No scars and a reset - How Ulster's fortunes changed

When Ulster finished third from bottom in the United Rugby Championship last year, a lot of questions were being asked about the direction of the Irish province.

Not only did they miss out the URC play-offs, but also on qualification for Champions Cup rugby.

A year on, Ulster beat Exeter Chiefs on Saturday to book their place in the Challenge Cup final.

Richie Murphy's side have the opportunity to end a 20-year trophy drought when they face Montpellier in the final in Bilbao on 22 May.

It's been a remarkable turnaround, and flanker Nick Timoney admits "not many people would have been putting money on us being in a final this year".

"The opportunity is there in front of us now. We've got to go take it because I know from personal experience, and a lot of us do, they're rare opportunities."

When asked what had changed in the space of a year, Timoney said "it feels like a lot, obviously".

"We all knew at the time it wasn't good enough, but it's sometimes hard to reflect when you're in the moment and you're going week to week," said the 30-year-old Ireland back row.

"You feel like you're trying your best, but it's not working and then that leads to frustration and lack of confidence and all that."

Timoney said a clean slate in the off season was key to the reset ahead of the current season.

"I think we looked back and there was a conscious effort from the coaches that things were going to get better.

"There was great buy-in from the players and certainly from some of the important players, leaders in the group and whatnot, that we were going to see this thing in the right direction."

And so far it has worked.

A superb start to the season put them in a strong position in the URC, but, after a mid-season wobble, their play-off hopes are precarious due to how tight the top 10 teams are.

"Obviously, it hasn't always been perfect," Timoney added.

"But it would be hard to deny that there hasn't been progress, but as soon as you feel like you've made it or you've cracked it, then that's when life trips you up.

"So we just need to keep pushing, keep working hard. Every single week, every single day we come in, we need to know that we're trying to get better again for the next week."

'No scars for young players'

After the game, Murphy had hinted at frustration about comparisons to other Ulster teams who had come up short in previous semi-finals.

He went as far to say that "this team hasn't been in a semi-final before".

And, in truth, he was right.

Of the starting team that were pipped by the Stormers in a dramatic United Rugby Championship semi-finals in 2022, only five were in action on Saturday.