Ulster 24
Edinburgh 27
EDINBURGH LEAPFROGGED ULSTER in the URC table after a deserved win at Kingspan Stadium with a pair of bonus points in defeat of little consolation to the hosts.
The Scottish side won 27-24 thanks to a trio of tries and 12 points from the boot of former Munster fly-half Ben Healy.
Ulster’s third defeat of the URC season but their first at home, the result sees the northern province go into next week’s Champions Cup opener away to Bath off the back of consecutive defeats having also came out second best against Edinburgh’s near rivals Glasgow seven days ago.
In their two previous Kingspan Stadium outings, Dan McFarland’s men had dug themselves into first-half holes only to mount a comeback after the turn but there was to be no such escape act here.
Indeed they would ship 17 straight points either side of half-time having failed to score from a prolonged period of pressure directly following the turn.
That spell was all the encouragement Edinburgh needed to go on and secure a notable away win, scoring a pair of tries thereafter through Pierre Schoeman and Robin Hislop to seize control of the contest.
Things had started relatively well for Ulster, a pair of Tom Stewart tries in the opening half hour staking them to a 12-10 lead but they would not score again until Robert Baloucoune went over late on when his side already trailed by 15 late on.
Ultimately Ulster were plagued by many of the same problems that have persisted through the early block of this campaign, namely discipline and the scrum.
The latter struggled despite double World Cup winner Steven Kitshoff making his first Ulster start.
While the penalty count would consistently halt Ulster momentum and give Edinburgh too easy access, it will again be a concern that the home side created little outside the maul that produced Stewart’s scores.
In between Healy would kick his first penalty of the night while Ben Vellacott would score from close range after Pierre Schoeman had been stopped inches short.
Healy’s second penalty of the game, with the clock in the red at the end of the first-half, would send Edinburgh into the break with the advantage.
And after that defensive stand to open the second-half, they would never trail again with looseheads Schoeman and his replacement Hislop both going over from inches out.
Baloucoune’s late score reduced the arrears and Ulster would salvage two points from the rare home defeat when, with the last play of the game, James Hume crashed over for a fourth try of the night that also brought them into losing bonus-point range.
Ulster Scorers: Tries – Tom Stewart (2), Robert Baloucoune, James Hume; Cons – John Cooney 1/2, Nathan Doak 1/2
Edinburgh Scorers: Tries – Ben Vellacott, Pierre Schoeman, Robin Hislop; Cons – Ben Healy 3/3; Pens – Ben Healy 2/2
Ulster: Will Addison, Rob Baloucoune, James Hume, Stuart McCloskey, Jacob Stockdale (Ben Moxham, 66), Billy Burns, John Cooney (Nathan Doak, 50), Steven Kitshoff (Andrew Warwick, 60), Tom Stewart (John Andrew, 74) Tom O’Toole, Alan O’Connor (Capt), Kieran Treadwell (Cormac Izuchukwu 75) , Matty Rea (Dave Ewers, 55), Nick Timoney, James McNabney (Dave Ewers, 50-55)
Edinburgh: Tim Swiel, Harry Paterson, Matt Currie, James Lang, Wes Goosen, Ben Healy, Ben Vellacott (Ali Price, 60), Pierre Schoeman (Robin Hislop, 65), Ewan Ashman (Adam McBurney, 65), WP Nel (Javan Sebastian, 55), Marshall Sykes, Jamie Hodgson (Glen Young, 55), Luke Crosbie (Hamish Watson, 55), Jamie Ritchie, Viliame Mata
Not used: Cammy Scott, Mark Bennett
Ref: Federico Vedovelli
They don’t make any Paul McGraths anymore!
David Luiz doesn’t look like the first cousin of a defender…
It’s not that defenders are overated, I’d say the likes of Kompany Thiago Silva and Lahm are rather underrated. People prefer to see ball playing centre backs but then hang these players out to dry when there’s defensive problems. There is definitely a shift in how they play but if you teach a dog to chase a ball will he be able to climb a tree? If you teach a defender to be skillful and use the ball efficiently can you expect him to put in tough tackles and be a defensive mind player? The game would do well to remember its roots and try and amend the lack of ‘no-nonsense’ defenders
The best defensively set up team out there has to be Atletico Madrid. Simeone has organisation drilled into every player who starts, particularly in the back line. Can anyone name a better defender at defending than Diego Godin?
Great article.
I’ll hand it to Paul, this was a good article.
Cannavaro had it all. He was irrational at times, but by god, he was brilliant.
On the one hand – the hard men at centre back was a great facet to the game.
On the other hand – Feck it, more goals per game.
I just wonder if the ever-decreasing tolerance for physicality in the game has simply lead to these types not being considered by scouts and coaches, in lieu of ball-players that’ll make defenders.
Good article, the all-nonsense David Luiz made me laugh.
I always loved Alessandro Nesta. A God of a defender!
Best article I’ve read here in a while…..Bravo!
Brilliant insight, had never thought of the Brazil/arsenal comparison.
I started reading this. I’m not long out if bed and a bit tired. Then I scrolled down and there was alot to read. So I stopped.