When Ulster finished third from bottom in the United Rugby Championship last season, the questions were loud and clear: What had gone wrong for this proud Irish province? Missing the URC play-offs was one thing, but failing to qualify for Champions Cup rugby felt like a deeper blow. Fast forward just one year, and the narrative has flipped completely.

On Saturday, Ulster powered past Exeter Chiefs to secure a spot in the Challenge Cup final. Now, Richie Murphy's squad stands just one win away from ending a 20-year trophy drought. They'll face Montpellier in Bilbao on 22 May—a stage that seemed impossible just months ago.

Flanker Nick Timoney, a veteran presence at 30, admits the turnaround has surprised even those inside the camp. "Not many people would have been putting money on us being in a final this year," he says with a mix of humility and determination. "The opportunity is there in front of us now. We've got to go take it because I know from personal experience, and a lot of us do, they're rare opportunities."

So, what changed in just 12 months? Timoney points to a crucial reset. "It feels like a lot, obviously," he reflects. "We all knew at the time it wasn't good enough, but it's sometimes hard to reflect when you're in the moment and you're going week to week. You feel like you're trying your best, but it's not working and then that leads to frustration and lack of confidence."

The turning point came during the off-season, when the coaching staff hit the reset button. "There was a conscious effort from the coaches that things were going to get better," Timoney explains. "There was great buy-in from the players and certainly from some of the important players, leaders in the group, that we were going to see this thing in the right direction."

That fresh start has been fueled by something intangible but powerful: a group of young players with "no scars." Unlike veterans who carry the weight of past disappointments, these rising stars play with freedom and belief. Blended with experienced leaders like Timoney, this mix has created a squad that refuses to be burdened by history.

Their blistering start to the URC season built a strong foundation, though a mid-season wobble has made their play-off hopes precarious in a tightly packed top 10. Still, with a final in sight and momentum on their side, Ulster has already proven that a reset—and a fearless young core—can rewrite a team's story.