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Kingspan Stadium. The conditions were dreadful,
important players like Iain Henderson, Darren Cave
and Peter Nelson limped out of the action early, yet the
depth and quality of the squad shone through, as did the
passionate support from around the stadium.
The management and panel even overcame the
late withdrawal of Roger Wilson and still produced a
monumental effort up front, while Rory Scholes lit up the
night with a try beautifully manufactured by the Pienaar-
Jackson-Ludik axis, and finished with verve and pace.
Rob Herring at hooker and as skipper was irrepressible,
prop Kyle McCall outstanding, Nick Williams and Chris
Henry hugely impressive in attack and in then defending
a first half lead against opponents as unforgiving as the
gales which lashed the ground. Pienaar confirmed his
world-class qualities, replacement Stuart McCloskey and
Andrew Trimble tackled ferociously and countered with
venom.
What Ulster demonstrated was its depth of quality and its
weight of character, it was a team under the microscope
of some but Kiss and Doak know their charges and of
what they are capable. Beating Toulouse in front of a
rowdy Kingspan crowd is just that.
For the watching public this evening offers a treat, for
Toulouse have in their ranks players such as full-back
Clermont Potrenaud, winger Vincent Clerc, the Fijian
scoring machine Timoci Matanovou, the precocious Gael
Fickou at centre, All Black Luke McAllister at out-half, and
in the back row, Head Coach Ugo Mola – who has the
unenviable task of following Guy Noves after his 25 years
at the helm – can call upon Louis Picamoles, the ageless
Imanol Harinordoquy, and Thierry Dusautour.
Fine players all, big names too, but with Trimble, Luke
Marshall, Pienaar, Jackson, McCloskey, Best, Herbst,
Henry, Williams, Diack and Wilson – to name but a few
elite performers – can Ulster honestly be said to lack
the ability and character to match and overcome such
lustrous opposition?
You cannot live off memories alone, but they provide
lessons and often inspiration. The achievements of an
Ulster squad which teamed a few full-time professionals
with players who trained after a hard day’s work have
entered rugby legend.
In this ultra-professional era the values of hard work
and focus still obtain, and with the vast improvement in
coaching and in players’ skills the modern and the past
combine in the big clubs of today.
Ulster against Toulouse: it whets the appetite, it drips of a
great and life-enhancing history.
Tonight the story continues...
ARTICLE BY ROD NAWN
FREELANCE JOURNALIST
AND SPORTS ENTHUSIAST
@RODNAWN1