Former Ulster Rugby winger Andrew Trimble has said that he thought that Jacob Stockdale played unbelievably well in Ulster’s 21-18 loss to Leinster on Saturday.
Stockdale spilled what should have been a certain try after darting his way through the Leinster defence in a mistake that former Ireland captain Brian O’Driscoll labelled as unforgivable in his post-match analysis.
Stockdale had scored a remarkable six tries in six Pool stage games before last weekend’s quarter-final defeat to Leinster and Trimble recognised that contribution on the latest episode of House of Rugby with co-host Barry Murphy.
BARRY: Yeah, what’s your take on that moment?
ANDREW: I thought, after all Jacob has done for Ulster and Irish rugby over the last year and a half and the fact that he got the ball… I thought that Dan McFarland summed it up perfectly. The message he delivered after the game was – Who else do you know, when they get the ball, 40 metres out, can brush off two Leinster defenders, step Jordan Larmour like he’s not there, still maintain full pace?
BARRY: Get the hand-off as well.
ANDREW: Hand-off Dave Kearney, I think it was, and even get into a position of having any chance to score a try. I dunno. And actually, apart from that moment – it was obviously a mistake, you know, and he should have obviously dove on it, dived on it – but, apart from that, I thought Jacob was unbelievably good the rest of the game.
Stockdale apologised for the mistake in a post on his Instagram account but said that the support the team received was amazing.
His post read:
“I’ve had some incredible highs with Ulster rugby, but unfortunately yesterday was a low for me. Sport can be cruel and sometimes you have to learn your lessons the hard way. To the Ulster fans I just want to say I am sorry, I let you down, the support we had yesterday was truly amazing and you deserve to be looking froward to a European semi final.”
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