Ulster Rugby vs Leinster

FAREWELL RUAN

Also, the semi-final at the Aviva. So many people travelled down to support us and from the moment we walked down the stairs at the Shelbourne Hotel, it was packed with Ulster supporters who all started clapping and singing and it was really emotional to see everyone. What will you miss most about Ulster? The people. They have made it really special. The guys I have met within the team and all the fans have really welcomed us. The people we have met will be lifelong friends and I will stay in touch with as many of them as I can. Belfast is a great place to live, it has its challenges, people

After seven years, it will be emotional saying goodbye to your Ulster Rugby family? It has been a rollercoaster; this week especially has been really emotional. I have thought about this moment, this last game and being involved with the team and this club, for the last couple of months now and it has come a bit quicker than I expected. Saturday will be tough and emotional for me and my family, but I will try to enjoy it as much as I can. It’s the last time I get to play a competitive match with the guys I have played with for a couple of years now so I am looking forward to it, but it will be really tough to say goodbye. What would you say are your Ulster Rugby highlights? Making my debut back in 2010

are sick of my jokes about the weather but it is an awesome place to bring up a family, it’s a beautiful country and like I said the people make it special so it’s sad to say goodbye. My daughter was born here so we will always have ties to this country, my wife has been terrific. We were only married a few months before we made the move here and thankfully we have adapted well and she has embraced the culture and made

RUAN PIENAAR was special. You come over here as a foreign player and you’re not sure how the crowd and your teammates will accept you. It was a big step and I was nervous but obviously making my debut was exciting. From

then every Friday night was such a good experience, running out to a packed stadium in front of

a passionate crowd. The fans always come out to support, no matter what the weather is like. European games are the ultimate experience and those are the games you love to be involved in. We have had some special wins at Kingspan Stadium over the years. The 2011/12 season stands out for me. We made it against all the odds which was incredible. We even surprised ourselves making that final and although we lost, it was a special occasion for the whole club and for the whole Province of Ulster. What was your favourite game to play in? I have two favourites. Firstly, at Thomond Park in the quarter final of the European Cup against Munster. It was my first experience down there and everyone said how tough it was going to be and it was exactly that, so to come away with the win against such a good team was great.

a lot of good friends. For my kids, my wife and I, it will be an emotional day on Saturday. It will be tough knowing in a couple of weeks, we have to get on a plane and leave these shores. What does the future hold for the Pienaar family? We are off to France for a couple of years, I will probably see my career out there. This is home for us now so hopefully we will have the opportunity to come back to Northern Ireland and settle here. If we could plan our perfect scenario, the plan is to come back and settle here in Belfast

in about five years. Good Luck Ruan!

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