A rugby miscellany compiled by GAVIN CUMMISKEY

Best results: Local lads make for a winning combination

THERE IS little doubt that Ulster director of rugby David Humphreys has recruited exceptionally well. The anchor of the scrum is a World Cup winning All Black (John Afoa). The captain and director general of the lineout is a World Cup winning Springbok (Johann Muller). The place-kicker and chief playmaker is also a valued Springbok (Ruan Pienaar). So is their number eight Pedrie Wannenburg.

But the contrast to Leinster’s personnel in these key positions is stark, as Rory Best admitted.

Leinster have a Cork man starting at tighthead prop (Mike Ross), a captain and pack leader (Leo Cullen) nurtured at Blackrock College, both school and club, the place-kicker (Jonathan Sexton) hails from St Mary’s College , both school and club, and Jamie Heaslip is a number eight developed by Newbridge and the Leinster Academy.

Best indicated the need for Ulstermen to be playing in the most important positions of the field. “Leinster have been very successful over the last four years, winning three cups, because they have a core of Dublin, Leinster-born and bred players. We are bringing back two more to Ulster over the summer (Roger Wilson at number eight to replace the departing Wannenburg and Tommy Bowe from the Ospreys) and that can do nothing but strengthen us.

“Watching Leinster lift that trophy has to be on our minds for the next 12 months, until we get back to the Aviva next year. That’s what we have to be aiming to do.

“It can’t be just pat on the back, well done, you reached the Heineken Cup final when four years ago you thought you were never going to get out of your group. It has to be about getting better and looking to win this trophy.”

No complaints, no regrets: Terblanche accepts yellow, but happy with last hurrah

STEFAN TERBLANCHE has had a long and storied career. The 36-year-old’s Springbok debut began with a bang as he galloped in four tries against Ireland in 1998.

His end, however, as a professional rugby player will be remembered for another reason. With defeat assured, the Ulster fullback scooped up Leinster hooker Seán Cronin, without the ball, and drove him into the turf, leaving referee Nigel Owens with no choice but to show a yellow card.

“I didn’t intend . . . – you always say that don’t you? – but I thought I’d bring him down but he was already off my shoulder so no complaints about that, I think the ref got it right, as hard as it is to admit it. I think if it happened to one of our players I would have called for the yellow card, yeah.”

He leaves Belfast for good this Thursday but the former Natal Shark believes that despite the defeat it was a great end to a long time as a professional.

“To still finish at the age of 36, almost 37, in a Heineken Cup final not a lot of players can say that.

“In the last six months I found a lot of enjoyment in my rugby again and that was the reason I started off playing in the first place.

“I am happy to go out on that note, even though we took a heavy defeat.”

Can Ulster win a Heineken Cup next year? “I think we’ve still got a bit to go but there are some encouraging signs.

“Last year they lost in the quarter-final, this year they made it two better by making the final.

“There is still enough talent there, one or two young guys are still growing in their position, but with a lot of hard work, guts and determination, they’ve shown that talent.

“They can hopefully challenge for silverware a bit more frequently and not just every 13 years.

“There is a lot there and there should be a lot of improvement in the next 12 months.”