Saints coach Dowson has ‘fond memories’ of visiting Ravenhill during his playing days
IT may be almost nine years since Ulster and Northampton last met, but one man at Franklin’s Gardens tomorrow night has played his part in some sizeable past battles.
While this last eight tie comes in the Challenge Cup, Saints’ forwards coach Phil Dowson is a relative veteran of the previous Champions Cup clashes between the pair, lining out in the 2011 quarter-final in Milton Keynes and then the memorable festive back to backs of 2012 when the away sides proved victorious on both occasions.
Although Saints would go onto reach the final in ’11, losing to Leinster after an unforgettable comeback from Joe Schmidt’s side in Cardiff, arguably the most memorable of the trio of games came at Ravenhill in December of 2012 given that it saw Ulster’s 13-game winning streak come to an inglorious end with a 10-9 defeat.
“We took a hiding at home actually,” remembered Dowson. “We lost 25-6, which was disappointing, and I remember Jim Mallinder telling us what we needed to do the following week in no uncertain terms.
“We just got absolutely dominated and I think 25-6 was quite flattering for us.
“We were disappointed that we had not shown up and had been dominated up front, that we had not put a marker down.
“What we really spoke about was ourselves, how we functioned and how we had to at least get some pride back.
“We showed a tremendous amount of character the following week, at the time not many teams were winning at Ravenhill.
“It was a really good experience because we knew it was going to be tough, and for that group of players, we have very fond memories of going to Ulster.
“When you think back after you retire, that was a wonderful experience, especially for me because my wife is from Northern Ireland.
“I’ve fond memories of that win, having a couple of beers afterwards and of a great atmosto
phere and environment.”
Dowson is of a vintage where his memories of Ulster players are not limited to just old games but of former team-mates too.
“Good memories might be a strong word,” he laughed of the previously strong connection between the northern province and the team that succeeded them as European champions in the year 2000.
“Roger Wilson, I keep in touch with him, he is a legend of a man. Very, very softly spoken but very funny on a night out.
“And then Neil Best is one of the craziest men I ever met. He was incredibly bright, but incredibly mad and a lot of fun.
“Every day he brought so much energy to the group. He was as mad as a box of frogs but he was brilliant fun to play with and brilliant fun to spend time with off and on the pitch.
“I loved playing with both those boys, they taught me a lot about life as well as rugby.”
Onto tomorrow and Dowson is expecting Ulster’s forwards to try and go toe to toe with his own unit, especially after beating Harlequins in the last round thanks to three mauled scores.
“They have made no secret about their maul game and their scrum game,” he added.
“How dominant they have been against Quins, the number of tries they have scored and how they exert that pressure, there are no surprises there and they are very good at it with Roddy Grant coaching them.
“So we are well aware of that challenge. It is as clear as day and we have to make sure we meet that early on because once you get under the cosh there against them you are in trouble.”