Ulster 18
Clermont 13
THE AFTERNOON DELUGE around Belfast put a tight rein on pre-match expectations. Yet two teams committed to playing attacking, expansive rugby while it was possible ensured the show went on.
From Ulster’s perspective, it went with barely a hitch as they took over top spot in Champions Cup pool 3 with two wins from two with a back-to-back against Harlequins to come in a fortnight.
A game with close calls on the try-line, spurned chances, scuffles, terrific offloads, frustrating spills, pantomime villains feigning injury and a wealth of attacking kicking variety was ultimately settled by a sensational individual try from John Cooney.
Dan McFarland demanded his side use the ball after they claimed a win with minimal possession in Bath. His side did not disappoint him with Billy Burns bringing a varied threat from out-half.
Still, there was grit required in spades from the northern province to grapple their way to a tight win. Marcell Coetzee was again a force of nature on the ground, Stuart McCloskey tackled himself to a standstill, Rob Herring thoroughly cemented Api Naqalevu and fullback Will Addison produced a vicious hit on second row Paul Jedresiak to thwart one of Clermont’s three incisive first-half attacks that would yield just three points on the board.
The biblical showers that drenched the north-east coast mercifully cleared before kick-off in Ravenhill and Ulster duly set out to make early hay. A minute’s worth of solid pressure forced a breakdown penalty out of Peceli Yato and John Cooney slotted his side into the lead.
The scrum-half, though, was guilty of spurning a gilt-edged chance on their attack. An eighth minute scrum, won through excellent pressure from Louis Ludik on Nick Abendanon under a high ball, set Dan McFarland’s side on a sweeping right-to-left move. Burns chipped over the advancing line, McCloskey made the catch and set his scrum-half away. It looked for all the world a try, but Cooney shunned the white jerseys to his left and attempted to cut inside Alivereti Raka. A combination of a slip and a decent chase from Sitaleki Timani earned a reprieve for the visitors.
Chances, however, are a positive indicator. And thanks to a superb midfield turnover penalty won by Coetzee Ulster soon had another.
Pulses will have raced moments earlier as Abendanon’s delicate grubber was within a whisker of creating a try for Raka. But the Ravenhill faithful were put at ease by their side’s set-piece efficiency before a maul rumbled over to bring Jordi Murphy the opening try on 17 minutes.
Clearly, Clermont’s analysis identified a massive opportunity in attacking behind Louis Ludik as a second grubber from deep caused Ulster all sorts of trouble in the 23rd minute. Jake McIntyre’s kick appeared to be sitting up perfectly for Raka to take in his stride, but there was just enough pressure from the covering Stockdale to force a knock on.
If they were living a charmed life in defence, Ulster maintained a remarkable swagger in attack. A pin-point cross-field kick brought a gorgeous offload from Stockdale to Luke Marshall and the centre was marginally annexed to touch by George Moala.
Laidlaw and Cooney swapped penalties after Addison’s crunching hit on Jedresiak forced the lock to be replaced early. A 13- 3 half-time lead for the hosts was richly deserved and they were glad to defend it with the wind at their backs.
However, as Clermont finally introduced Camille Lopez from the bench, Cooney badly missed two touchfinders. Deteriorating conditions played a part in creating a fractious third quarter and Greig Laidlaw slotted had two chances to make it a one-score game. He got the second.
It was to remain that way only for a minute. The same selfish streak that tempted Cooney into going on his own in the game’s early minutes helped tipped the balance of the second half. The imperious number 9 sniped on the short side of a 62nd minute scrum, chipped over the stranded defender and touched down a brilliant try after nudging the pill along with his shin.
The Ireland international missed his conversion right and, with the rain growing ever thicker, the French pack dug in for trench warfare and the maul forced a 72nd-minute penalty try to set up a grandstand finish with the score at 18-13.
All trace of the expansive, flowing first-half rugby was gone as Ulster battled and scrapped for every loose ball and made a mess of the visitors’ attempts to mount late attacks of their line-out as the penalty count threatened to get out of control for McFarland’s side.
The relentless frantic effort was not to be in vain, though. And Kingspan erupted in celebration as that man Coetzee, Iain Henderson and Kyle McCall combined to force a turnover with the clock gone red.
Friday night at Ravenhill, it never disappoints.
Scorers
Ulster
Tries: J Murphy, J Cooney
Conversions: J Cooney (1/2)
Penalties: J Cooney (2/2)
Clermont
Tries: Penalty
Penalties: G Laidlaw (2/3)
Ulster: Will Addison, Louis Ludik, Luke Marshall, Stuart McCloskey, Jacob Stockdale, Billy Burns (Bill Johnston ’68), John Cooney: Eric O’Sullivan (Kyle McCall ’66), Rob Herring, Marty Moore (Tom O’Toole ’66); Alan O’Connor (Kieran Treadwell ’57), Iain Henderson; Sean Reidy (Nick Timoney ’61), Jordi Murphy, Marcell Coetzee.
Clermont: Nick Abendanon (Apisai Naqalevu ’47), Peter Betham, Isaiah Toeava, George Moala, Alivereti Raka, Jake McIntyre (Camille Lopez ’47), Greig Laidlaw (Morgan Parra ’62): Etienne Falgoux (Loni Uhila ’47), John Ulugia ((Mike Tadjer ’47), Rabah Slimani (Davit Zirakashvili ’47); Paul Jedrasiak (Thibault Lanen ’31), Sitaleki Timani
Peceli Yato, Arthur Iturria (Lucas Dessaigne ’73 (Reversed ’76)), Fritz Lee .
Cooney needs to be in our matchday 23. End of.
@bread of heaven: is that meant to be funny?
@bread of heaven: you’ll have to try harder then that.
@bread of heaven: dont be a phallus m8
Just ignore that account. Blatant troll that has outed himself at least once by replying to himself and forgetting to change account.
Fairly obvious who the ‘parent’ commenter was too…
@Hm: As a Leinsterman living in Munster … great result Ulster. You did the business.
Absolutely superb win, ruined my accumulator but couldn’t care less. Coetzee is an absolute beast, it’s like having a rhino playing at number 8. Cooney again was unreal, how schmidt saw him as our number 4 scrumhalf shows what an absolute joke the last 12 months were. The guy ran the show tonight in a very French petit general type of way. Has been the best 9 in the country for the last 18 months. Well done ulster.
@Jim Demps: Now now Jim, stay away from Patrick Power.
@Jim Demps: agreed re Cooneys stays in the pecking order. Farrell’s take on the matter come 6 Nations time will be interesting. On form right now it would be Cooney, Blade, Murray & McGrath for me. The two World Cup selected 9’s need big performances tomorrow.
@Jim Demps: thanks Jim for the appreciation. Addison and Haley look to be battling it out for the Ireland 15 jersey. Good luck to Munster this weekend.
@LP: kearnage?
@Hm: what do you mean
@Jim Demps: Do you ever stop
@And_Helipad: clearly not lad…free country and many people (including myself) enjoy positive constructive insights rather than childish negative putdowns wasting their time
John Cooney is the best 9 in Ireland at the moment and there is an argument he may be the best in Europe. A class act.
@Bob Cummings: I’d agree, he is outstanding. And ferris reckons coetzee is the best 8 in Europe, hard to argue with that
@Tim Magner: Agreed, Coetzee has been fantastic, just hope he stays fit.
@Bob Cummings: you can see how he does get hurt with the pace & aggression he brings to the carry & to defence, the lad holds nothing back. Couple that with cooneys cleverness and control, that’s 2 key areas Ulster have very high class. I like Billy burns too, he has a brilliant attacking kicking game
@Bob Cummings: Couldn’t agree with you more. If you ever read his story you’d know what self belief the last had. Absolute mental fortitude. Great skill and positivity. He was meant to be great, injuries just took away the first few years of his career so needed to move for his opportunities.
@Joseph Blocks: link?
Brilliant performance! Cooney again was top class… needs a shot in the six nations
@Luke walkee: now that Schmidt is gone, he just might get it. Long overdue.
Marty Moore take a bow. An absolute mountain performance. Even got himself over for the ball for a penalty around half time. His scrummaging display highlighted to the fore when he departed and Ulster scrum fell to pieces.
@RabidHorizon: needs to tone up. He would be even better if he wasn’t overweight.
@RabidHorizon: did you not think he was scrummaging illegally for most scrums. Definitely not pushing straight.
@Ro Molloy: fair play to him if he was…. wedged in between Clermont loosehead and hooker. Very few referees would ping a tight head for that. Would indicate more the opposition loosehead is failing to keep scrum straight.
@RabidHorizon: Exactly as any coach will tell you it’s only illegal if the refs blowing for it. Play to the whistle not to the letter of the law
Cracking match and Ulster were brilliant. Unfair to single our players for praise but Herring, Coetzee, Murphy, Cooney and Addison were all superb. They could have won by more. Great start to the weekend. Now comon Connacht, Leinster and Munster, follow that!
Having two players of the calibre of coetzee & Cooney to build a team around will make Ulster a force to be reckoned with. Need jack McGrath back to rotate with the excellent o’sullivan. Thought herring, Jordi, burns & Addison in the 2nd half were also superb. Addison looked Shakey in the 1st half
@Tim Magner: McCluskey was very poor throughout
@Camacsaint: yes his hands let him down a few times. A bad night to have a poor one with Andy Farrell in the crowd. Marshell is playing well though, especially in defence
@Tim Magner: ….well called re.Marshall and was even better last week. Lovely reader of the game and fills in and/or supports so well. He is arguably the oil that lubricates that Ulster three quarter and fullback line.
Really strong performances from the likes of Herring, Moore, Murphy, Coetzee and Cooney tonight to get the win.
Clermont will be happy with the losing bonus point but considering how good they were last week, it’s a great result for Ulster.
Fantastic result, well deserved and a real marker laid down.
Good performances from Cooney and coetzee as usual. Addison a lot better than last week. The Ulster defence has been immense this season and that’s thanks to Payne. Top of the group with Harlequins next is absolutely perfect
Absolutely a great win. Cooney on fire again. That try was something else. Hopefully Faz will give him the 9 shirt. Great game from Murphy too.
The TV coverage showed Cooney doing keepy uppies (?) before the start and I was wondering then whether he was only messing while he spoke to McFarland or whether he was actually practising ball control skills. Very happy to assume it was the latter having seen his control when he scored.
Also, he looked up for space twice: once just before he took the ball from the back of the ruck and once when he was making the initial outside break. A delicious try with all those fine ingredients.
Big win. Better performance than scoreline suggests. Hope they don’t rue Clermont getting the bonus point because they really didn’t deserve it. Pack looked strong, except in last 10 mins, backline missed a couple big chances for tries but a really solid night
Cooney is the man
No doubt Cooney’s in form, tho I think our Irish scrum halves are slow at the breakdown. Also thought that although Burns was carrying an injury his kicks in behind the defence were generally well executed and a great tactic against rush defences. No reffing of the offside line kept Clermont in it. More good Irish provinces performances tomorrow hopefully. We’ll make Zeebs and Donnacha welcome…
Cheers Ulster, accas busted.
@#JUSTICE4NOEL: you bet against Ulster at home (with a very good recent European home record) against a notoriously flaky travelling French team? More fool you…