Kok double not enough as Cardiff edge Ulster at the death
SATURDAY WRAP: Cardiff edged Ulster at the death with a 29-26 win in their Challenge Cup Round Two clash at Arms Park.
Things were tight in the first half as the pair headed in for the break 12 apiece.
Ulster took the tie by the scruff of its neck in the second half thanks to a Werner Kok double to put distance between the sides, but two late scores from Danny Southworth and Dan Thomas brought Cardiff level minutes from time.
A last-minute Callum Sheedy penalty was enough to edge the hosts into the lead for what was a spectacular end.
In Saturday’s other Challenge Cup fixtures, Benetton recorded a 44-31 victory over USAP, while Ospreys beat Montauban 33-22.
Connacht thrashed Black Lion 52-0.
See below for Saturday’s scores and scorers!
Benetton 44-31 USAP
The scorers:
For Benetton:
Tries: Odogwu 2, Izekor, Bernasconi, Mendy
Cons: Albornoz 3, Umaga 2
Pens: Albornoz, Umaga 2
For USAP:
Tries: Duguivalu, Poulet, Fahy
Cons: Reus 2
Pens: Reus 4
Teams:
Benetton: 15 Rhyno Smith, 14 Louis Lynagh, 13 Paolo Odogwu, 12 Leonardo Marin, 11 Ignacio Mendy, 10 Tomas Albornoz, 9 Andy Uren (captain), 8 So’otala Fa’aso’o, 7 Manuel Zuliani, 6 Alessandro Izekor, 5 Eli Snyman, 4 Niccolo Cannone, 3 Giosue Zilocchi, 2 Bautista Bernasconi, 1 Mirco Spagnolo.
Replacements: 16 Siua Maile, 17 Thomas Gallo, 18 Simone Ferrari, 19 Giulio Marini, 20 Riccardo Favretto, 21 Alessandro Garbisi, 22 Jacob Umaga, 23 Malakai Fekitoa.
USAP: 15 Mayron Fahy, 14 Riko Buliruarua, 13 Freddy Duguivalu, 12 Job Poulet, 11 Lucas Dubois, 10 Hugo Reus, 9 Gela Aprasidze, 8 Andro Dvali, 7. Max Hicks, 6 Mahamadou Diaby (captain), 5 Bastien Chinarro, 4 Peceli Yato, 3 Akato Fakatika, 2 Sama Malolo, 1 Bruce Devaux.
Replacements: 16 Mathys Lotrian, 17 Lorencio Boyer-Gallardo, 18 Pietro Ceccarelli, 19 Davit Lagvilava, 20 Simon Taty, 21 James Hall, 22 Gabin Kretchmann, 23 Tavite Veredamu.
Referee: Ben Connor (Wales)
Assistant referees: Carwyn Sion (Wal) & Gareth Newman (Wales)
TMO: Keith David (Wales)
Montauban 22-33 Ospreys
The scorers:
For Montauben:
Tries: Maurouard, Tuculet, Kanika
Cons: Fortunel, Castel
Pen: Fortunel
For Ospreys:
Tries: Moriarty, Morse, Giles, Daniel, Hardy
Cons: Walsh 4
Teams:
Montauban: 15 Segundo Tuculet, 14 Stephane Ahmed, 13 Romain Fonnicola, 12 Gibson Popoali’i, 11 Paul Vallee, 10 Thomas Fortunel, 9 Hugo Zabalza, 8 Tyrone Viiga (captain), 7 Vaea Fifita, 6 Fred Quercy, 5 Noa Kanika, 4 Clement Bitz, 3 Valentin Simutoga, 2 Jeremie Maurouard, 1 Leo Aouf.
Replacements: 16 Kevin Firmin, 17 Thomas Bue, 18 Nafi Ma’afu, 19 Tjuee Uanivi, 20 Mael Castel, 21 Merlin Leflamand, 22 Maxime Mathy, 23 Facundo Pomponio.
Ospreys: 15 Max Nagy, 14 Ryan Conbeer, 13 Evradi Boshoff, 12 Phil Cokanasiga, 11 Keelan Giles, 10 Jack Walsh (captain), 9 Luke Davies, 8 Morgan Morse, 7 Gwilym Evans, 6 Ross Moriarty, 5 James Fender, 4 Huw Sutton, 3 Rhys Henry, 2 Lewis Lloyd, 1 Cameron Jones.
Replacements: 16 Efan Daniel, 17 Steff Thomas, 18 Kian Hire, 19 Lewis Jones, 20 Morgan Morris, 21 Kieran Hardy, 22 Owen Watkin, 23 Iestyn Hopkins.
Referee: Adam Leal (England)
Assistant referees: Hamish Grant (England) & Wayne Falla (England)
TMO: Stuart Terheege (England)
Connacht 52-0 Black Lion
For Connacht:
Tries: Boyle 3, Blade 2, Illo, Bolton 2
Cons: Gilbert 6
For Black Lion: None
Teams:
Connacht: 15 Sam Gilbert, 14 Chay Mullins, 13 Hugh Gavin, 12 Cathal Forde, 11 Shayne Bolton, 10 Jack Carty, 9 Caolin Blade, 8. Sean Jansen, 7 Shamus Hurley-Langton, 6 Paul Boyle (captain), 5 Niall Murray, 4 Darragh Murray, 3 Sam Illo, 2 Dave Heffernan, 1 Jordan Duggan
Replacements: 16 Dylan Tierney-Martin, 17 Billy Bohan, 18 Fiachna Barrett, 19 Joe Joyce, 20 Sean O’Brien, 21 Matthew Devine, 22 David Hawkshaw, 23 Harry West
Black Lions: 15 Luka Takaishvili, 14 Akaki Tabutsadze, 13 Demi Tapladze, 12 Tornike Kakhoidze, 11 Shalva Aptsiauri, 10 Luka Tsirekidze, 9 Tengiz Peranidze, 8 Giorgi Sinauridze, 7 Giorgi Tsutskiridze, 6 Lasha Tsikhistavi, 5 Demuri Epremidze, 4 Mikheil Babunashvili (captain), 3 Kakhaber Darbaidze, 2 Irakli Kvatadze, 1 Nika Khatiashvili,
Replacements: 16 Shalva Mamukashvili, 17 Vasil Kakovin, 18 Giorgi Chkhartishvili, 19 Guram Ganiashvili, 20 Giorgi Kervalishvili, 21 Giorgi Spenderashvili, 22 Zaur Lutidze, 23 Sandro Todua
Referee: Anthony Woodthorpe (England)
Assistant referees: Richard Gordon (England) & Jamie Leahy (England)
TMO: Dan Jones (England)
Cardiff 29-26 Ulster
The scorers:
For Cardiff:
Tries: Nott, Bowen, Southworth, D Thomas
Cons: Halfpenny, Sheedy 2
Pen: Sheedy
For Ulster:
Tries: Stewart, Hume, Kok 2
Cons: Flannery 3
Teams:
Cardiff: 15 Leigh Halfpenny, 14 Josh Adams, 13 Harri Millard, 12 Ben Thomas, 11 Tom Bowen, 10 Callum Sheedy, 9 Aled Davies, 8 Alun Lawrence (captain), 7 Dan Thomas, 6 James Botham, 5 Rory Thornton, 4 George Nott, 3 Keiron Assiratti, 2 Dafydd Hughes, 1 Rhys Barratt
Replacements: 16 Evan Lloyd, 17 Danny Southworth, 18 Sam Wainwright, 19 Josh McNally, 20. Alex Mann, 21 Ellis Bevan, 22 Jacob Beetham, 23 Cam Winnett
Ulster: 15 Stewart Moore, 14 Werner Kok, 13 James Hume, 12 Ben Carson, 11 Zac Ward, 10 Jake Flannery, 9 Conor McKee, 8 Bryn Ward, 7 Sean Reffell, 6 Dave McCann, 5 Charlie Irvine, 4 Harry Sheridan, 3 Tom O’Toole, 2 Tom Stewart (captain), 1 Callum Reid,
Replacements: 16 John Andrew, 17 Angus Bell, 18 Rory McGuire, 19 Cormac Izuchukwu, 20 Juarno Augustus, 21 Dave Shanahan, 22 James Humphreys, 23 Bradley McNamara
Referee: Evan Urruzmendi (France)
Assistant referees: Pierre-Baptiste Nuchy (France) & Anthony Lac (France)
TMO: Eric Gauzins (France)
