Ulster guaranteed their place in next season’s Champions Cup with a deserved 35-17 victory over the Ospreys in today’s qualification play-off at Kingspan Stadium.
The hosts had to overcome adversity before the game started with the late withdrawals of prop Ross Kane and Bristol-bound full-back Charles Piutau, then lost Louis Ludik and the departing Callum Black early in the first half but managed to produce one of their best displays of the season to outscore Allen Clarke’s side by four tries to three.
The Ospreys, who lost 8-0 on their most recent visit to Belfast last month, had the first chance to open the scoring as Ulster were whistled up for not rolling away in the fourth minute. However, the penalty attempt by Dan Biggar, in his final appearance for the Welsh region, came back of the post.
The Ospreys dominated the opening 15 minutes and were rewarded with the game’s first try. They kicked a penalty to touch, Alun Wyn Jones secured the lineout and the pack drove for the line. Ulster’s defence was able to stop the first wave but the British & Lions lock managed to power his way over from close range, with Biggar landing the conversion for 7-0.
Scrum half and man-of-the-match John Cooney, who has had a brilliant first season with the province, opens Ulster’s account with a 26th minute penalty from 35 metres out as the Ospreys failed to roll away in the tackle.
Biggar missed the chance to restore the Welshmen’s seven-point cushion as he saw another penalty strike the post. Ireland international Craig Gilroy, a late replacement in the starting XV for Piutau, then delighted the home crowd with a timely try five minutes before half-time when he finished off a well-crafted score.
Following a sustained period of pressure, centre Luke Marshall put a perfectly-weighted kick in behind the defence for Gilroy to race onto and touch down in the corner. Cooney narrowly missed the conversion from a wide angle but Jono Gibbes’ men went into the interval with a 8-7 lead.
Gilroy got his second try just two minutes after the restart. The Ospreys turned the ball over in midfield and ever-improving out-half Johnny McPhilips’ probing kick was dotted down by after the Bangor native won a foot race with Biggar. Cooney slotted over a terrific touchline conversion.
Cooney was denied a try on 51 minutes after sniping over from the base of the scrum but he accidentally ran into referee Marius Mitrea in the process of scoring. However, Ulster did get a try from the resulting five-metre scrum as the ball was worked through a few phases before lock Kieran Treadwell smashed his way over from close range. Cooney converted for a 22-7 lead.
The Ospreys got back in the game just after the hour mark with their second try; James Hook threw a long skip pass to Jeff Hassler and the Canadian international winger powered over the whitewash, but Biggar failed to convert.
With Ulster determined to hold onto their proud and enviable record of playing in every season of the European Cup since its inception in 1995/96, Cooney knocked over a penalty from in front of the posts three minutes later to steady any Ulster nerves at 25-12. The Dubliner was also on target with a long-range penalty on the 70-minute mark.
Jacob Stockdale put the result beyond doubt with Ulster’s fourth try soon after, the Ireland winger intercepting Hook’s pass on the Ospreys 10-metre line and sprinting in behind the posts unopposed, with Cooney landing the simple conversion. Biggar grabbed a late consolation try for the visitors – making him the Championship’s record points scorer (1585 points) – and then hit the post for a third time with the drop-kicked conversion.
It was very much a job well done as Ulster ensured they are in next month’s draw for the 2018/19 Champions Cup pool stages, but there were emotional farewells afterwards for the retiring trio of Andrew Trimble, Paul Marshall and Tommy Bowe, players who have worn the white jersey with distinction for many years.
The Ulster fans also showed their appreciation for the departing Robbie Diack, who bowed out with a powerful 62-minute performance, Black and Piutau, with Cooney, who kicked 15 points, admitting afterwards to BBC Northern Ireland: “(The emotions) are a bit of relief and joy. We had a three-week gap where we knew we had to win this game. It was all-or-nothing and we worked very hard and that was reflected on the scoresheet today.
“It was one of the most nervous games I’ve experienced all season. We want to play in the top tier next season. The first 20 minutes you could see that and then we started the second half really well, got that try and that made the difference.
“There is change up ahead. I think you get that new energy when you get new players coming in. Jordi (Murphy) and Marty (Moore) will make a big impact, they are hard workers. Come pre-season we’ll have a new coach with Dan (McFarland), so I think new faces always mean a hard work-rate and I think that will make a big difference around the set-up.”
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