Ulster deny Stormers second spot in URC
URC REPORT: Ulster secured second place in the United Ruby Championship table following the 28-14 victory over Edinburgh at the Kingspan Stadium.
The Stormers moved temporarily into that position after their win over Benetton on Friday, but the Belfast-based side made sure that they will get the extra advantage heading into the play-offs.
John Cooney scored 18 of Ulster’s total from two conversions and a penalty as well as a second-half try.
The win guarantees the Irish province a home semifinal should they win their URC quarterfinal which will also be in Belfast.
Jacob Stockdale and Nick Timoney also went over for Ulster, with Darcy Graham and WP Nel responding for Edinburgh.
The visitors were brighter from the outset and after Duhan van der Merwe’s touch let him down after hacking on over the Ulster line, Graham scored for Edinburgh after seven minutes when the Scots ran back a dropped high kick by Ulster, Emiliano Boffelli added the conversion.
Then on 25 minutes, Ulster struck back with a stunning try. From a lineout, the Irish province put the ball through the hands and after Craig Gilroy had burst through the middle, Stockdale and Rob Baloucoune combined before Baloucoune’s return pass put Stockdale over the line.
Cooney missed the tricky conversion and Edinburgh still led 7-5 until he bisected the posts with a 37th-minute penalty to put the hosts ahead for the first time.
Cooney then stretched this to 11-7 with the clock in red with another penalty.
The second half was barely a minute old when Cooney intercepted Blair Kinghorn’s pass to run in from just inside his own half. He converted his own score and Ulster now led 18-7.
That became 25-7 after 65 minutes when Timoney barrelled over from close to the Edinburgh line following a yellow card being shown to Glen Young in the previous phase. Cooney slotted the straightforward conversion to take his points haul to 15.
Edinburgh’s Charlie Savala then had a score ruled out just before Nel crashed over for a converted try.
However, Cooney closed business for the evening with a 78th-minute penalty.
Player of the Match
Cooney rightly took the honours in this game after scoring 18 points. The scrumhalf scored a crucial try just after half-time when he intercepted Kinghorn’s pass as well as kicking two conversions – including the two points from his own effort – and kicking three penalties.
Play of the Match
Ulster’s try five minutes before the half hour was a thing of wonder. Off a line-out take by Timoney, Ulster gave the ball width and Gilroy’s burst through the middle gave the province their opportunity. Gilroy passed to fellow wing Stockdale and when he supplied Baloucoune he drew the cover to gift Stockdale the score.
The scorers:
For Ulster:
Tries: Stockdale, Cooney, Timoney
Cons: Cooney 2
Pens: Cooney 3
For Edinburgh:
Tries: Graham, Nel
Cons: Boffellii 2
Yellow card: Glen Young (Edinburgh, 64)
Teams
Ulster: 15 Mike Lowry, 14 Rob Baloucoune, 13 James Hume, 12 Stewart Moore, 11 Jacob Stockdale, 10 Billy Burns, 9 John Cooney, 8 Duane Vermeulen, 7 Nick Timoney, 6 David McCann, 5 Kieran Treadwell, 4 Alan O’Connor (captain), 3 Jeff Toomaga-Allen, 2 Rob Herring, 1 Andy Warwick.
Replacements: 16 Tom Stewart, 17 Callum Reid, 18 Gareth Milasinovich, 19 Sam Carter, 20 Harry Sheridan, 21 Nathan Doak, 22 Luke Marshall, 23 Craig Gilroy.
Edinburgh: 15 Emiliano Boffelli, 14 Darcy Graham, 13 James Lang, 12 Cammy Hutchison, 11 Duhan van der Merwe, 10 Blair Kinghorn, 9 Henry Pyrgos, 8 Viliame Mata, 7 Hamish Watson, 6 Jamie Ritchie (captain), 5 Sam Skinner, 4 Glen Young, 3 Luan de Bruin, 2 Dave Cherry, 1 Pierre Schoeman.
Replacements: 16 Stuart McInally, 17 Boan Venter, 18 WP Nel, 19 Pierce Phillips, 20 Connor Boyle, 21 Henry Pyrgos, 22 Mark Bennett, 23 Nathan Sweeney.
Referee: Andrea Piardi (Italy)
Assistant referees: Eoghan Cross (Ireland) & Sam Holt (Ireland)
TMO: Matteo Liperini (Italy)
