We still have a belief that we can salvage something from this season, says Ulster Rugby's James McNabney

Ulster had gone into the game after back-to-back URC defeats to Italian opposition and sitting second bottom in the league.

While the 30-28 victory only lifted Richie Murphy’s side one place in the table as other results didn’t go in their favour, Ulster are only two points off eighth-placed Connacht with six regular season games to go.

McNabney put in a man-of-the-match performance as skipper Alan O’Connor’s last minute converted try gave Ulster a much-needed four points.

“That game was crucial for us, we needed that win to salvage what ever we can salvage from this season,” stated McNabney.

“Our season hasn’t gone to plan so far but we think there is a chance we can salvage something out of this.

“We’re not sitting in too good a spot in the table, we can still do it (make the play-offs) and we are still within reach and that is what we are aiming for.

“We talked about all week that we needed to go out with belief and we all needed to go and play. The start of the game wasn’t the way we intended it to go but the lads believed we could get back into it and Jack was very good off the tee and he kept us in it kicking for points.

“It was a 1-23 performance as the bench had a good impact to see out the game.”

Ulster have a tough run in having to face four of the top seven in their remaining games with three of them on the road.

McNabney stated: “If you look at the league table you would nearly think you are too far away to make anything of it.

"I don’t particularly focus too much on the stuff that is going on in the background because I can only do as good as I can for the team and that is what we are after, just everyone buying into the process and keeping at it.

“We lost to both the Italian teams which were results that we hoped to come out on the other side of, different things just didn’t go our way.

“We haven’t played particularly well in some of those games or fronted up.

“The Scarlets was a very important game but we can’t get ahead of ourselves but we are at the stage where it is just game on game now, just finish each week with a positive and see where we go from there.”

McNabney’s powerful carries got Ulster on the front foot, and he beat seven defenders, the backrow also put in a touch-finding kick from his own 22 to relieve pressure as the Scarlets laid siege to the Ulster try line.

“I think the last time I kicked the ball I was playing for Cambridge House and I was wearing their socks. I kicked the ball, and the coach said I think you should keep the ball in hand and don’t bother kicking it,” he shared.

“The was the last time I kicked it. I don’t know if I’ll do it again or not, it was just what happened in the heat of the moment.”