Penalty Try Sees Ulster Rescue Draw From Jaws Of Defeat

Ulster got out of jail in the dying seconds against Benetton Rugby, needing a last-gasp penalty try to share the spoils with the combative Italian who remain two points ahead of the province in Conference B.

Referee Nigel Owens awarded the penalty try with the clock in the red after a fantastic final push from the Ulster pack – much to the chagrin of the Italians who, in truth, deserved to leave Belfast with the full four points.

Dan McFarland’s side started both halves well, with second and 44th-minute tries from Louis Ludik and Rob Herring respectively, but in both periods Benetton forced their way back convincingly, fully earning their jump to second place in the table on 37 points, while Ulster remain fifth on 35.

Despite the unavailability of half-a-dozen first team regulars away on Ireland duty, head coach McFarland was able to name a strong starting XV, which included only two personnel changes to the back-line that lined out against Leicester Tigers.

Michael Lowry came in at full-back to replace Ludik, who shifted to the left wing in the absence of Jacob Stockdale, while James Hume was a direct replacement for Will Addison at outside centre. Multiple changes up front saw only prop Martin Moore and lock Kieran Treadwell retain their starting berths.

Ulster got off to the best of starts with five points on the scoreboard with less than two minutes on the clock, Stuart McCloskey making the hard yards from Lowry’s pass and unselfishly supplying Ludik five metres from the line for a diving finish in the left corner.

The early score gave Ulster licence to play a creative game, with an audacious exchange between Ludik and McCloskey on the Benetton 22 just failing to pay off before some right wing wizardry from Robert Baloucoune tied the Italians in knots and almost set up a clean break for David Shanahan.

However, a well-engineered 10th-minute try from lock Federico Ruzza brought the hosts back down to earth with a bump, all the more so when former Leinster out-half Ian McKinley’s conversion from wide sailed between the posts.

Buoyed by that score, Benetton began putting some slick passes together, while in defence all their tackles repeatedly hit the mark, making them good value for the extension of their lead to 10-5, two minutes before half-time, courtesy of a McKinley penalty from the Ulster 10-metre line.

Ulster resumed in the second half with the experienced Darren Cave on in place of McCloskey, and in real need of inspiration from one quarter or another. It was not long in coming, hooker Herring bundling over for his try through the tried-and-tested method of a rolling maul.

Taking over the kicking duties, Academy youngster Lowry was unlucky to see his conversion attempt come back off an upright. Benetton proved unfazed by the concession when winger and man-of-the-match Iliesa Ratuva broke several tackles too easily and stretched over for the try just before the hour.

McKinley dispatched his conversion with zen-like concentration to raise the deficit to seven points, and with Jonny Stewart and the fit-again Robert Lyttle now in the fray in place of Shanahan and Baloucoune, Ulster set about trying to redress the balance.

However a combination of stout defending from the visitors and an inability on the part of the province to find the killer pass meant a good 10 minutes of attack came to naught on 70 minutes, with Ulster eventually penalised for holding on in the tackle deep inside the 22.

Impressive strength and resilience from Lyttle moments later saw him beat three men on his wing, but with Lowry crowded out on receipt of the ball the chance went a-begging once more. Then, the final chance to salvage a draw seemed to have evaporated with a crooked 78th-minute lineout throw.

Yet, a penalty awarded just seconds from full-time gave Ulster the get-out-of-jail card that they needed. The forwards found the breakthrough with the penalty try signalled by Owens as Benetton tried to illegally prevent Ulster’s final rolling maul from rumbling over the line.