A keen sense of history and excitement will fuel fit-again Ulster captain Iain Henderson’s quest to end the province’s 14-year wait for silverware in Dublin.
Dan McFarland’s men are 4/1 outsiders to shock Leinster on their home patch and lift a trophy for the first time since the old Celtic League in 2006.
But the Ravenhill men’s prospects received a huge boost yesterday when Henderson, who underwent hip surgery in July, received the green light to lead his side out at the Aviva.
“Excitement is probably the overwhelming factor I want to bring,” said Henderson of his surprise return to the coalface for tonight’s Guinness Pro14 final.
“To captain my first final, it's a huge moment for me and I want to be able to enjoy it.
“Anytime you play an interpro, you’re against people you know or want to play. It’s probably why they are such feisty games and with silverware on the line, it will only add to it.
“I know the guys are unbelievably excited to see what we can do.”
While it is 218 days since Henderson last played - a Six Nations win over Wales in Dublin - the Ireland lock has shown in the past he can hit the ground running after a long layoff.
“Adding pressure helps me - it makes me want to perform better,” he said.
“The last two or three weeks back in training, I’ve also taken a huge amount of confidence from the guys who have been training.
“I’ve been able to get back in a rhythm and the confidence other players have given me will ultimately give me the confidence to perform having not played in a good while.”
