Rugby

Ulster forced to dig deep to keep the Lions at bay

Dreadful weather in Belfast makes conditions extremely difficult for both sides as visitors secure a losing bonus point

Ulster's Jacob Stockdale scores his side’s second try of the game against the Lions at the Kingspan Stadium, Belfast. Photograph: Tom Maher/Inpho

Michael Sadlier
Fri Nov 17 2023 - 21:59

URC: Ulster 24 Lions 17

It was a dreadful night of weather with rain tumbling down throughout and the fare on show closely resembled the conditions with Ulster coming from behind to pretty much slump over the line with the four points.

As for the visitors, they managed to end their northern hemisphere mini-tour with a losing bonus point which could really have been more had they nailed a few more chances.

Ulster could only rue their own inaccuracy with lineout troubles and other handling issues afflicting their game on an evening when a try bonus victory was presumably high on their agenda.

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Much will need to improve going forward.

It was far from the ideal start for the northern province as the Lions camped in near the hosts’ try line for the first 10 minutes and the siege was only broken a minute later when Sanele Nohamba cross kick was collected by Richard Kriel in the right corner.

Nohamba converted and though Ulster stirred themselves to take play into Lions’ territory, there was no immediate response as Nathan Doak lost possession in the 21st minute though this was just as Ulster’s pick and goes looked to be on the verge of succeeding.

Matters hardly improved from there as the rain teemed down in Belfast. A stray pass from Stuart McCloskey which Jake Flannery failed to hold then saw Henco van Wyk surge through to score only for Ulster to benefit from a fortunate escape as the 24th-minute try was ruled out after the ball had been knocked on by Marius Louw as he snaffled possession on the deck.

It was another sizeable warning for a misfiring Ulster, whose lineout was already in some trouble, but suitably chastened by their inaccuracy they finally made the breakthrough just before the half hour when James Hume crashed over, Nathan Doak’s conversion tying the scores.

But the Lions struck again before the break. Van Wyk smashed through Flannery and the ball was taken up to the Ulster line where after serval pick and goes, Hanru Sirgel crashed through. Nohamba again added the two points which allowed the visitors troop off deservedly leading 14-7.

Ulster badly needed to take back control and they scored a minute into the new half when the ball was moved left, and McCloskey supplied Jacob Stockdale on the overlap. Doak’s conversion saw the sides level again.

But, once again, the Lions sneaked in front through a 44th minute Nohamba penalty. This time Ulster’s response was virtually immediate, and Rob Herring drove off a maul that had made impressive yardage to put the home team in the lead for the first time, Doak’s third conversion making it 21-17 to the home side.

The Lions then had a chance to reduce the arrears on the hour when the returning Marty Moore was pinged, but Nohamba was wide with a long-range effort.

When Ulster then got their own kickable chance in the 66th minute John Cooney, not long off the bench, slotted a penalty which put Ulster 24-17 in front.

The hosts thought they had their bonus-point try when Herring clambered over with six minutes to go only for the score to be ruled out. The contest ended as it had begun with the Lions pressing hard near Ulster’s line.

Ulster Tries: Hume, Stockdale, Herring Cons: Doak 3 Pens: Cooney 1

Lions Tries: Kriel, Sirgel Cons: Nohamba 2 Pens: Nohamba 1

Ulster: S Moore, R Baloucoune, J Hume, S McCloskey, J Stockdale, J Flannery, N Doak, A Warwick, R Herring, S Wilson, A O’Connor, I Henderson (capt), D Ewers, R Crothers, D McCann

Replacements: J Andrew unused, E O’Sullivan for Warwick 61mins, M Moore for Wilson 45mins, H Sheridan for O’Connor 70mins, L McLoughlin for Carruthers 54mins, J Cooney for Doak 51mins, B Burns for Flannery 61mins, A Sexton unused.

Emirates Lions: Q Horn, R Kriel, H van Wyk, M Louw (capt), E van der Merwe, S Nohamba, M van den Berg, C Fourie, PJ Botha, A Ntlabakanye, R Schoeman, W Alberts, H Sirgel, E Tshituka, F Horn

Replacements: J Visagie for Botha 57mins, JP Smith for Fourie 57mins, R Smith for Ntlabakanye 70mins, R Delport for Schoeman 76mins, R Venter for F Horn 40mins, JC Pretorius for Tshituka 74mins, J Hendrikse for Van der Merwe mins, R Maxwane for Kriel 51-62mins.

Referee: A Piardi (Italy)

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