Ulster have all they need says Constable
Wed, 08 Oct 2008 08:57
Irish side Ulster host French giants Stade Francais this weekend for their Heineken Cup opener and former hero Ryan Constable says he would not rule out a surprise win for the White Knights.
The Australian centre enjoyed the memorable experience of being a part of an Ulster side to get one over the French team and says that single fixture still remains a fantastic memory for him.
While he admits the Stade side is full of fantastic players, and definitely a contender to win the tournament, he is also sure the newest crop of Ulsterman will be more than ready for the challenge and sees no reason why Matt Williams and his men cannot get the job done at Ravenhill.
"The players don't need to be motivated for these games; they naturally are, pulling on the white jersey of Ulster is more than enough motivation in itself," said Constable.
"The Heineken Cup is really special for Ulster at Ravenhill; there is nothing quite like 12,500 screaming Ulster supporters. I remember before we played Stade just listening to [Andy] Wardy, Tony McWhirter & T-Bone [Tyrone Howe] firing the boys up, knowing we were just about to take the pitch to beat a team we weren't supposed to.
"But, forget the pink shirts and nude calendars, Stade are one serious rugby team, seven from seven so far in the French Top 14, with world-class players like Juan Martin Hernandez and Sergio Parisse. Stade Francais are more than capable of winning the Heineken Cup this year.
"When people have asked me if Ulster are going to win this weekend I have just replied with: 'Well, we're not supposed to beat them ... "
