Gary Longwell: “Fabien Pelous was a giant and he yelled in my face ‘it’s over’. It was for him”

By Jim Stokes

Over 20 years have now elapsed since Ulster’s last great rugby odyssey began. It climaxed on a crisp, late January afternoon in 1999 in the creaking old Lansdowne Road stadium where they became the first Irish province to lift the European crown with a 21-6 victory over Colomiers.

David Humphreys captained the side that day and lifted the trophy along with Mark McCall, the current Saracens Director of Rugby. McCall was due to lead the squad that season, but due to a lingering neck injury, was forced to retire. The incredible journey began five months earlier with against the now-defunct Edinburgh Reivers side at Ravenhill. Down by two converted tries in as many minutes, Ulster’s European season looked already over. But they fought back, eased ahead 38-35 moving into injury when Scotland fly-half Duncan Hodge pilfered a draw with a wobbly dropped goal.

“I remember laughing to myself under the posts when they scored their second try and saying ‘ah well, that’s Europe done for another year!’,” said former Ireland lock Gary Longwell.

His pessimism was understandable given their next opponents - Toulouse, away. “We were fearful of losing by 80 points after Ebbw Vale were hammered 108-16,” Longwell explained. “We eventually lost 38-3 and in the changing room we were more or less congratulating ourselves. Then in came Harry Williams and absolutely got ripped into us. He said, ‘you’re Ulster, when did you think it was acceptable to lose?’ Boy, it certainly stuck! It was a wake-up call and it was probably the turning point of the season.”

After an electric Humphreys helped in beating Ebbw Vale 61-28 in the Valleys, it was then Toulouse on a typical cold, drizzly Friday night at Ravenhill where Ulster eased home, 29-24. It was a game that saw dynamic inspirational flanker Andy Ward spirited away just after half-time when Chief Constable Ronnie Flanagan got his PSNI driver to rush Ward to the Royal Victoria Hospital to see the birth of his first son Zac.

“That game was the start of our fan-base really,” said Longwell

“I remember we were ahead and then on one occasion we conceded a try through a driving maul, and I was on the ground and standing over me was French lock Fabien Pelous. He was a giant and he yelled in my face ‘It’s over, it’s over!’ It was for him. That Toulouse side were unbelievable at the time, nearly all internationals. They were like a who’s who of world rugby, never mind French rugby.”

One of the other heroes from then was scampering Ballymena winger Sheldon Coulter, who many considered too small and too light to play rugby who would have a major say in that incredible season. The rerun of the opening pool game was away to Edinburgh at Myreside and another roller-coaster finale was in store. With the hosts leading 21-13 on the hour, Coulter nicked a pass from Scottish centre Alan Tait on the halfway line before sprinting home under the posts. Simon Mason, one of Ulster’s main men in the campaign, converted. Another penalty saw Ulster home 23-21.

“It was the defensive pattern that we were using and I just happened to be in the right place at the right time to pinch the ball,” said Coulter, who now owns his own financial services business.

Everyone appeared to stop – but I didn’t! Before I scored they looked like pulling further ahead. It was a nervous finish as Craig Chalmers missed a last-minute penalty which would have won for them.

No 8, Tony McWhirter’s memories of the final 10 minutes were much hazier after a blow to the head. “I woke up and was shocked to see my Dad leaning over me. I felt a surgical collar around my neck, but once I started moving my arms and legs, I knew that it was not serious. I only heard the result when my Dad told me. The pain subsided very quickly,” said the Ballymoney dentist.

Incredibly, Ebbw Vale stunned Toulouse to win at home which meant Ulster topped Pool C and secured home advantage against the French champions in the quarter-finals with the hosts emerging victorious (15-13).

The semi-final played against Stade Francais was, for many, the game of the tournament.

The French side, led by Italian kicking machine Diego Dominquez, came with a swagger to Belfast. But they were hit with the same ferocity that had greeted so many others, with the highlight a spectacular 42nd minute try from Humphreys, Coulter recalled: “We had a scrum in our ‘22’ and Humph was ready to kick into the stands. But then we had a chat saying ‘chip it and let’s see what happens’. He was going to chip and catch it himself, but I got there first and he followed up and we still had a defender to beat, a simple two-on-one, and once I gave him the pass, he easily won the foot race. That helped win the game, which was the most memorable of the

whole campaign.”

The final is now enshrined in folklore. Ulster had it won once Humphreys marched his side around to the east terrace which was a sea of red. Colomiers were doing their drills on that side of the stadium and they visibly wilted amidst the cacophony of noise.

"At the time when we got to the final, you almost felt that it would have been more of an issue if we hadn’t won it, than winning it,” said McWhirter.

It’s folklore now, but what appeared to scare the life out of Stade was when their hooker, Marc Dal Maso, was about to do a line-out drill and the big, abrasive replacement flanker Stuart Duncan from Malone crashed into him as we made our way to the east terrace. Accidentally, of course! I didn’t really see it .... but was told later. You just felt then, the writing was on the wall for them.

It was. And Irish rugby history was made.