Resurgent Ulster not burdened by past as Bilbao final awaits

This time last year, it was not obvious what direction Ulster were heading as their season slipped away.

But now, their destination is clear as Bilbao awaits.

Saturday's win over Exeter Chiefs in the Challenge Cup semi-finals moved Ulster to within one win of their first silverware in 20 years.

Montpellier or Dragons will be the opposition, but for now Ulster can revel in a superb performance where they had too much for Exeter in a 29-12 win in Belfast.

Heading into the game, Ulster's semi-final record was poor.

In fact, they had let leads slip as they missed out to the Stormers in the United Rugby Championship semi-final in 2022, and to Leicester Tigers the previous year in the Challenge Cup.

After praising his players, Murphy was keen to point out that his young squad were not burdened by previous heartbreak.

"I heard it all week, 'Ulster are never good in semi-finals. They don't win semi-finals'," said Murphy, who added "one thing I would love is for people to be a bit more positive about things".

"Well, this Ulster team has never been in a semi-final before."

Murphy's point rang true. From the loss in Cape Town to the Stormers, only five of that starting team - Tom O'Toole, Iain Henderson, Nick Timoney, Stuart McCloskey and Ethan McIlroy - featured against Exeter.

In the space of four years Ulster have evolved, and this young group play without fear.

"We've managed to win, which is fantastic, and we have a big task to go and try and win a final," Murphy added.

"When we get to that in three weeks' time, we'll be doing everything that we can to make sure that we're at our very best over there."

At full-time, aided by the sunshine in Belfast, the celebrations lasted long after the full-time whistle.

Ulster's last trophy came in 2006 when they lifted the Celtic League, and while there have been plenty of near misses, it has been a long wait for their supporters.

After saying he got recognised and wished the best of luck while doing his shopping by the woman behind the till earlier on Saturday, Murphy said it was "incredible, and you can see what it means to people".

"We had some tough times last year, there's no doubt," he said.

"But we always believed that these young players could keep going forward.

"Sometimes we don't reach the level that we need to. But on nights like tonight, if we can just bottle that and make sure that when we're under pressure that we go back to fighting for each other like we did, it's a very bright future ahead."

It was a performance that Murphy said was "one of the best" his side have produced in his tenure.

The only real concern for Ulster was the potential for an ever-growing injury list.

Most notably, key centre Stuart McCloskey was forced with a concern that, according to Murphy, "could just be cramp, could be his hamstring" after he pulled up when kicking the ball with 10 minutes to go.

The Ireland international was limping around the pitch for the post-match celebrations with ice strapped to his right leg,, so Murphy will certainly be hoping it is the former.

Jacob Stockdale did not emerge for the second half after he was sin-binned for a reckless tackle on Immanuel Feyi-Waboso, while Jack Murphy, Jude Postlethwaite and David McCann also limped off late on.

"We actually finished the game with 13 players," Murphy said.

"So the lads were still fighting for everything that they could get."

While the final in Bilbao on 22 May will certainly be something to look forward to, a much more immediate challenge.

Despite a resurgent season, a spot in the top eight in the United Rugby Championship is far from secure - and their final two fixtures are against the top two in the league.

The Stormers visit Belfast on Friday before a final game against leaders Glasgow Warriors.

When it comes to balancing his team between the final two pivotal fixtures and the final, Murphy was honest on his approach.

"I'm not going to lie, it's incredibly difficult," he said.

Murphy added that Ulster "have to win next week" and the priority "has always been to get into the top eight" of the URC, but he also acknowledged there may be some rotation when the Stormers come to town.

He pointed to the youthful team that travelled to Munster in their previous URC fixture - which had 14 changes compared to Saturday's Challenge Cup win - and said that he would have to "reassess" who was not only fit, but fresh to take on the South African side.

"We have to reassess where our players are and then decide who can play and who can't, in relation to trying to get into that top eight," he said.

"If we win next week and we win the week after, we could end up in the top four."

Murphy added "there is no switching off at the moment" and the run of seven weeks with matches since the end of the Six Nations has been "never ending".

While the final will have to be parked for now, the feel-good factor from the semi-final win can certainly still be harnessed.

"It's a big positive lift for the whole for Ulster Rugby, and with Leinster in the Champions Cup final on the Saturday, it'll be a big, big weekend for Irish rugby.

"The best way for us to prepare for a final in a couple of weeks time is to make sure that we're playing good rugby going into it.

"We just have to see what happens with player availability and how we move the squad around a little bit to keep a freshness for what's coming up."