Neil Treacy

Best case scenario.

What's the realistic, the realistic best they can get next year?

Is it back competing for a Challenge Cup final?

Is it getting to a URC semi-final?

Yeah, well, look, it has been a season of development, just not the ending Ulster wanted.

A couple of URC playoff quarterfinals I do want to mention, obviously, as well.

Munster and Connacht, both in action this week.

Munster down in South Africa, taking on the Bulls.

12 p.m.

kickoff on Saturday afternoon.

Connacht, Friday night, away to Glasgow Warriors.

I might start with Connacht because on paper, this kind of looks like the game of the weekend.

Yeah.

I think from Glasgow's point of view, they're obviously delighted they get the top seed and all that.

But if there's a team I just would not want to be facing at the moment in the URC, it's Connacht.

They've got their Champions of Qualification sorted.

Getting to the playoffs is already a drastic improvement on last season.

They've got absolutely nothing to lose and everything to gain.

It's worth mentioning as well, Steno, like this was the game back in the very, very end of February that actually kicked Connacht off on this brilliant run they ended up going through for the rest of the season.

I know they'd beaten Zebra to get their first win of that run a few weeks earlier, but ultimately it was a last minute try against Glasgow Warriors at home, new stadium.