Lions finally break Ulster hoodoo 

MATCH REPORT: The Lions got their United Rugby Championship campaign off to a winning start as they bagged their first ever win over Ulster by 35-22 at Ellis Park.

The Lions got the initial ascendency when Ulster lost the ball from the kick-off which gave the home side early possession which they couldn’t convert as Nick Timoney got Ulster out of jail with a penalty for holding on.

Both sides kicked a lot in the opening five minutes but Ulster eventually won that battle when Wolhuter’s long kick went into touch-in-goal which gave Ulster a scrum just outside the Lions’ 22 metre area – but the Lions survived it as Ulster knocked the ball on inside the Lions’ 22.

The Lions earned a scrum penalty from that Ulster mistake and it lead to the opening points for the home side who opted for the lineout and formed the maul from which PJ Botha broke away from and got his pass away to Maxwane who went over for the try.

Wolhuter slotted a penalty in the 14th minute to stretch the Lions’ lead to eight points – with the home side bossing the possession and territory stats but unable to convert it into points for much the first-half.

They eventually got over the line through a maul try by PJ Botha in the 35th minute which gave them a 15-0 buffer but Ulster struck back through John Cooney after the half-time hooter to bring Ulster back within 10 points at the break.

Ulster started the second-half the stronger side having the majority of the posession in the first three minutes which lead to a try by Aiden Morgan after 16 phases of play to get them back within five points of the home side.

The home side struck back through Franco Marais off a maul try in the 47th minute for a 10 point buffer before a Quan Horn counter attack led to the bonus-point score for Henco van Wyk in the 50th minute.

Wolhuter added another penalty to push the lead to 20 points in the 57th minute with Werner Kok hitting back for Ulster in the 60th minute – before replacement prop Corrie Barrett crossed the line in the 78th minute to bag the four-try bonus-point for Ulster, but it was Kade Wolhuter who had the final say as he stepped his way past Barrett to run in a try to seal the match for the Lions.

Scorers: 

For the Lions: 
Tries: Maxwane, Botha, Marais, Van Wyk, Wolhuter.
Cons: Wolhuter 2
Pens: 2

For Ulster:
Tries: Cooney, Morgan, Kok, Barrett
Con: Doak

Teams: 
Lions: 15 Quan Horn, 14 Rabz Maxwane, 13 Erich Cronje, 12 Rynhardt Jonker, 11 Tapiwa Mafura, 10 Kade Wolhuter, 9 Sanele Nohamba, 8 Francke Horn (captain), 7 Ruan Venter, 6 Jarod Cairns, 5 Darrien Landsberg, 4 Reinhard Nothnagel, 3 Asenathi Ntlabakanye, 2 Pieter Botha, 1 Morgan Naudé.
Replacements: 16 Franco Marais, 17 Juan Schoeman, 18 Conraad van Vuuren, 19 Ruben Schoeman, 20 Siba Qoma, 21 Renzo du Plessis, 22 Nico Steyn, 23 Henco van Wyk.

Ulster: 15 Ethan McIlroy, 14 Werner Kok, 13 Stewart Moore, 12 Stuart McCloskey, 11 Jacob Stockdale, 10 Aidan Morgan, 9 John Cooney,8 Nick Timoney,7 Sean Reffell, 6 Matty Rea, 5 Alan O’Connor (captain), 4 Kieran Treadwell, 3 Tom O’Toole, 2 John Andrew, 1 Andrew Warwick.
Replacements: 16 James McCormick, 17 Eric O’Sullivan, 18 Corrie Barrett, 19 Iain Henderson, 20 James McNabney, 21 Nathan Doak, 22 Mike Lowry, 23 David McCann.

Referee: Sam Grove-White (Scotland)
Assistant referees: AJ Jacobs (South African), Henru van Rooyen (South African)
TMO: Keith David (Wales)