Bonus Point Reward For Ulster On PRO14’s Opening Night

Ulster took maximum points from their GUINNESS PRO14 curtain-raiser tonight at Kingspan Stadium, with cultured kicking from man-of-the-match Billy Burns instrumental in a five-try 38-14 defeat of the Ospreys.

Craig Gilroy was the main beneficiary of the out-half’s accuracy with the boot, plucking two tries from the air after exquisite cross-field deliveries from Burns. Greg Jones and new arrival Matt Faddes were the other try scorers, with a late penalty try and 11 points from the boot of John Cooney completing a convincing home win.

Despite missing some key names away on Rugby World Cup duty with Wales, the Ospreys made the brighter start in Belfast and deservedly drew first blood courtesy of a fourth minute penalty from out-half Luke Price.

Barely two minutes later, their full-back Dan Evans topped up the lead after scything all too easily through the heart of the Ulster defence and just dotting down on the line despite Robert Lyttle’s best efforts to hold him up.

Early signs of Ulster rustiness continued with Cooney spraying a relatively routine penalty wide of the posts, but as the hosts began to enjoy a much greater share of the ball, two successive rolling mauls followed by an inch-perfect chip to the corner from Burns saw Gilroy collect on the line and touch down with aplomb.

Cooney squeezed his conversion in from out wide for an 8-7 scoreline, and after an impressive penalty from halfway at what must have been the very limit of Price’s range, another sublime cross-field kick from Burns – this time plucked from the air by Lyttle – eventually brought Ulster a penalty and winger Luke Morgan a yellow card for offside.

The lineout drive worked well again on the half hour mark, and phases of recycling culminated in a touchdown – and his first senior points – for 23-year-old flanker Jones, with Cooney again adding the extras to nudge Dan McFarland’s charges in front.

A second Price penalty just before the break looked to have restored parity at 14-all, but not to be outdone, Ulster had just enough time from the restart to tear deep into the Ospreys half. Thanks to an expertly looped pass from Luke Marshall to Gilroy, New Zealander Faddes was soon sliding in at the corner to mark his debut with a fine converted try.

With the hosts turning around with a 21-14 advantage, Cooney managed to tag on a penalty within six minutes of the restart. The boot of Burns was not to be upstaged as yet another pinpoint diagonal kick found Gilroy by the corner flag, and the winger this time had the luxury of running in behind the posts to make his scrum half’s conversion a formality.

Bonus point secured as the game moved into its final quarter, Ulster drafted in multiple replacements, and while they enjoyed a virtual monopoly of possession and territory, the next try would not come until the 71st minute.

Creating the opportunity from the electric combination of Faddes and Lyttle down the left wing, the debutant full-back made the break and the young winger attempted to finish the move with a kick-and-chase. He was thwarted in the corner but the hosts were eventually award a penalty try after much deliberation between referee Marius Mitrea and TMO Stefano Penne.

As Lyttle stretched out to touch down his own kick behind the line, Ospreys winger Morgan was adjudged – somewhat harshly perhaps – to have taken the youngster out without the ball, resulting in the award of the penalty score and the dismissal of the unfortunate Welshman for a second yellow card.

The Ospreys played out the remaining minutes toiling in and around the Ulster 22 until scrum half Matthew Aubrey finally found a gap in the home rearguard, only for his late try to be ruled out for a forward pass in the build-up, capping a frustrating night for Allen Clarke’s side.

Next up for the Ulstermen is an early-season trip to South Africa to face the Toyota Cheetahs and the Isuzu Southern Kings on Saturday, October 5 and 12 respectively, before hosting Cardiff Blues back at Kingspan Stadium on Friday, October 25.

Ulster head coach McFarland said afterwards: “On the whole, we worked really hard. There were times when it looked as if we had control of the game and then we gave it away through the odd mistake.

“Looking at our side of the Conferences with the Cheetahs, Glasgow and Leinster in there, that’s tough, but we’re up for that challenge. It’s (always) important to build momentum. But the season is a long season.

“We have to finish with enough points for qualifying rugby (the knockout stages) and along the way various things can hit you, Rugby World Cup call-ups, injuries or dips in form.”