Ireland star’s honest reaction to learning Ulster will play Ronan O’Gara’s La Rochelle in the EPCR Challenge Cup quarter-final
Ulster made it to the quarter-finals of the EPCR Challenge Cup after a tight 28-24 win against the Ospreys in Belfast. It wasn’t their best game, but it was enough to set up a match with Ronan O’Gara’s La Rochelle.
Ulster were the favorites going into the game against the Welsh side, but the Ospreys fought hard right until the last minute and nearly snatched the win. They thought they had sealed it with a late try, but it was ruled out because of a forward pass, so Ulster moved on in the tournament.
Now, Ulster will host La Rochelle in Belfast for the first time in the Challenge Cup after the French team beat Newcastle Falcons on Saturday night.
After the game, Stuart McCloskey talked about their upcoming match during an interview on Premier Sports. He said, “I think that’s the game we all wanted. Hopefully, the stadium will be full, and it’ll be a great match. We’ll need to improve in many areas. Our defence was too passive at the end, and our attack fell apart a bit in the last 20 minutes. We’ve got some work to do.”
Ulster and La Rochelle have met four times before in the Champions Cup, with La Rochelle winning three of those games. Ulster’s only win came in Belfast, which gives their fans hope for another big victory and a spot in the semi-finals this season.
Ulster’s supporters will also be encouraged because La Rochelle has had a tough season. They were knocked out of the Champions Cup early, are currently ninth in the Top14, and are seven points away from the play-offs. O’Gara might see the Challenge Cup as a chance to win a trophy and secure a spot in next season’s Champions Cup, so the next match could be a big one. But with some injuries to deal with, he might be careful about picking his team.
One thing is for sure — Ulster and Stuart McCloskey will be eager to keep their journey going and reach the semi-finals of the Challenge Cup.