er. Made sense. He was black, that was the French for black......... You see where this is going.......

One day he escaped from their house in Centruum Amsterdam.......

Two terminally white guys from Donegal were roaming the streets shouting N*&er....Here N*&er. come on boy.

I kid you not. Cue loads of aggrieved Surinamers. Bumps, bruises etc etc.

Yes the term Spa was well used in Cork for the same reason...just never heard it in the pale though...

LOL about the Amsterdam story. Used to live in Eindhoven in the 90's myself. I heard that instead of Sinterklaas and zwarte piet there were parts of amsterdam where piet was groen or blauw.....

DOD wrote:Like Sin I just came out from under the blanket....

First of all well done to Ulster full value for the win. I look forward to May 5th. The Pro12 has become a minimal return this year.

Secondly I hope to never see Monsewer Poite ever again.

Thirdly for Afoas citing , would have rathered the penalty..sad to see him banned but it was a poor tackle.

Enjoy the journey....

Cannot understand why McLaughlin is being let go..

DOD, were you under the same blanket?

I will ignore the insinuation from someone from a country where the men wear woolen skirts...

Lets just say there was a collective blanket of misery all over munster last Sunday....

AsLongAsBut100ofUs wrote:DOD, were you under the same blanket?

Thats not very PC jen..... jeebus is there anyone here who doesn't or didn't live in Holland??..... that does explain a lot though....

Jenifer McLadyboy wrote:

DOD wrote:I don't think so. It has been a favourite"term of endearment" in Cork for many decades.

I am flattered by your thinking I am young though

No problem. You can be any age on the internet. Spa is a term that is not PC any more. As it is a shortened version of spast1c. I refuse to give it up though, and don't mean it in any way that is insulting to physically or mentally challenged people.

We used to use it back before you were born when you were allowed to say loads of stuff that you could not get away with now.

Reminds me of a couple of brothers from Donegal that I knew when I used to live in Amsterdam..... a little while ago.

They had a black labrador who the named (quite reasonably for Donegal at the time) N*&er. Made sense. He was black, that was the French for black......... You see where this is going.......

One day he escaped from their house in Centruum Amsterdam.......

Two terminally white guys from Donegal were roaming the streets shouting N*&er....Here N*&er. come on boy.

I kid you not. Cue loads of aggrieved Surinamers. Bumps, bruises etc etc.

( )

Will the match in Lansdowne be sold out lads? I’m keen to get a ticket but can’t afford it till next week.

Might even get a “Leinster for life, Ulster for the day” tshirt made up…

roddersm wrote:

AsLongAsBut100ofUs wrote:DOD, were you under the same blanket?

Thats not very PC jen..... jeebus is there anyone here who doesn't or didn't live in Holland??..... that does explain a lot though....

You know how mad Gibson is...thats cos he stayed there....

DOD, very true!

Mickado wrote:Will the match in Lansdowne be sold out lads? I’m keen to get a ticket but can’t afford it till next week.

Might even get a “Leinster for life, Ulster for the day” tshirt made up…

I have 4 that I have just found out I am unable to use. 30 juro ones in 516 Row L. Decent seats. I was there for the Ireland South Africa game

Mickado wrote:Will the match in Lansdowne be sold out lads? I’m keen to get a ticket but can’t afford it till next week.

Might even get a “Leinster for life, Ulster for the day” tshirt made up…

Mick, I'm quite sure there will be tickets available. My guess is somewhere in the region of 35-40k. If you are having problems getting one next week give me a call.

Hope the atmosphere isn't diluted at the Aviva by the bandwagoners!...

DOD wrote:Yes the term Spa was well used in Cork for the same reason...just never heard it in the pale though...

Well then the answer is that you arived in the pale after it fell out of use. Or the people you hung around with in the pale were a different kind of people to the people you hung round with in Cork.

DOD wrote:Like Sin I just came out from under the blanket....

First of all well done to Ulster full value for the win. I look forward to May 5th. The Pro12 has become a minimal return this year.

Secondly I hope to never see Monsewer Poite ever again.

Thirdly for Afoas citing , would have rathered the penalty..sad to see him banned but it was a poor tackle.

Enjoy the journey....

Cannot understand why McLaughlin is being let go..

Agree with all of this

Jenifer McLadyboy wrote:

Mickado wrote:Will the match in Lansdowne be sold out lads? I’m keen to get a ticket but can’t afford it till next week.

Might even get a “Leinster for life, Ulster for the day” tshirt made up…

I have 4 that I have just found out I am unable to use. 30 juro ones in 516 Row L. Decent seats. I was there for the Ireland South Africa game

The Rav man just sorted me out with a ticket there Jen, thanks.

I do have some t-shirt printing paper. I think I get something printed up!

To address the thread title, seeing Ferris' man-hug on the coaching staff, Rory's teary eyes and B McL shyly shaking the fans' hands... well, it provoked the second or third time in the last couple of years when Ulster have made me misty-eyed (the final whistle at last year's home game agianst Biarritz was the major other).

I think a lot of us Ulster fans have been used to shedding tears fairly regularly over the last five years, but these out-pourings of emotion due to pride, relief, joy and... well... success will take a bit of getting used to.

Anything else I could say about the game has been said before, and better, by others.

il be there wrapped in the red hand of ulster flag with a giant banner

Ulster says no Dublin says yes : )

Split loyalties though, lived in Edinburgh for a few years. Used to go to a 90% empty Murrayfield for Rabo games. Only decent crowds were for Leinster and Munster games

DOD, heard spa used on da northsoide of the pale for years and still do

wonder will gmac and mc ilroy wangle a week off for the semis.

what i love about mc ilroy is he does not seem to take life too seriously. still has a bit of craic out on the tear with his mates.

he will have however have a 100% american accent by his 30th birthday