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Ex Ulsterman Ruan Pienaar, who represented the club 141 times, believes it is a “huge” achievement for the team to reach the PRO14 final this weekend against reigning champion Leinster in Dublin.
Pienaar, who scored all of Ulster’s points in their final 2014 loss to Leinster, believes the team has a chance, though they all rule them out against undefeated Dublin.
Pienaar, who currently plays for the Cheetahs, believes Ulster will need to be at his best, but the ball’s rebound could help them in a final where there will be pressure.
“Ulster won the competition for the last time in 2006, and we were in the final in 2014, where we lost against Leinster. For a small place like Belfast it is a great achievement, ”he said.
“The club has a great tradition and is always in the semifinals and they will know what they have to do. Facing a team like Leinster is not easy because they have won a lot and been in these situations so many times and they know how to react.
“But a final is anyone’s game. It takes a wrong bounce and it can go either way. I’m excited to watch the game and I really hope Ulster can give Leinster a real shot this weekend. ”
Pienaar praised the fighting spirit in the semi-final victory over Edinburgh and said he remains a strong supporter of Ulster after spending seven seasons with the club.
“I think it is a great achievement for them to reach the final. Watching the semi-final this weekend, they had some problems at halftime, but they showed a lot of character and struggled to come back and win the game at the end, ”said Pienaar.
“I’m still a huge Ulster supporter and I always want them to do well. I am delighted to see them in the final, but it will be difficult to beat Leinster, they will definitely come as favorites for the final. But as we have seen in the past, anything can happen in a final. Ulster will need to be at its best. “
Pienaar said that Dan McFarland had done well as the team’s coach to take them to the final in just his second year as coach, and will have a definite plan to try to upset them in the game.
“Dan will prepare them well for the week and they will have a definite plan to try to deal with them. Last year in the quarterfinals of the Champions Cup, they really faced Leinster and ultimately lost by two or three points if my memory serves.
“Ulster play them on a regular basis and they know Leinster’s strengths and weaknesses well. So if there’s one team that can give it a go, that’s Ulster. For my part, I really hope so, but they will have to be at their best. “
If he had to give a word of encouragement to his former teammates, it would be to enjoy the occasion and not let him get the better of you.
Don’t let the occasion get the better of you. Obviously there won’t be a crowd, so you’ll need to generate your own power for the game. They are good enough and they know Leinster well enough to know where to attack. They will have a good plan from their coaching staff. They need to enjoy the occasion and the result will fix it. I really want to see them and hope they do well. “
– PRO14 medium
