Henderson says Ulster paid for slow start to URC

Iain Henderson and his Ulster team-mates face Edinburgh on Friday - the final game of the season for the Irish province after failing to reach the URC play-offs

Iain Henderson says Ulster's slow start and mid-season struggles left them with too much to do to secure a United Rugby Championship (URC) play-off and a Champions Cup spot for next season.

Last Friday's defeat by Munster at Thomond Park meant there will be a premature end to Ulster's campaign as they also dropped into the second-tier European Challenge Cup for next season.

But Henderson says the damage had been done earlier when they lost four of their opening seven URC games.

That included them squandering a 19-0 lead against Cardiff, and the subsequent damaging home defeat by Zebre in January which was followed by a further reverse against Benetton in Italy.

"When you are leaving it to the last game or two of the season, it's probably a bit late," the Ulster captain told BBC Sport NI.

"Although we're feeling incredibly cut up about it [last weekend's defeat by Munster] now, it's probably our mistakes earlier on in the season that have led to us feeling like this."

On the face of it, an Edinburgh side still chasing a play-off spot should have more motivation for Friday's concluding regular season game but Henderson says he and his team-mates must aim to give a winning send-off to the squad members who will depart from the club at the end of this season.

These include Ireland internationals John Cooney and Kieran Treadwell.

"It's only right that the players get another opportunity and try and right some wrongs for the last few weeks, to be able to give the guys leaving a proper send-off and hopefully one they remember fondly," added Henderson, who returned to action in last weekend's Munster contest following a three-month injury lay-off.

Despite the current sense of gloom around the team's fortunes, Henderson believes the emergence of young talents such as James McNabney and Jack Murphy should give Ulster fans hope for the future.

"A lot of young fellows are coming through the ranks very impressively and after an impressive under-age experience, and I think there is definitely a wealth of knowledge and talent in there to hopefully make next season brighter and with more prospects than we've had this year," said Henderson.