Jacob Stockdale had run out of the tunnel wearing the Ulster jersey 149 times before, but this one felt different. With his daughters, Phoebe and Bonnie, beside him, he led the team out as the first player on the pitch against Munster, marking a century-and-a-half of Ulster appearances.
It had been a long time coming for the wing, who burst onto the scene in 2016 before injuries derailed much of his early promise. After a resurgent few years, he was thankful to reach the milestone with his family present. "When I was walking out, I was like, 'I'm going to cry here'," he told BBC Sport NI. "My family are incredibly important to me and it was a very emotional day."
Stockdale's landmark came a week later than scheduled after he was forced out of the team to face Glasgow in the warm-up. He scored two tries against Munster, but the match ended in a 33-33 draw, not the win he had hoped for. Ulster fought back from 21 points down at half-time, yet are still without a win in their opening three United Rugby Championship matches. Head coach Richie Murphy had said his side were "playing matches like they are training sessions."
Stockdale stressed honesty and a process-driven approach. Ulster return to action on Saturday away to Zebre in the Challenge Cup, with the wing eager to recapture last season's form, when the side reached the final before losing to Montpellier in Bilbao. With the Rugby World Cup less than 12 months away, Stockdale says his focus is simple: "All I'm worried about is Ulster."
Source: BBC Sport · Summarized by HeadlinesBriefing