Superior game management from Cardiff Blues ensured that Ulster left the Arms Park empty-handed this afternoon, as the hosts delivered two killer blows in the last 10 minutes and put Ulster’s top four GUINNESS PRO12 place in jeopardy.
The province remain in the final play-off place for the moment on 46 points, but with closest chasers Edinburgh and Munster both grinding out victories today and moving up to 42 points, Ulster will need to knuckle down in their remaining six fixtures to ensure they are still in contention come May.
The Ulstermen led for over half of today’s encounter, with a Craig Gilroy try and seven points from Paddy Jackson’s boot keeping them ahead until two crisply-finished tries from Rhys Patchell and Aled Summerhill combined to strip the visitors of even a losing bonus point.
Ruan Pienaar and Nick Williams were two big-name additions to the starting line-up as director of rugby Les Kiss made five changes to the side that lost out by a solitary point to the Scarlets.
The back-three of full-back Stuart Olding and wingers Gilroy and Jacob Stockdale was unchanged, while Sam Arnold replaced Darren Cave in midfield alongside Luke Marshall. Jackson again captained the side from out-half, with Pienaar reinstated at scrum half.
Up front, the new prop pairing of Callum Black and Bronson Ross lined up with hooker John Andrew. Peter Browne combined with Franco van der Merwe in the second row, and the visitors fielded a back row of Robbie Diack, Chris Henry and Williams.
It was a drab first half with no real try-scoring opportunities and three successful kicks from five giving Ulster a slender 6-3 lead at the break.
The Welsh outfit started out well on top, and Ulster were unfortunate to lose Marshall to a shoulder injury only six minutes in, Cave coming on as the Blues scrummaged their way to a kickable penalty which Patchell put wide.
Better work from Ulster on the 15-minute mark saw Williams demonstrate some of the marauding form his future employers at the Arms Park can expect to enjoy next season, but when Jackson’s 19th-minute penalty veered even wider than Patchell’s earlier effort, the crowd were left wondering if the scoreboard would ever spark into life.
The answer came – eventually – on the half hour when fantastic reach on a penalty to touch from Jackson got Ulster good possession in the opposing 22, and as the Blues infringed again right in front of the posts, the out-half slotted over without fuss.
More fine positional kicking – this time from Pienaar – kept the Blues under pressure as half-time approached, and with Manoa Vosawai penalised for holding on too long in the tackle inside his own 22, Jackson gratefully gobbled up three more points.
There was still time in the half, however, for Patchell to get his side onto the scoresheet with a penalty as the clock lapsed into the red.
An Ulster offside early into the second period allowed Patchell to square things up from distance, but a smart interception from van der Merwe as Cardiff threatened from the restart set Ulster on their way, with Arnold showing pace and strength to barge his way through scrum half Tomos Williams into the 22 where his well-timed pass picked out Gilroy for his sixth PRO12 try of the season.
Jackson converted for 13-3 but as Cardiff put together a spirited riposte, Ulster had Olding to thank on the hour mark as he put in a try-saving tackle on his opposite number Mark Fish, dragging the full-back into touch a metre from the line when he looked odds-on to ground in the corner.
A poor pass from Williams in defence – straight into the hands of his namesake Tomos – put Ulster back under the cosh two minutes later, but the visitors resisted well enough for a good five minutes to convince Patchell to settle for the three points when referee John Lacey whistled up in front of the posts.
Jackson had the opportunity to re-establish the seven-point lead within moments, but inexplicably screwed his kick just the wrong side of the left upright – as did Patchell from just short of halfway with 10 minutes to go.
An apparent hamstring tear put an end to the impressive Arnold’s day at this stage, before sloppy defence in the form of a series of missed tackles on Rey Lee-Lo and then Patchell, on the right, saw the out-half slice through on 73 minutes for the killer try, which he converted for a 16-13 turnaround.
As Ulster’s shaky defence gave way again, Summerhill got over in the opposite corner from Ellis Jenkins’ pass, Patchell adding the extras to ensure that Kiss’ charges left the Welsh capital with nothing to show for their efforts.
This website uses cookies.
Read More