Ulster’s chance to gain redemption after PRO4 final defeat

“There’s nothing new in professional rugby… there won’t be anybody in the team who hasn’t suffered disappointment because they didn’t represent the team at the weekend"

Ulster head coach Dan McFarland. Picture: INPHO/James Crombie

The loss of another knockout game to Leinster forced Dan McFarland to go through a 48-hour grieving process which he says was “as difficult as I’ve done in a long time” but Ulster don’t have the luxury – collectively or individually – to rake over the coals.

There will have been some bruised egos in the wake of McFarland’s ballsy team selection which saw most notably John Cooney left on the bench for Saturday’s PRO14 final defeat in Dublin, with Jordi Murphy, Jack McGrath, Marty Moore, and Ian Madigan the others who had claims to start, but Sunday’s Champions Cup quarter-final away to Toulouse offers the chance of redemption.