A nail-biting 18-15 away victory over Neath-Swansea Ospreys yesterday kept the Scarlets at the top of the table to ensure a grandstand finish.
“Yesterday was a huge game for us,” said Davies. “A lot of people had already started talking about the Ulster game but this was the one from which we simply had to get a result.
“We were completely in control for the first 50 minutes but their interception try took the momentum out of our game and I have to admit we did feel the pressure. On top of that our kicking out of hand was appalling – we kept giving the ball back to them. That is something you cannot afford to do against any side – and particularly against a team of Ulster’s class.
“No-one should forget that The Dragons are still in there and they could win the title but, to a certain extent, it will be winner-takes-all at Stradey.
“Ulster are a very well organised side, comfortable with their own style of play. We have looked at plenty of videos of them but we must deliver on the field how we train while also being mindful that we don’t disintegrate when the pressure comes on. We have to handle and manage that better than we did yesterday.
“We had fantastic support at St Helens – it was a sea of red – and I am sure we will have a capacity crowd at Stradey on Friday night. We need to give our fantastic fans something from the season because they have been quite superb.”
Ulster are still in with a shout of a Celtic double of League and Cup and coach Alan Solomons would love to bow out with another title before his move to Northampton Saints next season.
“It is going to be an enormous challenge going to Stradey Park – but one we are all looking forward to,” he said. “It promises to be a fitting climax to a wonderful and very enjoyable tournament and our job is to try and get the performance right to give ourselves any chance of winning.
“The odds are stacked against us and we are substantial underdogs but that is the sort of challenge professional sportsmen relish.
“It will be my last game in charge of Ulster and there will be a certain amount of emotion but we had a full house at Ravenhill last Friday night for our last home match and that was also an emotional occasion.
“Winning the Celtic Cup was an incredible achievement and to be sitting in second place one point behind Llanelli after 21 Celtic League games speaks volumes for what this Ulster team have achieved. We had a total of 10 players involved in the 2003 World Cup so to have won the cup and be challenging for the league title adds up to a very good season indeed.”
“The Celtic League is the lifeblood of Celtic rugby – without it the Celtic nations would be finished – and I have been delighted to see it going from strength to strength during my three years with Ulster. It is a great competition with no easy games for anyone.”
