Ulster’s centre James Hume says his side are embracing the chance to lift silverware in the Challenge Cup final against Montpellier in Bilbao. The match offers a lifeline after a 20‑year trophy drought and a ninth‑place finish that left the province outside next season’s Champions Cup.

Murphy’s men trail two‑point margins in the Top 14, but failure to secure a Champions Cup spot means Friday is the final act of the season. Hume recalls the 2022 semi‑final loss to the Bulls and the 2020 Pro 14 final defeat, noting the weight of history on their shoulders.

Hume, 27, is keen to rewrite the 2006 Celtic League victory narrative. He praises Murphy’s pep talk that “you have a chance to write your name in history” and stresses that European play often exposes French defences as more erratic, offering Ulster a tactical edge over Montpellier’s second‑place Top 14 form.

With Glasgow’s late try snatching a 26‑22 win in Belfast, Ulster’s focus sharpens on the final. Hume warns that the pressure of a potential Champions Cup berth should not cloud the team, as they aim to bring the first trophy back to Belfast since 2006.