Ulster Rugby Heineken Cup Semi-Final Reaction from Pedrie Wannenburg

Ulster back-row forward Pedrie Wannenburg scored Ulster’s only try in their 22-19 semi-final victory over Edinburgh at the Aviva Stadium;

“It was a case of play it as you see it. The scrum went forward really fast and Ruan (Pienaar) was shouting ‘pick up, pick up and go’ and I just went for the line. It was just fortunate for me”. he says modestly when asked to recount the seconds leading up to the score

The popular back-row forward who will depart Ulster at the end of the season has featured in no less than 10 club finals throughout his career, though Currie Cup and Super Rugby competition, but says that reaching the final of the Heineken Cup, the northern hemisphere’s premier rugby tournament is a step closer to a dream come true;

“One of my dreams is to win a Heineken Cup. I was fortunate enough to win a couple of Currie Cups and a couple of Super 14 titles and this is right up there in terms of my whole career.

A semi-final is always the most difficult game you will play in. In the final, any team can win and we have a 50/50 chance of winning, but we know that we will need to play better than we did on Saturday.

It’s just an amazing feeling for us, some of the boys have waited 13 years for this and we’re the lucky ones, going to Twickenham for the final.”

Wannenburg, who was watched on Saturday afternoon by his wife Evette and 3 month old baby daughter Isabelle, credits a growing belief with the Ulster squad for their Heineken Cup success this season;

“A lot has happened since I arrived at Ulster, the players have started to believe in themselves and we know we can achieve something. We’re up there and we’re in a good place at the moment.”