As his side prepares to do battle with Edinburgh Rugby for a place in the Heineken Cup final, Ulster Rugby defence coach Jonny Bell has revealed how a last gasp try by Sheldon Coulter at Easter Road was key to the Belfast-based side winning the Heineken Cup in 1999.
Had it not been for that Coulter touchdown at the home of Hearts football club, and a miraculous home victory by Ebbw Vale over Toulouse, Ulster would never have become the first Irish province to be crowned kings of European rugby.
"We had drawn 38-38 at home against Edinburgh in our opening Pool match in 1998/99 and had to win in Round 6 to stand any chance of going through," recalled Bell, who was a mainstay in the Ulster side.
Edinburgh were on the verge of possibly claiming their first quarter-final berth as they led 21-16 before the fleet-footed Coulter intercepted a pass from Iain Sinclair and turned the game, and the Pool, on its head. Ulster won 23-21 and that win, coupled with Ebbw Vale's 19-11 triumph over Toulouse, not only gave Bell and co a ticket into the last eight, but also gave them a home draw.
"Ebbw Vale had lost 108-16 in Toulouse and nobody gave them a chance of over-turning that score line in the home game. Their amazing result came the day before we played Edinburgh," said Bell.
"It meant that Sheldon's try not only won us the game, but also earned a vital home tie. We beat Toulouse in the quarter-final at Ravenhill, Stade Francais in the semi-final and then Colomiers in the final at Lansdowne Road.
"It was an unbelievable journey for that team and they were totally different times for rugby. The game had not long gone professional and we started that season with a handful of full-time pros and a whole heap of part-timers.
"The current Ulster squad is hugely professional and has been through thick and thin together for quite some time. This semi-final has been a long time in the waiting and the squad has grown through the season.
"The home wins over Leicester Tigers and ASM Clermont Auvergne showed what sort of team we can be, but getting a point in Clermont was equally as important. That paved the way for the victory over Munster in the quarter-final
"The belief has grown that the team can win the tight games and that is crucial at the business end of the season when you are battling for trophies. The leadership has been hugely impressive within the squad this season and the foreign players have been magnificent - they add steel, experience and have a huge winning culture.
"We got a taste of what it is like to play at this level last season when we got through to the quarter-finals. We have built through the good times and the bad and we knew that if we got to the same stage again this season we wouldn't let it slip.
"We knew we had the ability to beat Munster, even though so many teams have gone to Thomond Park and lost before in this competition.
"But when you get to this stage of the competition you know you are facing the best teams - and for a good reason. Edinburgh are a strong, attacking team and their defensive display against Toulouse proves we won't be able to run through holes and score tries for fun.
"We will need the same belief we took to Munster and be mentally tough. Some people outside the squad have made us favourites because we will have home advantage at the Aviva, but what is important is how we see things from the inside.
"We know that, despite their form in the PRO12, Edinburgh deserve to be where they are in Europe and have played fantastically well in the Heineken Cup. We have only been focusing on their European form.
"Players like Tim Visser, Greig Laidlaw and Mike Blair are the ones that make them tick and their off-loading game makes them a very difficult side to shut-down. They do the unexpected and can often catch you out.
"Coming to Ireland they will have nothing to lose and will be cast as underdogs - just as we were going to Thomond Park."
