Kick-off details had barely been confirmed for Ulster's BKT United Rugby Championship quarter-final against Leinster this Saturday, and Richie Murphy was already embracing the underdog tag.
Ulster's regular season ended in defeat on Saturday, when they were outlasted by Munster 29-24 at Thomond Park, but the newly appointed head coach's confidence didn't appear shaken by the result, in which his side led 24-14 into the second half.
Had it not been for some bad luck on the injury front, which saw them lose both starting second rows in the opening quarter of the game, it could have been a different story for the province, who took the game to Munster impressively.
The losing bonus-point was enough for them to finish the regular season in sixth place, which guarantees them Champions Cup rugby next season. Securing top-tier European rugby was imperative for Murphy's side after he was initially appointed on an interim basis following the departure of Dan McFarland in March.
The bonus-point also saw them avoid a trip to South Africa to face the Bulls in the quarter-final this weekend, and while an away quarter-final against Leinster at the Aviva Stadium is as tough as it gets in this competition, Murphy believes his side have nothing to lose in Dublin.
"A free shot," is how Murphy framed this Saturday's quarter-final.
The province have already beaten Leinster twice this season in the URC, but the Ulster coach recognises that knockout rugby is an altogether different proposition.
"It's hard to win qualifying games when you go away from home. Obviously we’re not going that far, we’re going to the Aviva.
"We’ll go into it with confidence but we’re going to play a really good side that are hurting so we need to put them under pressure and
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