Addison Injury Mars Ulster’s Fourth Straight Bonus Point Win

Ulster continued their unbeaten run in the United Rugby Championship, seeing off Emirates Lions 26-10 but the game was marred by an injury suffered by Will Addison.

Playing at full-back, Addison unfortunately got his ankle trapped in a tackle and had to be stretchered off just six minutes into the second half.

Giving an update afterwards at Kingspan Stadium, Ulster head coach Dan McFarland said: “Will’s gone to hospital and it looks like a nasty injury, beyond that I don’t know.

“I’m really disappointed for Will and it’s been a long old haul for him. He’s come back and then to have that happen is disappointing. We’ll get a full update tomorrow.”

A complete 80-minute performance eluded Ulster, and they had work to do at half-time with the Lions only 12-10 behind thanks to winger Stean Pienaar’s 16th-minute score.

However, the hosts showed greater control after the break and Matthew Rea and Nick Timoney both touched down to add to earlier tries from Timoney again and James Hume.

Openside flanker Timoney stood out for another lively display on both sides of the ball. The Dubliner, a deserving player-of-the-match, has now scored five tries in four URC outings.

The Ulstermen started the game full of vigour, making an early statement by keeping the ball in play. There were sharp lines of running, particularly from Timoney and David McCann off Nathan Doak’s passes.

It was not long before they got on the scoreboard, when Rob Herring threw a short lineout to Andrew Warwick for the pop pass inside to Timoney who took the ball at pace to bundle over for a third-minute try.

Having been caught napping, the Lions found their way back into the game, building territory and probing the Ulster defence. They struck with Pienaar getting over in the corner, and EW Viljoen’s conversion moved them ahead.

Try number two agonisingly slipped through Ulster’s grasp when Ethan McIlroy raced down the left wing with McCann in support, but the young number 8 could not quite gather the ball cleanly, at pace, just short of the Lions line.

Ulster’s forwards were patient and carried strongly, drawing the Lions defence in to allow Billy Burns send a long pass out to Hume, who had the space to dot down untouched. Doak drilled over the conversion.

Just before the interval, the Lions reduced the deficit to two after Ulster were pinged for coming in at the side. Out-half Viljoen obliged from the tee.

Early in the second half, Michael Lowry was brought on for his 50th Ulster appearance earlier than anticipated and in unfortunate circumstances. He replaced the luckless Addison, who had only returned in April from a 15-month injury lay-off.

Ulster’s third try came through blindside Rea, who showed real strength to breach the Lions line from a pick-and-go in the 47th minute. Scrum half Doak drilled over the extras for a 19-10 lead.

Another opportunity came when Alan O’Connor went on a thundering run only to be brought down inches short of the line, and the supporting Doak was unable to reach the whitewash on the second bite.

Timoney, an Ireland debutant in the summer against the USA, claimed his second try of the night, and the bonus point for Ulster in the 66th minute, stretching out to get over the line.

Following Doak’s third successful conversion, the Lions looked to reply but the hosts’ defence held firm and handling errors by the Lions gave Ulster the scrum for Timoney to make the exit.

McFarland admitted: “There were aspects of that (performance) which were really excellent. The scrum, absolutely top notch. I thought those guys did a fantastic job.

“Mauling we put them under a lot of pressure, our lineout functioned well, our kick-chase was really excellent and defensively we put in a lot of really good sets against a hard-running team.

“We had to because on the other side of the ball we didn’t hold onto the ball for long enough, on enough occasions.

“We have to look at ourselves and say we’re a really good team when we hold onto the ball and go through phases. We have to be more accurate.”