ULSTER LEFT IT late tonight in Belfast, relying on Paddy Jackson’s 79th minute penalty to see off the Ospreys and maintain their 100% start to the 2016/17 campaign despite a patchy display, with try-scoring chances in scant supply.
Three penalties from five attempts from Jackson eventually trumped an early converted try by Nicky Smith, but it was a performance more of perspiration than inspiration from Les Kiss’ team, who nonetheless remain atop the Guinness Pro12 table with 21 points from five games played.
Although deprived of three international centres with Stuart McCloskey, Stuart Olding and Luke Marshall all unavailable through injury – and with star scrum-half Ruan Pienaar starting on the bench – Ulster’s XV still, on paper, brimmed with quality, and testified to the versatility of Les Kiss’s players, with Charles Piutau shifting to full-back, Jared Payne moving to centre, and the in-form Louis Ludik relocating to the wing in a reshuffled back line.
Ireland captain Rory Best was another notable returnee, making his first start of the campaign after playing just shy of a half in Glasgow last weekend. In the absence of both Andrew Trimble and Rob Herring, however, it was Franco van der Merwe who led the side, Best having relinquished the provincial armband at the close of the 2015/16 season.
Ulster’s defensive mettle was put to the test early on as Ospreys charged out of the blocks, and despite astute tackling in midfield from Darren Cave and on the wing from Ludik, loosehead Smith eventually barged over on six minutes, his try converted by Dan Biggar.
Try as they might, the hosts failed to hold on to the ball for any sustained period but, after a close shave on 15 minutes when Alun Wyn Jones’ sidestep got the Ospreys to the Ulster five-metre line, a lineout steal from Best and hearty chase from Craig Gilroy promised much until the ball slipped from Payne’s hands as he bore down on the ‘22’.
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Presseye / Darren Kidd/INPHO
Presseye / Darren Kidd/INPHO / Darren Kidd/INPHO
Jackson missed the chance to settle Ulster nerves on 23 minutes with a penalty that he screwed just wide of the upright, but a bulldozing run from Rodney Ah You from the restart set up the best Ulster chance to date, going awry with the final pass from Ludik to Cave as the centre raced down the wing for a nailed-on score – had he collected the pass.
Jackson atoned for his earlier miss just before the half-hour from wide on the right, but while Ulster ended the half in the ascendancy, genuine scoring opportunities were conspicuous by their absence, and the half-time whistle came as something of a relief for all. 3 – 7 the score.
A high tackle from Josh Matavesi on Ludik gifted Jackson a cheap three points early into the second half, but another combination of sloppy passing and poor handling – this time from Piutau and Gilroy respectively – put paid to a promising break down the right.
Another missed penalty from Jackson on 50 minutes kept Ulster playing catch-up when on the balance of play they perhaps deserved to edge it on the scoresheet. Reinforcements in the form of Pienaar and Tommy Bowe joined the fray just before the hour mark – in place of Paul Marshall and Gilroy – but still the breakthrough would not come, and only a try-saving tackle from Payne on Eli Walker kept Ulster in contention with 15 minutes to play.
Presseye / Darren Kidd/INPHO
Presseye / Darren Kidd/INPHO / Darren Kidd/INPHO
An errant drop goal attempt from Biggar after 10 minutes of good Ospreys pressure swung the momentum back in Ulster’s favour, although Ospreys defended well to contain play between half-way and the home ‘22’ until a penalty at scrum-time allowed Pienaar to kick deep into the visitors’ half for the lineout with three minutes to go.
Ulster drew the penalty in front of the posts and Jackson, untroubled by his 50% scoring record on the night, slotted over to seal the narrowest of victories, with the Kingspan Stadium bouncing as if their side had just registered a bonus-point win.
Scorers
Ulster
Penalties: Paddy Jackson (3)
Ospreys
Tries: Nicky Smith
Conversions: Dan Biggar
Ulster: Charles Piutau; Craig Gilroy, Jared Payne, Darren Cave, Louis Ludik; Paddy Jackson, Paul Marshall. Kyle McCall, Rory Best, Rodney Ah You, Franco van der Merwe (c), Alan O’Connor, Robbie Diack, Sean Reidy, Roger Wilson
Replacements (16 – 23) John Andrew, Callum Black, Ross Kane, Kieran Treadwell, Clive Ross, Ruan Pienaar, Brett Herron, Tommy Bowe.
Ospreys: Dan Evans; Jeff Hassler, Ben John, Josh Matavesi, Eli Walker; Dan Biggar, Rhys Webb. Nicky Smith, Sam Parry, Dmitri Arhip, Bradley Davies, Alun Wyn Jones (c), James King, Justin Tipuric, Dan Baker.
Replacements: Scott Baldwin, Paul James, Ma’afu Fia, Rory Thornton, Olly Cracknell, Tyler Ardron, Tom Habberfield, Sam Davies.
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Jackson kicks late penalty against Ospreys to keep up Ulster's winning run
Ulster 9
Ospreys 7
ULSTER LEFT IT late tonight in Belfast, relying on Paddy Jackson’s 79th minute penalty to see off the Ospreys and maintain their 100% start to the 2016/17 campaign despite a patchy display, with try-scoring chances in scant supply.
Three penalties from five attempts from Jackson eventually trumped an early converted try by Nicky Smith, but it was a performance more of perspiration than inspiration from Les Kiss’ team, who nonetheless remain atop the Guinness Pro12 table with 21 points from five games played.
Although deprived of three international centres with Stuart McCloskey, Stuart Olding and Luke Marshall all unavailable through injury – and with star scrum-half Ruan Pienaar starting on the bench – Ulster’s XV still, on paper, brimmed with quality, and testified to the versatility of Les Kiss’s players, with Charles Piutau shifting to full-back, Jared Payne moving to centre, and the in-form Louis Ludik relocating to the wing in a reshuffled back line.
Ireland captain Rory Best was another notable returnee, making his first start of the campaign after playing just shy of a half in Glasgow last weekend. In the absence of both Andrew Trimble and Rob Herring, however, it was Franco van der Merwe who led the side, Best having relinquished the provincial armband at the close of the 2015/16 season.
Ulster’s defensive mettle was put to the test early on as Ospreys charged out of the blocks, and despite astute tackling in midfield from Darren Cave and on the wing from Ludik, loosehead Smith eventually barged over on six minutes, his try converted by Dan Biggar.
Try as they might, the hosts failed to hold on to the ball for any sustained period but, after a close shave on 15 minutes when Alun Wyn Jones’ sidestep got the Ospreys to the Ulster five-metre line, a lineout steal from Best and hearty chase from Craig Gilroy promised much until the ball slipped from Payne’s hands as he bore down on the ‘22’.
Jackson missed the chance to settle Ulster nerves on 23 minutes with a penalty that he screwed just wide of the upright, but a bulldozing run from Rodney Ah You from the restart set up the best Ulster chance to date, going awry with the final pass from Ludik to Cave as the centre raced down the wing for a nailed-on score – had he collected the pass.
Jackson atoned for his earlier miss just before the half-hour from wide on the right, but while Ulster ended the half in the ascendancy, genuine scoring opportunities were conspicuous by their absence, and the half-time whistle came as something of a relief for all. 3 – 7 the score.
A high tackle from Josh Matavesi on Ludik gifted Jackson a cheap three points early into the second half, but another combination of sloppy passing and poor handling – this time from Piutau and Gilroy respectively – put paid to a promising break down the right.
Another missed penalty from Jackson on 50 minutes kept Ulster playing catch-up when on the balance of play they perhaps deserved to edge it on the scoresheet. Reinforcements in the form of Pienaar and Tommy Bowe joined the fray just before the hour mark – in place of Paul Marshall and Gilroy – but still the breakthrough would not come, and only a try-saving tackle from Payne on Eli Walker kept Ulster in contention with 15 minutes to play.
An errant drop goal attempt from Biggar after 10 minutes of good Ospreys pressure swung the momentum back in Ulster’s favour, although Ospreys defended well to contain play between half-way and the home ‘22’ until a penalty at scrum-time allowed Pienaar to kick deep into the visitors’ half for the lineout with three minutes to go.
Ulster drew the penalty in front of the posts and Jackson, untroubled by his 50% scoring record on the night, slotted over to seal the narrowest of victories, with the Kingspan Stadium bouncing as if their side had just registered a bonus-point win.
Scorers
Ulster
Penalties: Paddy Jackson (3)
Ospreys
Tries: Nicky Smith
Conversions: Dan Biggar
Ulster: Charles Piutau; Craig Gilroy, Jared Payne, Darren Cave, Louis Ludik; Paddy Jackson, Paul Marshall. Kyle McCall, Rory Best, Rodney Ah You, Franco van der Merwe (c), Alan O’Connor, Robbie Diack, Sean Reidy, Roger Wilson
Replacements (16 – 23) John Andrew, Callum Black, Ross Kane, Kieran Treadwell, Clive Ross, Ruan Pienaar, Brett Herron, Tommy Bowe.
Ospreys: Dan Evans; Jeff Hassler, Ben John, Josh Matavesi, Eli Walker; Dan Biggar, Rhys Webb. Nicky Smith, Sam Parry, Dmitri Arhip, Bradley Davies, Alun Wyn Jones (c), James King, Justin Tipuric, Dan Baker.
Replacements: Scott Baldwin, Paul James, Ma’afu Fia, Rory Thornton, Olly Cracknell, Tyler Ardron, Tom Habberfield, Sam Davies.
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