A powerhouse display from Stuart McCloskey – including a try and eight points from the boot – stood out tonight at Kingspan Stadium as Ulster clinically dispatched the Ospreys in a heartening 28-6 bonus point win in the GUINNESS PRO12.
Rob Herring, Wiehahn Herbst and Luke Marshall all joined Stuart McCloskey on the scoresheet as the Welsh outfit, third-placed finishers last season, failed to penetrate the Ulster defensive line and had to settle for two penalties from out-half Sam Davies.
While deprived of eight frontline players away on Rugby World Cup duty, stand-in captain Herring nonetheless led out a strong Ulster team featuring just as many internationals.
As the sides settled into the new season, Peter Nelson, starting at number 10 in place of the injured Ian Humphreys and Sam Windsor, kicked a fourth minute penalty on halfway to touch. The Ospreys initially looked to have contained the surge from the lineout, but a smart offload from Nick Williams to the returning Willie Faloon brought play to five metres from the line where Paul Marshall picked out his skipper for the first try of the campaign.
Although nominated place-kicker McCloskey’s conversion attempt missed the target, he split the posts with a central penalty moments later. The game was 20 minutes’ old when Davies’ long range effort soared kite-like over the crossbar – via an upright – to open the Ospreys’ account for the evening.
Ulster failed to capitalise on an overthrown Ospreys lineout five minutes later, but Trimble, watching the trajectory of Davies’ hurried clearance like a hawk, collected to scythe his way through the Welsh midfield as far as just shy of the 22.
Rapid passing found McCloskey on the right wing, and with plenty of work still to do, the big centre used all his trademark power to shrug off four tacklers and ground by the corner flag for a fine individual try.
McCloskey converted his own score from wide out and although Davies kicked a second penalty with five minutes of the half remaining, gutsy defending from the home side ensured they ran off at the break with a 15-6 advantage.
Davies opened the second period with an errant penalty from wide on the 10-metre line, before McCloskey earned a shot at goal himself as the Ospreys infringed in their own 22 – the youngster had made a good 30 metres with another pile-driving run in the build-up. The kick dispatched, Ulster pressed again on 50 minutes, a well-marshalled rolling maul earning another penalty five metres from home.
Possession secured from the lineout, muscular carrying from number 8 Williams created the space for South African prop Herbst to stretch over for the score. McCloskey was unable to convert and with Williams soon hobbling off to be replaced by Clive Ross, the game lapsed into a temporary lull until Ospreys flanker Joe Bearman saw yellow for a tip tackle on Luke Marshall on the hour mark.
With Ulster now circling like vultures to kill off the contest and secure the bonus point, a lapse in concentration saw a quickly-taken tap penalty almost let the Ospreys in for the try – it was only prevented by good covering from experienced international Trimble as scrum half Tom Habberfield kicked invitingly over the try-line for his runners.
Once Trimble had exited to a rapturous ovation on 70 minutes, making way for David Shanahan, Ulster weathered the final Ospreys storm, and it was a pacy cross-field break from Craig Gilroy with two minutes remaining that sealed the try-scoring bonus point.
Eliminating four or five men with his sheer speed, the winger supplied the recently-introduced Sam Arnold, who in turn fed fellow replacement John Andrew on the left wing. The hooker showed fantastic speed and awareness to beat two men and supply centre Luke Marshall, careering up on his outside, for the try in the corner which Nelson narrowly failed to convert.
This website uses cookies.
Read More