When Ulster defeated Toulouse at Ravenhill last December to win a place in the semi-final of the European Cup, it was rightly acclaimed as among the great achievements in the history of Ulster rugby. Comparisons were inevitably made with another famous Ulster win 14 years previously when, for the first time, the province defeated a major touring team, the 1984 Wallabies.
That Australian team was considered to be the best Wallabies side ever to come to these islands and that rating was indeed justified as the Australians went on to do the grand slam.
Personal preference may decree which was the greater Ulster win, but they were both unforgettable occasions. It would be true to say, however, that the win over Toulouse was more beneficial, earning, as it did, the right to a match against French champions Stade Francais in the European Cup semi-final. The happenings in that match are the stuff of legend as the 20,000 people who were present will testify.
By a remarkable co-incidence, when Ulster defeated the 1984 Wallabies the score was 13-15 and that was also the score when Ulster defeated Toulouse. That night the young mascot who led Ulster onto the field against Toulouse was nine-yearold David Rainey. And little David's presence established a very tangible link with the man who emerged as Ulster's hero on the night the Wallabies were defeated, for it was David's father, Philip, who scored the winning points for Ulster. With five minutes to go in that match, Ulster trailed by a point as the Wallabies led 13-12. The referee, Ray Megson of Scotland, awarded Ulster a penalty. It was over 40 yards out on the left touchline. Out-half Ian Brown was Ulster's first-ranked kicker and he had been successful with three penalties already that evening, but the shorter distances were Brown's forte and Ulster captain David Irwin called Philip Rainey up to take the crucial kick.
"I will never forget the occasion or the moment," said Philip Rainey. " "David Irwin called me up and said: `Have a blast at that, Chipper.' Well I had a blast at it. I made a good connection and as the ball was on its way. I knew from the the crowd's reaction that it was going to go over," said Rainey, now the very successful manager of the Ireland under-21 team.
"It was a late afternoon kick-off and played under lights. The conditions were very difficult, mud and rain. I actually do not think I had a very good match that evening. We had conceded a very soft try to one of their wings, Peter Grigg, and I was annoyed with myself over it.
"In fact Grigg scored two tries that evening. But our forwards played very well and there was a tremendous spirit in the side. The Australians had beaten Ireland a few days earlier in Dublin and some of our players were on that Ireland team - Trevor Ringland, Willie Anderson, Jim McCoy and Philip Matthews. They were especially keen to win having lost in the international.
"The Wallabies could not really shake us off that evening and brought David Campese onto the team shortly after halftime. Ian Brown had kept us in the match with those penalties."
But what Rainey did not say was that in addition to kicking the crucial penalty, he had also dropped a goal that night.
"As the game went into the closing stages we felt we had a great chance and then we got the penalty," said Rainey. "I remember when the final whistle went, the great celebrations on the field, the sense we players had of having achieved something very special and the reaction from the crowd. I had not experienced anything like it at Ravenhill before." Among his precious souvenirs from a distinguished career, during which he was on the Ireland World Cup squad in 1987 and capped against New Zealand at Lansdowne Road in 1989, is the ball used in that match against the Wallabies. "I was presented with the ball and it is a treasured possession."
What of Ulster's current achievements? "They are magnificent. Beating the Wallabies was great, but quite honestly it does not compare with what the present team has achieved."
