With tension rising before yet another “Biggest Game Ever” for Ulster, the mote takes us back to when games were games and supporters were supporters as he re-lives the glorious European campaign of the 1998-99 season.
Big games – you youngsters ‘aint seen nothing yet! Part two next week!
A recent thread on the UAFC forum posed the question about the Ulster v Leicester match, “Was that the best performance ever?” While it is easy to understand the basis for the question when enjoying the result and atmosphere that the game produced, it fails to actually identify that which is important.
A teams performance is relative and a matter of opinion rather than a matter of fact. Thus while a basis for discussion the question and answer in the end prove nothing.
The enquirer could then pose the question was the result important? In terms of qualifing for the knock out stages of the Heinekin Cup of course it was, but the fact remains the result of the next match as a consequence will be more important.
No, the person who posed the question should have posed the question, “Was that the most significant match that Ulster has ever played?” The answer to that question is simple:
No – not even close!
Those who can remember the season 1998 -99, when Ulster won the European Cup, have a choice of games from which to chose.
The first match in the European Rugby that year was against Edinburgh at Ravenhill Friday 18th Sept.
The largest crowd at Ravenhill for a European Cup match achieved the previous season was 5,250 also a friday night fixture. But the crowd for the match against Wasps in 1996-97 played on Wed 16 Oct had attracted a crowd of 8,000.
The crowd at the Edinburgh match was 9,000. I remember the stand wasn’t full and knowing one of the Stewards, no Eventsec in those days, I was able to go into the Stand after half time. The game was a fantastic a 38 points all thriller, four tries apiece.
Ulster backs to the wall stuck in their own 22 defending as if their lives depended on for the last 5-10 mins lineout and scrum followed line out and scrum the crowd roaring them on. It was really the first time the crowd had really got behind the team in a European cup match. Brillant atmosphere!
Next up that year were Toulouse. 10,000 came to the match on friday 16th Oct. Another nail biter, three tries each, the result 29 – 24 for Ulster the difference being the boot of Simon Mason who kicked 4 penalties.
This brought European giants Ebbw Vale to Ravenhill with a crowd of only 4,500 to see a 43 – 18 win for Ulster.
Having battled their way out of their group Ulster found themselves facing a quarter final rematch against Toulouse. Ulster had, against all expectation beaten them once, could they do it again?
The match was played on Friday 11 Dec and 11,500 came that night to roar Ulster on to 15 – 13 win. Three penalties by Simon Mason and two drop goals by David Humphreys against a try, conversion and two penalties from Toulouse . Games don’t get much closer than that and the result owes much to the 16th man on the terrace, prom and stand .
Of those matches the most memorable for me was the game against Edinburgh. Why? Because it was a first. The first match of European Rugby that season and the biggest crowd in for a Heinekin Cup match at Ravenhill.
I had been to many Ulster matches before, since the 1960s, Interpros, games against Yorkshire, Lancashire, West of Scotland. Games with big crowds, others when it was only one man and dog where the support consisted of the odd lone voice shouting “Come on Ulster”, “Get into them Ulster”, the type of support that one sees every week at a club match. But the Edinburgh game was different it was the first time I experienced a collective passion in the crowd and the first time I had seen an Ulster side respond to the supporters.
But was the game important compared to the quarter final against Toulouse, no, Toulouse meant Ulster were through to the semi-final against Stade Francais – then the current French Champions and favorites for the Cup.
Corrections, comments or questions?