Will 'feel-good factor' help end Ulster's drought?

After weathering Storm Dave in their last-16 win over Ospreys, Ulster produced a storm of their own to blow La Rochelle away to reach the Challenge Cup semi-finals.

Not only are Ulster one game away from a first European final since 2012, but they are also flying high compared to 12 months ago.

At that point, Richie Murphy's young side were struggling in a failed bid to reach the top eight in the United Rugby Championship, and were long knocked out of the Champions Cup in Europe.

But now, they are flying high in the URC and are third with three games of the season remaining, and are two games away from a first trophy since 2006, when Ulster won the old Celtic League.

It has been a remarkable turnaround in the space of the year, and for centre James Hume, the belief is in the group that they can end the 20-year wait for silverware.

"Last year obviously didn't go well and you could make the point that we were 'rebuilding still', but I don't think we are," Hume said, doing air abbreviation marks around the word rebuilding.

"I think we're in a remarkable place to go all the way in both competitions if we can.

"That's ultimately the aim, that's ultimately the confidence that the team have and the staff have."

As the wind and the rain whistled around the Affidea Stadium, Ulster set the tone early against Ronan O'Gara's La Rochelle through Zac Ward's early score.

Tom O'Toole and Cormac Izuchukwu, as well as nine points from the boot of Nathan Doak, put Ulster in control, and the only real blot on the first-half copybook was Judicael Cancoriet's try with the clock in the red.

But any time an under-strength La Rochelle side threatened a fightback in the second half, the men in white rallied with a response of their own as brothers Zac and Bryn Ward crossed, and James McCormick scored late on to add a cherry on top.

"I thought to score six tries was really good," Murphy said.

"I thought we played some really good rugby at times, but those conditions were really tough."

La Rochelle were missing a number of key players through injury or with a focus on the Top 14, like Will Skelton, Gregory Alldritt and Antoine Hastoy, but as two-time Champions Cup winners they could not be discounted.

As Hume said, the La Rochelle badge speaks for itself.

"It was obviously a big occasion. We recognised that during the week and then when you get here and you see them with the La Rochelle badge, you know this is a massive game."

"It was a huge opportunity for this club with the direction we want to go, to move into the latter stages of competitions."

While Hume was bullish in his confidence levels, Murphy was a bit more circumspect about the prospects of his side.

He said his players were "really hungry" for success.

"They want to be in the latter stages of these competitions," he said.

"From our coaching point of view, it's about pointing them in the right direction and trying to help them build a plan in order to be successful."

Ulster's run in in the URC is difficult. Leinster visit Belfast before a trip to a wounded Munster side who are struggling for form.

The current top two await in the final two matches of the season, against Stormers, who are currently second, and against current leaders Glasgow Warriors.

In the middle of it all, there will be a semi-final either at home to Exeter Chiefs or a trip to Italy to face Benetton.

It will be a true test of Ulster's progress, and Murphy wants his players to harness the "feel-good factor" that's currently in his group.

"The group is on a journey. We've come a long way since this started last year and we're moving in the right direction," he said.

"I think it's really important that, you know, the old saying of we approach every game as it comes.

"We will park the semi-final. It's brilliant to have it, but we've got to go and try and get a result against Leinster and then Munster the following week.

"It's really important that the feel-good factor that we have tonight, we bring that into Monday, we prepare really well and lead into that Leinster game. It's exciting."