Ulster were outplayed by fellow top four chasers the Ospreys in the penultimate round of the GUINNESS PRO12, with a semi-final place now out of the province’s reach.
Ulster’s failure to pick up at least a losing bonus point in Swansea, coupled with the Scarlets’ 30-8 bonus point victory in Connacht, leaves Les Kiss’ men five points outside of the top four with just one round remaining.
With a significant gap in terms of scoring difference (the fourth-placed Ospreys are on +219 and Ulster +146), not even a landslide bonus point victory at home to Leinster in next Saturday’s final round will be enough for the Ulstermen.
The stark reality is that Kiss’ side left themselves with too much to do and are paying the price for a couple of poor spells during the campaign, including losses to Connacht, Munster and Edinburgh in October/November. Notably, their six try-scoring bonus points is the lowest haul of the leading six teams in the table.
The performance of lively replacement Jacob Stockdale, who ran in a last-minute try, was the only real highlight for Ulster at the Liberty Stadium where they unfortunately lost both Ruan Pienaar and Stuart Olding to injury during the course of the game.
Ulster did lay down an early marker, Charles Piutau springing up well to pluck Paddy Jackson’s kick-off out of the air and Stuart McCloskey bludgeoning his way into the 22 within the first 30 seconds. The Ospreys, too, were quick out of the blocks, with prop Nicky Smith carrying over the try-line on six minutes only to be held up by the Ulster defence.
The first score came only a minute later, however, when a swift pass from Ashley Beck via a scrum found winger Tom Habberfield in ample space to touch down in the corner.
Ulster responded strongly, Craig Gilroy almost breaking clear from McCloskey’s offload but for Dan Biggar’s last-gasp grab on his jersey, but they had to wait until the end of the first quarter for their opening points as Jackson slotted over a penalty from distance.
Pienaar was replaced by Paul Marshall just moments later, and as the Ulster penalty count began to mount, Biggar dispatched a kick of his own to re-establish the seven-point lead – 10-3.
The Ospreys went on to enjoy a near-monopoly on possession as half-time loomed, with both scrum half Rhys Webb and winger Keelan Giles coming close, denied only by a last-ditch Paul Marshall interception and an unfortunate knock-on respectively.
The hosts’ second converted try, when it came just before the break, was fully deserved and sublimely executed. Full-back Dan Evans was the architect with a pacy run through the heart of the Ulster defence and a sharp pass to Habberfield, who found Canadian international lock Tyler Ardron for the score.
Evans also tormented the Ulster defence early on in the second period, shrugging off tackles in the 22 as his side looked to finish off the contest with a third try, but Ulster scrambled a clearance by hook or by crook for a brief reprieve.
Olding entered the fray for McCloskey on 53 minutes but he landed awkwardly on his left ankle under the tackle in his very first involvement. After receiving treatment, he was stretchered off in yet another blow for a player whose season has already been ravaged by injury.
With Stockdale on for the luckless centre, Ulster enjoyed a decent spell of possession as the game rolled into the final quarter, but five minutes of camping mere metres from the Ospreys’ whitewash came to nothing thanks to the province’s poor execution and some resolute defence from the Welsh region.
Stockdale did fantastically well to shrug off four tackles down the left wing on 67 minutes, only for his final pass inside to go to ground. Despite the youngster’s best efforts, there was a general lack of cutting edge about the Ulster attack and the Ospreys were able to soak up pressure and force handling errors.
Despite several more forays into the Ospreys’ half, with Luke Marshall, Kieran Treadwell and Sean Reidy standing out for their work-rate and effectiveness on the ball, Ulster’s accuracy and penetration were too many notches below where they should be for such a high-stakes clash and there was no sign of that elusive first try.
Insult was added to injury in the final minute when, in their first venture into the Ulster half in a good 20 minutes, replacement back Brendon Leonard ghosted over for the Ospreys’ third try of the afternoon.
There was still time for Stockdale to provide the sole glimmer of light with his well-claimed solo try on the right off captain Andrew Trimble’s pass, but the Ulster dejection at referee John Lacey’s final whistle seconds later was tangible.
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