Kok scores as Ulster move up to third
SATURDAY WRAP: Ulster returned to winning ways in the United Rugby Championship with a 28-14 victory over Zebre in Parma on Saturday.
The Irish side were sitting in fifth position before kick-off due to other results earlier in the weekend. However, the win moves them back up to third with four rounds left to play before the play-offs.
Ulster welcomed back Irish internationals Nick Timoney and Stuart McCloskey into the starting XV, while flyhalf James Humphreys made his first senior start.
Tom McAllister, Rob Herring, Zac Ward and Werner Kok were all on the scoresheet, with James Humphreys and Nathan Doak converting two each.
The contest took a dramatic swing when Zebre’s Simone Gesi was given a straight red for dangerously putting his fingers towards Stuart McCloskey’s eyes in the first half.
The Italians fought throughout and made Ulster battle for the five points.
Meanwhile, scrum-half Matthew Devine’s late try lifted Connacht to a 21-14 victory and dealt a massive blow to Ospreys’ play-off hopes.
Shamus Hurley-Langton was responsible for the Irish side’s other two tries, all three converted by Sean Naughton at Dexcom Stadium.
Hurley-Langton opened the scoring in the 11th minute, but it was all square at half-time after Ospreys right-wing Daniel Kasende touched down in the 23rd minute and Dan Edwards added the extras.
Connacht flanker Hurley-Langton completed his brace, five minutes after the break, but Darragh Murray was sent to the sin bin three minutes later, and Ospreys took advantage as Luke Morgan touched down, with Edwards again converting to make it 14-14.
Ospreys were left short-handed when Jac Morgan was shown the yellow card in the 72nd minute, while Naughton missed a penalty.
Devine ensured the hosts would not be left to rue the missed opportunity when he crossed the whitewash with six minutes remaining.
Connacht 21-14 Ospreys
The scorers:
For Connacht:
Tries: Hurley-Langton 2, Devine
Cons: Naughton 3
For Ospreys:
Tries: Kasende, Morgan
Cons: Edwards 2
Teams:
Connacht: 15 Sean Naughton, 14 Shane Jennings, 13 Cathal Forde, 12 Bundee Aki, 11 Finn Treacy, 10 Josh Ioane, 9 Ben Murphy, 8 Paul Boyle (captain), 7 Shamus Hurley-Langton, 6 Josh Murphy, 5 Darragh Murray, 4 Niall Murray, 3 Finlay Bealham, 2 Dave Heffernan, 1 Denis Buckley.
Replacements: 16 Matthew Victory, 17 Billy Bohan, 18 Sam Illo, 19 David O’Connor, 20 Sean O’Brien, 21 Matthew Devine, 22 Jack Carty, 23 Oisin McCormack.
Ospreys: 15 Jack Walsh, 14 Dan Kasende, 13 Evardi Boshoff, 12 Keiran Williams, 11 Luke Morgan, 10 Dan Edwards, 9 Luke Davies, 8 Morgan Morse, 7 Jac Morgan, 6 James Ratti, 5 Huw Sutton, 4 Rhys Davies, 3 Rhys Henry, 2 Lewis Lloyd, 1 Steffan Thomas.
Replacements: 16 Sam Parry, 17 Garyn Phillips, 18 Ben Warren, 19 Ryan Smith, 20 James Fender, 21 Morgan Morris, 22 Harri Williams, 23 Max Nagy.
Referee: Federico Vedovelli (Italy)
Assistant referees: Andrew Cole (Ireland), Tomás O’Sullivan (Ireland)
TMO: Matteo Liperini (Italy)
Zebre 12-28 Ulster
The scorers:
For Zebre:
Tries: Canali, Trulla
Con: Da Re
For Ulster:
Tries: McAllister, Herring, Z Ward, Kock
Cons: Humphreys 2, Doak 2
Teams:
Zebre: 15 Lorenzo Pani, 14 Mirko Belloni, 13 Giulio Bertaccini, 12 Marco Zanon, 11 Simone Gesi, 10 Giacomo Da Re, 9 Alessandro Fusco, 8 David Odiase, 7 Bautista Stavile, 6 Alessandro Ortombina, 5 Leonard Krumov (captain), 4 Matteo Canali, 3 Enrique Pieretto, 2 Tommaso Di Bartolomeo, 1 Muhamed Hasa.
Replacements: 16 Giovanni Quattrini, 17 Juan Pitinari, 18 Ion Neculai, 19 Giacomo Ferrari, 20 Giovanni Licata, 21 Thomas Dominguez, 22 Martin Roger Farias, 23 Luca Morisi.
Ulster: 15 Ethan McIlroy, 14 Werner Kok, 13 James Hume, 12 Stuart McCloskey, 11 Zac Ward, 10 James Humphreys, 9 Conor McKee, 8 Bryn Ward, 7 Nick Timoney, 6 David McCann, 5 Iain Henderson (captain), 4 Joe Hopes, 3 Tom McAllister, 2 Rob Herring, 1 Eric O’Sullivan.
Replacements: 16 James McCormick, 17 Angus Bell, 18 Scott Wilson, 19 Matthew Dalton, 20 Juarno Augustus, 21 Nathan Doak, 22 Ben Carson, 23 Ben Moxham.
Referee: Craig Evans (Wales)
Assistant referees: Fillipo Russo (Italy), Dario Merli (Italy)
TMO: Keith David (Wales)
Sources: Ulster Rugby and PA
