Coetzee helps Ulster beat Kings
MATCH REPORT: Second-half tries from Marcell Coetzee, Angus Kernohan and Angus Curtis made sure Ulster prevented the Southern Kings from recording their first Pro14 win this season.
Ulster scored three tries as their claimed the 28-7 win over the Kings in Port Elizebeth on Sunday.
The Irish province won a 79-point thriller the first time these two met in South Africa last November, but this time around it was an error-strewn encounter.
The boot of John Cooney – so often Ulster’s saviour on their now eight-match unbeaten run in the league that spans the end of last season and the start of this one – kicked three early penalties to open a 9-0 lead.
But the No.9 then went off injured and the Kings were back in the clash in the second half when Mike Willemse went over at the back of a rolling maul.
However, that was as good as it got for the hosts as Coetzee rumbled over from short range before Kernohan went over for his first senior try to seal it.
And there was still time for Curtis to sneak over after a final tip pass from Stuart McCloskey but Ulster now face a tough five-day turnaround before they face the Toyota Cheetahs.
Ulster scored 102 points against the Kings in the two fixtures against them last season which is more than they scored against any other side.
And they hit the lead early on here thanks to the reliable boot of Cooney.
The scrum-half slotted two early penalties on a sunny South African Sunday to open up a 6-0 lead.
The Kings’ discipline, or lack thereof, was their downfall and Tienie Burger saw yellow soon after for numerous team offences.
Cooney then thought he had the game’s first try when he darted over but it was ruled out by the TMO for an illegal clearout from Alan O’Connor who also saw yellow.
With both teams down to 14 men, Ulster struck again through the boot of Cooney to make it 9-0 but the game was end to end but lacking in precision.
Ulster then lost their talisman Cooney to a head injury – replaced by David Shanahan just after the half-hour mark.
The Kings also had a score ruled out for the returned Burger but soon into the second half the hosts got their try.
Their rolling maul has been a weapon at the start of this season and it was Willemse who was again the beneficiary to rumble over and with the conversion slotted, Ulster only led 9-7 with the hour mark approaching.
But in the final quarter, unbeaten Ulster proved their worth with three tries to put the game to bed.
First, after a succession of five-metre scrums and the South Africans on a final warning for a number of penalties, it was Coetzee who rumbled over after picking up at the base of the scrum.
Billy Burns added the extras for a 16-7 lead and the Irish province were not done there, replacement Kernohan sneaking over in the left corner after being fed by Shanahan.
They could have had a third when Sean Reidy burst clear but in the end Curtis went over with the last play of the game, Peter Nelson added the extras and 28-7 it finished – only Ulster’s second away win in the league since December.
The scorers:
For Southern Kings:
Try: Willemse
Con: Banda
For Ulster:
Tries: Coetzee, Kernohan, Curtis
Con: Burns, Nelson
Pens: Cooney 3
Yellow Cards: Martinus Burger (Kings, 19), Allan O’Connor (Ulster, 22), Rob Herring (Ulster, 40)
Southern Kings: 15 Michael Botha, 14 Yaw Penxe, 13 Harlon Klassen, 12 Berton Klassen, 11 Bjorn Basson, 10 Masixole Banda, 9 Godlen Masimla, 8 Andisa Ntsila, 7 Martinus Burger, 6 Stephan de Wit, 5 John-Charles Astle, 4 Schalk Oelofse, 3 Luvuyo Pupuma, 2 Michael Willemse (c), 1 Schalk Ferreira
Replacements: 16 Alandre van Rooyen, 17 Xandre Vos, 18 Justin Forwood, 19 Bobby de Wee, 20 Ruaan Lerm, 21 Rudi van Rooyen, 22 Martin Du Toit, 23 Ntabeni Dukisa
Ulster: 15 Peter Nelson, 14 Craig Gilroy, 13 Darren Cave, 12 Stuart McCloskey, 11 Henry Speight, 10 Billy Burns, 9 John Cooney, 8 Nick Timoney, 7 Sean Reidy, 6 Marcell Coetzee, 5 Kieran Treadwell, 4 Alan O’Connor, 3 Tom O’Toole, 2 Rob Herring (c), 1 Andy Warwick
Replacements: 16 Adam McBurney, 17 Eric O’Sullivan, 18 Wiehahn Herbst, 19 Jean Deysel, 20 Matthew Rea, 21 David Shanahan, 22 Amgus Curtis, 23 Angus Kernohan
Referee: Sam Grove-White (Scotland)
Assistant referees: Ben Whitehouse (Wales), Ruhan Meiring (South Africa)
TMO: Johan Greeff (South Africa)
