REGRETS AS ROGER & OUT

ROGER WILSON retires from professional rugby on Saturday believing he was never given a chance with Ireland. Ulster’s most capped player, inset, feels he wasn’t appreciated by several Ireland coaches, particularly Declan Kidney. And claims he joined Northampton Saints in 2008 – the same year Kidney became Ireland coach – to boost his Ireland prospects, but it didn’t work out. He was only capped once – on a summer tour of Japan in 2005 under Eddie O’sullivan. “You can’t read other people’s minds,” he said. “You’re given the excuse at the time that you’re playing abroad and it wasn’t easy to get back, but the (Northampton) coaches were willing to release me. “It was only an hour’s flight away so I think that was a poor excuse by them (Ireland coaches). “I don’t think about it too much anymore but maybe years down the line it will annoy me a fair bit.” Wilson will make his 221st and last competitive appearance for Ulster in Saturday’s Pro12 clash against Leinster at Kingspan Stadium. Ruan Pienaar’s is expected to play in his swansong – despite picking up a back injury in last week’s loss at the Ospreys. That defeat ruined Ulster’s hopes of making the league semi-final playoffs for a fifth year in a row. Wilson added: “It’s been strange in that it’s the first time in a while that we’re going into the last game of the season with nothing to play for. “It’s the last competitive game I will have here. It will possibly be a bit emotional. I’m not the most emotional of people but it will be a bit strange.” Stuart Mccloskey (thigh), Charles Piutau (elbow) and Chris Henry (calf) are expected to be fit for Saturday as Ulster sign off on a miserable season.