A SECOND-HALF implosion meant Ulster’s Champions Cup hopes took a significant blow as Leicester Tigers crossed six times in all for an 38-10 win at Welford Row.
Some promising attacking play combined with luck in no equal measure saw Ulster trail only 10-12 at the break, but the floodgates opened thereafter as error after error led the province to cough up a series of avoidable scores.
To boot, Ulster travel home with major concerns for Ethan McIlroy, just back from injury, who limped off with a serious-looking knee injury in the first half.
Josh Bassett scores his side's second try. Tom Maher / INPHO
Tom Maher / INPHO / INPHO
A Nathan Doak penalty was the first score of the night but Leicester might still be wondering how Josh Bassett hadn’t beaten him to it. Facing a clear run to the line 10 metres out during the Tigers’ first foray into the 22, his footing defeated him as a slip allowed Ulster to scramble and clear.
Leicester’s errors didn’t end there. A mix-up between Handré Pollard and Ollie Hassell-Collins when dealing with a garryowen led to the cardinal sin of the ball bouncing between them. It took a wicked hop, straight into the arms of Nick Timoney who had no one between him and the line. Ulster hadn’t yet entered the Leicester 22, but they had started their attempted smash and grab.
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Bassett did at least make amends with a score eight minutes later. Leicester once again sucked in the Ulster wide cover inside the 22, this time the wing finishing successfully in the corner.
From there, Tommy Reffell’s breakdown work curtailed Ulster’s attack, while Julián Montoya’s errant lineout darts killed Leicester’s. He did, though, find his accuracy just short of half-time. The Tigers maul drew in enough defenders to hand Bassett another simple finish in the corner with the clock in the red.
For all Ulster’s hard work to stay in touch in the first half, the centre couldn’t hold. Within the first 10 minutes of the second 40, Hassell-Collins crossed twice to widen the gap. The first came once again from the forwards sucking in numbers via a rumbling maul, Ulster caught narrow once the ball went wide.
The second came from a beautiful first phase strike, Rory Telfer’s knock-on allowing Leicester a scrum inside the 22. The midfield runners cut Ulster open, Hassell-Collins taking a final pass before cutting inside deftly to score.
If it wasn’t already, the contest turned ugly for Ulster from there. Bassett won the wide men’s race to a hat-trick, capitalising on a mistake in the Ulster backfield when chasing his own grubber. Error followed error on Ulster’s next attack, poor handling seeing the ball hit the floor. Izaia Perese had a clear run-in.
Mercifully for Richie Murphy’s side, no further damage was done as Leicester eased up in the final quarter.
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Leicester pile on pain as Ulster collapse in second half
Leicester 38
Ulster 10
Nathan Johns reports from Welford Road
A SECOND-HALF implosion meant Ulster’s Champions Cup hopes took a significant blow as Leicester Tigers crossed six times in all for an 38-10 win at Welford Row.
Some promising attacking play combined with luck in no equal measure saw Ulster trail only 10-12 at the break, but the floodgates opened thereafter as error after error led the province to cough up a series of avoidable scores.
To boot, Ulster travel home with major concerns for Ethan McIlroy, just back from injury, who limped off with a serious-looking knee injury in the first half.
A Nathan Doak penalty was the first score of the night but Leicester might still be wondering how Josh Bassett hadn’t beaten him to it. Facing a clear run to the line 10 metres out during the Tigers’ first foray into the 22, his footing defeated him as a slip allowed Ulster to scramble and clear.
Leicester’s errors didn’t end there. A mix-up between Handré Pollard and Ollie Hassell-Collins when dealing with a garryowen led to the cardinal sin of the ball bouncing between them. It took a wicked hop, straight into the arms of Nick Timoney who had no one between him and the line. Ulster hadn’t yet entered the Leicester 22, but they had started their attempted smash and grab.
Bassett did at least make amends with a score eight minutes later. Leicester once again sucked in the Ulster wide cover inside the 22, this time the wing finishing successfully in the corner.
From there, Tommy Reffell’s breakdown work curtailed Ulster’s attack, while Julián Montoya’s errant lineout darts killed Leicester’s. He did, though, find his accuracy just short of half-time. The Tigers maul drew in enough defenders to hand Bassett another simple finish in the corner with the clock in the red.
For all Ulster’s hard work to stay in touch in the first half, the centre couldn’t hold. Within the first 10 minutes of the second 40, Hassell-Collins crossed twice to widen the gap. The first came once again from the forwards sucking in numbers via a rumbling maul, Ulster caught narrow once the ball went wide.
The second came from a beautiful first phase strike, Rory Telfer’s knock-on allowing Leicester a scrum inside the 22. The midfield runners cut Ulster open, Hassell-Collins taking a final pass before cutting inside deftly to score.
If it wasn’t already, the contest turned ugly for Ulster from there. Bassett won the wide men’s race to a hat-trick, capitalising on a mistake in the Ulster backfield when chasing his own grubber. Error followed error on Ulster’s next attack, poor handling seeing the ball hit the floor. Izaia Perese had a clear run-in.
Mercifully for Richie Murphy’s side, no further damage was done as Leicester eased up in the final quarter.
Leicester Scorers:
Tries – Bassett (3), Hassell-Collins (2), Perese (1)
Conversions – Pollard (2/4), Steward (1/1), Shillcock (1/1)
Ulster scorers:
Tries – Timoney (1)
Conversions – Doak (1/1)
Penalties – Doak (1/1)
Leicester: Freddie Steward; Josh Bassett, Izaia Perese, Solomone Kata (Joseph Woodward, 54), Ollie Hassell-Collins; Handré Pollard (Jamie Shillcock, 62), Jack van Poortvliet (Ben Youngs, 60); Nicky Smith (James Whitcombe, 64), Julián Montoya (capt) (Charlie Clare, 64), Joe Heyes (Dan Cole, 60); Cameron Henderson, Jed Holloway (Harry Wells, 69); Finn Carnduff (E Ilione, 50), Tommy Reffell, Olly Cracknell.
Ulster: Ethan McIlroy (Rory Telfer, 23); Werner Kok, Ben Carson, Jude Postlethwaite, Zac Ward; Aidan Morgan (Jack Murphy, 50), Nathan Doak (John Cooney, 56); Andrew Warwick (Eric O’Sullivan, 52), John Andrew (James McCormick, 56), Scott Wilson (Corrie Barrett, 56); Iain Henderson (capt) (Kieran Treadwell, 54), Cormac Izuchukwu (Harry Sheridan, 65); James McNabney, Nick Timoney, David McCann.
Ref: Craig Evans (WRU)
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