Bonus Point Delight For Ulster In Durban

Ulster made it three BKT United Rugby Championship bonus point wins on the bounce with a terrific performance on the road, getting the better of the Hollywoodbets Sharks on a 34-26 scoreline.

Having lost on their last four visits to South Africa and struggled away from home last year, this was a ringing endorsement of their early season progress as they won at Durban’s Kings Park for only the second time.

Player-of-the-match Nathan Doak kicked 10 points, including converting tries from Michael Lowry and former Shark Werner Kok, as an assured Ulster led 20-5 at half-time.

Richie Murphy’s men had continued where they left off against the Vodacom Bulls last week, and then rolled with the punches in the second half, always maintaining their lead despite the Springbok-laden Sharks grabbing four tries of their own.

Tom Stewart cancelled out a Makazole Mapimpi score with a brilliant counter-attacking effort, which started inside the visitors’ 22. Replacement Callum Reid squeezed over from much closer, in response to a 62nd-minute penalty try for the Sharks.

Despite having the upper hand in the scrums, the South African side were left counting the cost of sin-binnings for Vincent Koch and Mapimpi, with the latter offence, close to the hour mark, upgraded to a 20-minute red card.

The 23-year-old Doak contributed handsomely, finishing with 14 points and two try assists. Ulster’s four Ireland call-ups – captain Iain Henderson, Nick Timoney, Stuart McCloskey, and Jacob Stockdale – all featured, although McCloskey (HIA) was permanently replaced approaching the break.

Harry Sheridan set the tone with an early lineout steal, and then a rip in the tackle a few phases later. The Sharks responded with a scrum penalty, but their first attacking opportunity was spoiled by a knock-on.

Ulster, who had previously won 31-24 when visiting the Shark Tank in February 2023, were clinical with their next possession in the sixth minute, using a penalty advantage to go wide.

On his 100th league appearance, Stockdale’s strength brought three defenders to ground, opening the way for Jack Murphy and Doak to break down the short side and send Lowry over from 10 metres out.

Doak converted and added a penalty on the quarter hour mark for 10-0, punishing a Sharks offside after the Ulster attack had looked fluid again. Lowry, Scott Wilson, and Kok all got over over the gainline.

John Plumtree’s charges remained scoreless, having blown a big maul chance due to obstruction. Just a couple of minutes later, Siya Masuku flashed his first penalty attempt away to the right of the posts.

Stockdale came to Ulster’s rescue when holding up Eben Etzebeth, following up on good defensive work from Henderson and flanker Timoney at close quarters.

Masuku missed a second penalty, hitting the post from distance, and kicks from James Hume and Lowry soon had Ulster back where they wanted to be. Kok used a Lowry offload to beat Andre Esterhuizen along the right touchline, and he cut inside Masuku for a fine try.

With Doak converting, the Sharks began the second quarter a full 17 points behind. Sheridan led some dogged maul defence, and when the hosts moved the ball infield, Sam Crean and David McCann halted the attack with a turnover penalty.

However, the Sharks’ scrum dominance provided the platform for their opening score in the 32nd minute. Masuku knocked a penalty towards the right corner, and recent Rugby Championship-winning skipper Siya Kolisi emerged through the maul to pull five points back.

Ulster’s phase-building was rewarded with a second penalty from Doak, who remained composed despite the ball falling off the tee in breezy conditions. Mapimpi threatened late on but Murphy and Juarno Augustus got to him.

After Doak had missed the posts early in the second half, Ulster were forced to rejig their pack with Augustus and his replacement Sean Reffell both picking up injuries. Rob Herring came on with Stewart moving to number 8 in the scrum.

Back-to-back scrum penalties had the Sharks within striking distance, and winger Mapimpi turned Grant Williams’ long arcing pass into a timely try. Masuku was back on target with the conversion, leaving it 20-12.

Nonetheless, Koch’s tip tackle on Lowry saw him binned in the 50th minute, and 14-man Ulster took advantage just when the Sharks were on the front foot. Esterhuizen knocked on and Stewart started and finished a breathtaking move.

The Ireland-capped hooker linked with Hume at the edge of the province’s 22, Lowry then releasing Kok just before he was unceremoniously dumped to the ground by Mapimpi. The Nelspruit native evaded two tackles at halfway, before putting Doak past Vincent Tshituka.

The Sharks captain could only watch on as Doak, closed down by the chasing Estherhuizen, delicately dinked a kick through for Stewart to win the race to the touchdown behind the posts. The extras from the scrum-half made it 27-12.

It was a double blow for the Sharks as referee Ben Whitehouse showed Mapimpi a yellow for his tip tackle on Lowry in the build-up, the off-field review resulting in a 20-minute red card for the 35-year-old speedster.

Kok then let the home side off the hook when his quick lineout throw was crooked, spoiling a 50:22 kick from Doak. As the rain came down, Ulster conceded a series of penalties, the last of the four seeing replacement Tom O’Toole sent to the sin bin for a lineout infringement.

A powerpacked scrum gave the Sharks their penalty try, although Ulster mustered a quick-fire response. Presented with a penalty, they got their maul going inside the 22, before the pick-and-goes ended with Reid muscling his way over to bag the bonus point.

The score survived a TMO review, with Doak’s conversion restoring the 15-point gap. It was still 14 against 14 when Sharks replacement Jaden Hendrikse took a penalty quickly, feeding Esterhuizen to barge through for their bonus point try.

It was back to an eight-point game after Jordan Hendrikse, reacting swiftly to the ball falling off the tee, drop-kicked the conversion through the uprights. Regrouping with the finish line in sight, Ulster made sure to spend most of the remaining minutes in Sharks territory.

Development lock Joe Hopes came on for his second senior appearance, making his presence felt and tapping back a high ball. Timoney fought hard for an important turnover, and Stockdale’s interception, past the 80-minute mark, shut down an Ethan Hooker-led attack.