No Reward For Ulster Against Tigers

A strong second half performance from Leicester Tigers resigned Ulster to an away defeat in a nip and tuck Pool 4 encounter at Welford Road on Saturday.

Ian Humphreys slotted three first half penalties against his former team but 11 unanswered points from Leicester in the second period secured victory for the hosts.

Ulster started brightly and it took them just three minutes to open the scoring with Humphreys landing a monster penalty from 52 metres out.

Fleet-footed winger Craig Gilroy was then penalised for not releasing the ball and Toby Flood stepped up to cancel out Humphreys’ effort from a similar distance.

Both sides struggled to create genuine try-scoring opportunities as the greasy conditions made things difficult at either end of the pitch.

Gilroy burst through a gap but play was pulled back for obstruction, and at the other end Leicester started to build phases. The two out-halves registered a further two penalties each to leave the scoreline at 9-9.

Leicester then launched a dangerous back-line move from just inside their own half and Alesana Tuilagi got the ball out wide and broke two tackles before Humphreys and Paul Marshall combined to barge him into touch.

The second half picked up where the first half finished with scoring opportunities restricted to kicks at goal. Leicester went ahead for the first time in the match when Flood scored his fourth penalty, while Humphreys missed his easiest chance of the night.

Marshall’s superb kicking game was a major plus for Ulster throughout the match, clearing danger but also applying pressure. Indeed, a clever kick from the lively scrum half forced Tuilagi back towards his own try-line but the Tigers managed to escape unscathed.

Ulster were now starting to build pressure and Darren Cave made a couple of good breaks from his centre position, but Leicester’s defence held firm.

With the introduction of England scrum half Ben Youngs, Leicester started to gain the upper hand in proceedings.

After a number of phases Flood put in a well-weighted grubber kick which centre Matt Smith followed up to touch down in the right corner. Flood missed the conversion attempt but his side now held a 17-9 advantage.

Humphreys limped off in the final five minutes with a leg injury, allowing young gun Paddy Jackson to take to the pitch for his Heineken Cup debut, along with Adam Macklin, another newcomer to this level, who had replaced Declan Fitzpatrick earlier in the half.

The Ulstermen tried in vain to salvage a losing bonus point but were unable to do so, despite the best efforts of Rory Best, Stephen Ferris and Andrew Trimble.

Flood took his tally for the night to 15 points with the last kick of the game to secure an important win for his side, their 17th consecutive home success in Europe.

The result leaves Ulster occupying third spot in the pool ahead of their double header with RaboDirect PRO12 rivals Aironi next month.