GERRY THORNLEY
Regrets, Johann Muller will have a few for sure, but not about spending the last four years of his career with Ulster. And despite another one being added to the list at the hands of Leinster, who thus ended his and Ulster's season for the fourth season running, when he and his wife and two young children head home to the family farm on the Cape in about six weeks' time he'll do so convinced he'll return to Belfast to drink celebratory champagne with his one-time teammates.
Sometimes, Muller said, a team just needs a little luck. “Obviously this year – especially this year – we haven’t had luck. We’ve had a huge amount of bad luck, but today wasn’t one of those days – we were beaten by a better side at the end of it. But if you look back on the last five-six weeks we’ve had a huge amount of bad luck. But I’ll tell you what; if this group of players sticks together – and the new guys coming in – I’ve got no doubt that they’ve got the ability to win trophies.
“And I would love to come and watch them next year in the final and have a bit of champagne with them afterwards because I truly believe, I honestly believe, that it is possible for this team to win trophies.
“I have absolutely no regrets, I’ve had a wonderful time in my four years here and it would have been great if I had a trophy to show for it but I think where we were four or five years ago and where we are as a team and squad now we have made a huge amount of forward steps,” said Muller, highlighting the quality of their squad, facilities and their academy.
His biggest misfortune, he agreed ruefully, was to run into Leinster in their vintage era. “Yeah. I think my whole career has been like that! In South Africa I played for 11 years (for Sharks) and the Bulls in that time were just phenomenal. They won plenty of trophies and we always came second to them for 11 years in a row, basically. And then I come over here and Leinster take over and they’re like a second Bulls team for me!”
Classy to the end though, he added: “But like I’ve said, I have no regrets. I’ve loved my time over here and back home as well. If a team is a better them than their opposition then they deserve to win trophies. And this Leinster team obviously know what it takes; they are an outstanding rugby team and they deserve every single trophy that they have won in the last five years.”
Leinster have endured their share of pain before gain, and even when conquering Europe there remains the painful memory of three successive Grand Final defeats before last season’s success.
"I would have loved the other three," said Muller's counterpart Jamie Heaslip with a rueful smile. "But what we do know I suppose, what you try and learn from losses and what we realise from them, is that it's on the day. Form, past form, the players you've got, all that stuff, it doesn't matter come game ay. It's all about executing really, to be honest; knowing your job and role, and executing, trying to have that control but then that manic aggression in those little actions and those little jobs that you gotta do."
Heaslip also pointed out that Leinster won their Heineken Cup group this season, whereas they went out last season. “Mattie came in and every coach has different ideas, different styles of coaching and all the players adapted to it, and really enjoy Mattie. He’s a great coach, and a great bloke and he’s helped bring the club on I think and bring through some players as well.
“I think every club is always constantly in regeneration. You’ve always got to bring through the talent. You can never get stale. I don’t think you can ever settle on a squad and it’s good, because it keeps you on your toes. You’ve got all these young guys coming through with different styles, and you learn off them and everyone learns off each other and everyone pushes each other, and it’s great for the club.”
