Given the hype in the build-up to yesterday’s game and the drama that unfolded during the match, it would have been easy to miss the huge significance of the occasion for Robbie Diack. When he replaced Roger Wilson on the half hour mark, the Ireland international was winning his 150th cap for Ulster.
Given the hype in the build-up to yesterday’s game and the drama that unfolded during the match, it would have been easy to miss the huge significance of the occasion for Robbie Diack. When he replaced Roger Wilson on the half hour mark, the Ireland international was winning his 150th cap for Ulster.
Having been in Belfast since 2008, hitting the milestone was extremely special for one of the province’s most consistent players:
“Just to be part of this team, to have played so many games for this province and to have been at Ulster for so many years, is amazing, says Robbie. “It has been a huge honour and privilege for me. I said in the dressing room that I hope this is the year that we pick up some silverware. We have been close for the last couple of seasons and we just have to go to Glasgow now and get a result.
“Even though it was an important day for me, I just want it to be an important year in general for Ulster Rugby and to get a trophy. We have put the hard yards in and if we win a couple more games then we can do that,” he added.
While Paddy Jackson’s pressure kick at the end salvaged a draw, the Ulster players created chances to put points on Munster early in the game. Converting chances into tries is what Robbie believes the challenge is now:
He says: “We can learn from those missed opportunities. If any of those chances had gone to hand we would have been talking about a victory. It’s going to be a crucial game next week and whatever happens in the match against Glasgow, it’s also going to be a crucial game the following week. If we just keep working hard, recognise our mistakes and learn from them, those chances will go to hand and we will reap the benefits.”
As one of the most experienced and now most capped Ulster players in the squad, Robbie knows better than most about the quality in the team. He believes Ulster have the players to win a PRO12 play-off, whether that game is at home or away:
“A couple of years ago, we might have been nervous about playing a play off away from home,” he says. “With the squad that we have and the leadership that exists within the group - with Doaky’s preparation and Rory’s leadership, we have quality people at the top. I think this is the squad that can go and win a play off no matter where it is. We all want to win the play off because we all know where the final is going to be played. When you hear the atmosphere at Kingspan Stadium, it’s a difficult place to come and beat Ulster.”
Following the game, Diack took time to thank the hero of the hour, Paddy Jackson:
“I would have enjoyed 150th even more if we had got the win,” Robbie says, “but in the changing room I thanked Paddy for kicking that kick and making sure that we at least got a draw.”
A memorable day for Diack – hopefully, there will be even more special games for the back-row forward in the coming weeks.
Given the hype in the build-up to yesterday’s game and the drama that unfolded during the match, it would have been easy to miss the huge significance of the occasion for Robbie Diack. When he replaced Roger Wilson on the half hour mark, the Ireland international was winning his 150th cap for Ulster.
Having been in Belfast since 2008, hitting the milestone was extremely special for one of the province’s most consistent players:
“Just to be part of this team, to have played so many games for this province and to have been at Ulster for so many years, is amazing, says Robbie. “It has been a huge honour and privilege for me. I said in the dressing room that I hope this is the year that we pick up some silverware. We have been close for the last couple of seasons and we just have to go to Glasgow now and get a result.
“Even though it was an important day for me, I just want it to be an important year in general for Ulster Rugby and to get a trophy. We have put the hard yards in and if we win a couple more games then we can do that,” he added.
While Paddy Jackson’s pressure kick at the end salvaged a draw, the Ulster players created chances to put points on Munster early in the game. Converting chances into tries is what Robbie believes the challenge is now:
He says: “We can learn from those missed opportunities. If any of those chances had gone to hand we would have been talking about a victory. It’s going to be a crucial game next week and whatever happens in the match against Glasgow, it’s also going to be a crucial game the following week. If we just keep working hard, recognise our mistakes and learn from them, those chances will go to hand and we will reap the benefits.”
As one of the most experienced and now most capped Ulster players in the squad, Robbie knows better than most about the quality in the team. He believes Ulster have the players to win a PRO12 play-off, whether that game is at home or away:
“A couple of years ago, we might have been nervous about playing a play off away from home,” he says. “With the squad that we have and the leadership that exists within the group - with Doaky’s preparation and Rory’s leadership, we have quality people at the top. I think this is the squad that can go and win a play off no matter where it is. We all want to win the play off because we all know where the final is going to be played. When you hear the atmosphere at Kingspan Stadium, it’s a difficult place to come and beat Ulster.”
Following the game, Diack took time to thank the hero of the hour, Paddy Jackson:
“I would have enjoyed 150th even more if we had got the win,” Robbie says, “but in the changing room I thanked Paddy for kicking that kick and making sure that we at least got a draw.”
A memorable day for Diack – hopefully, there will be even more special games for the back-row forward in the coming weeks.