Ulster ahead Cormac Izuchukwu says the Irish province’s gamers have been “massively heartbroken” after ending their United Rugby Championship season with a 47-17 defeat away to Edinburgh.
Ulster’s hopes of qualification for the quarter-final play-offs and Champions Cup rugby subsequent season had been ended by a defeat to Munster final week.
Nonetheless head coach Richie Murphy and his gamers had indicated earlier than their journey to the Scottish capital a want to offer a successful send-off to the squad members who will depart from the membership on the finish of this season.
Lengthy-serving forwards Kieran Treadwell and Andrew Warwick have been handed beginning roles for his or her swansong appearances.
They’re two of eight gamers leaving the northern province, together with John Cooney, Alan O’Connor, Reuben Crothers, Corrie Barrett, Michael McDonald and Matty Rea.
Within the occasion, Edinburgh put Ulster to the sword, scoring seven tries on their strategy to making certain their passage to the final eight of the URC.
“We’re massively heartbroken. It was a reasonably poor efficiency to offer the lads who’re leaving. They deserved so significantly better and never a great strategy to high off a tricky season.
“It is hurting massively. There are boys in there who’ve been enjoying for us for 10 years and going out and giving them that send-off hurts me too. It is one thing we have got to reside with.
“I believed we had moments within the recreation after we have been good however we discovered it onerous placing these collectively and the sport bought away from us.”
Izuchukwu hopes a youthful Ulster squad can take classes into subsequent season.
“The lesson at this time we take was only a loss. Hopefully subsequent 12 months we are able to use that to gasoline us to kick on.
“I feel for us, particularly with having a squad that’s so younger, it is nearly having the urge for food to show up and provides 110%.
“We do not have huge depth now however hopefully subsequent 12 months we are able to hold blooding lads, hold constructing a squad and hold shifting ahead.”
