Muller: Ulster can channel winning momentum

After kicking off the month with a 22-20 defeat at home to Leinster - Saturday's playoff semi-final opponents - the Ulstermen returned to winning ways.

A trip to fellow Irish outfit Munster ended with a 19-17 victory for Mark Anscombe's young side, as fly-half James McKinney kicked a vital 14-point haul.

Saturday's clash - a repeat of last year's RaboDirect PRO12 final - may be an imposing prospect for Muller and co but the South African World Cup winner believes table-topping Leinster are beatable.

"We had a great result with a couple of young boys going down to Munster, which was absolutely outstanding," said the captain.

"There were a lot of positives and it is good to have a week's break to get the body into some sort of shape for the semi-finals.

"We truly believe we are a good enough side to make it through the semi-finals but it is going to take something really special to beat a great side like Leinster.

"Playing against a really tough side like Leinster is a great challenge but we are really excited for that prospect."

If Ulster are to make the final, they must become the first team to beat Leinster at the RDS in this year's RaboDirect PRO12.

But Muller, who is set to retire at the end of the season, knows anything can happen when it comes to knockout rugby.

"We have only beaten them once there in, I think, 14 years so you can just imagine who are the favourites for that game, but rugby is a funny old game and sometimes funny things can happen," he added.

"We just want to go down there full of confidence and have a really good crack at them. With a bounce of the ball and one or two calls going your way, anything is possible.

"We have not been perfect in the last couple of weeks from a fair play point of view and a cards point of view but we are obviously delighted to be in the semi-finals."

The RaboDirect PRO12 playoffs are building to an exciting conclusion and you can get involved - buy your tickets to Leinster v Ulster at http://www.ticketmaster.ie/event/18004CA7F35631BF?did=retsneil&brand=ie_leinster or http://ulsterrugby.com/News/LatestNews/TabId/149/ArtMID/793/ArticleID/1501/Play-Off-Ticket-Information.aspx