The timing could hardly have been better as collecting an unexpected win, with a bonus point too, from their rearranged visit to the Sharks has brought Ulster vital sustenance to their league season just when it looked to be faltering again.

As things now stand — assisted by Glasgow losing at the Lions — the northern province has bought themselves some breathing space in third and, should they have turned a corner, could now be in a position to give the second-placed Stormers a run for their money.

Having won twice in South Africa in this campaign — they took five from the Lions back in October — Ulster will be drawing on this achievement as they prepare for the shorter journey to take on Cardiff on Saturday as well as being bolstered by the release from Ireland camp of Rob Herring, Kieran Treadwell and Jacob Stockdale.

Also available are Billy Burns, James Hume and Nathan Doak while Ben Moxham and Sam Carter could feature as well after all five stayed in Belfast last week, meaning that Ulster have fresh bodies to deploy for the trip to the Welsh capital.

The Counter Ruck: the rugby newsletter from The Irish Times

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This mini-block of three games — all of which have been away from home — ends on Saturday with the encounter at Cardiff where the province will go in pursuit of their first back-to-back league victories since the end of November.

And once this clash on Cardiff’s artificial surface is done, Ulster will return from the break with three home fixtures to finish up the URC’s regular season, albeit with Europe’s last-16 clash at Leinster sandwiched in there too.

The squad returned from an uncomfortably humid Durban in reasonably intact condition with just two notable issues, John Andrew and Craig Gilroy having been concussed against the Sharks. Both are following the return-to-play protocols.

“It was an excellent result in tough conditions and everyone is really delighted that they got in, got the result and got back home,” said assistant coach Dan Soper who also had not travelled. “We were able to leave a handful of guys at home with a real focus towards Cardiff so we have a core of the team who are ahead in terms of the rest of the squad, so we’ll be leaning on them to steer things as the week moves on.”

And in terms of what last Saturday’s haul of five points has done for Ulster in the table, Soper said: “You always want to be in control of your own destiny, and so we’ve won at the weekend and kept things in our control. Hopefully, we’ll put ourselves in a position to get a home playoff game.”

Top-eight chasing Cardiff have Wales squad members Dillon Lewis, Rhys Carre and Teddy Williams released back to them for this clash.