AS SO OFTEN in the past Ulster dug deep into the reservoir of the pride and the passion that are synonymous with the province to score a tremendous victory over New South Wales under the lights at Ravenhill last night. Ulster allied those worthy attributes to skill, opportunism and tactical awareness to win by 40 points to 33 in a superb match that enthralled the crowd 4,500, who gave a well deserved accolade to their heroes at the end.
Forced to make major amendments to their side, Ulster yet again rose to the challenge to record a victory that is worthy of being placed with the best the province has scored through the years. Just as they beat the Australian national side at this venue some years ago, they produced a performance of similar calibre and their win owed nothing to good fortune but everything to the quality of the display they produced.
They scored five tries, most of them the product of their creative instincts and if New South Wales came with the reputation for playing the 15-man game, last night it was Ulster who produced it and it paid a handsome dividend. New South Wales scored four fries, three the product of forward power and telling driving, and they were content to try and win the match through the power of their pack and the kicking skills of their outside-half Tim Wallace.
While the Ulster pack could not match the opposition for power they won enough possession of quality to give their backs the scoring opportunities and they were taken superbly. Ulster did very well in the line-out and hunted like terriers in the loose. Nothing was more pleasing than to see Paddy Johns back near his best. He had to move to the number eight berth shortly after the interval when Stewart Duncan was injured and there too he made a contribution.
The match was something of a personal triumph for Ulster outside-half David Humphreys, who scored 17 points and set the tone for the night with a glorious try after five minutes when he cut through the defence to score after Ulster won a scrum and then converted. He had a splendid match. His line kicking was excellent, his distribution sharp and well timed and, while he did miss one easy kick he made ample amends. He was very well served by Andy Matchett, who had a fine match at scrum half, and James Topping on the night wing gave further proof ht here is a player for the future. He scored two fine tries and his play was accomplished in all he did.
"This was Ulster's best performance for quite some time " said a delighted Ulster coach Brian Bloomfield. "Yes, it was one of Ulster's great wins. I was especially pleased with the quality of the rugby we played. We were faced with a team of immense quality, one of the best provincial sides in the game."
Fortune swayed one way and the other during this pulsating match and when Ulster went behind 25-23 in the 56th minute, their will and resolution were put to the test. But they rose superbly to the challenge and when the score was 30-30 with 12 minutes remaining, it. was Ulster who again produced the crucial scores to fashion their win.
After the opening salvo from Humphreys, Wallace kicked a penalty for New South Wales but then Topping scored a superb try after a. fine movement and a kick through. by Jan Cunningham, who came off the blind side wing. Then Colin Wilkinson dropped a great goal, but forward power saw Tim Gavin reduce the arrears with a try and the visitors drove over the Ulster line. Wallace converted and then kicked a penalty goal to make it 15-13 before Topping got his second try after another fine movement and well placed kick by Maurice Field. So Ulster led 20-13 at the break.
Kevin O'Kane got a try just after the interval when Ulster were driven back at a scrum but Humphreys kicked a penalty to put Ulster 23-18 in front. It was crisis time for Ulster when Graham Bond scored the visitor's best try and Wallace converted. But Cunningham struck for Ulster's fourth try after a great run by Wilkinson. Humphreys converted but Nick Harvey got a try for New South Wales to leave it at 30-30 with 12 minutes remaining.
In a great finish Mark McCall scored a try after a penalty from Humphreys came back off an upright, Humphreys converted that and dropped a great goal after Wallace had kicked a penalty for the visitors to clinch Ulster's win. A dainty dish to lay before all five Ireland selectors.
