Resilient Ulster Overcome Clermont Challenge

With Rory Best and Stephen Ferris leading by example and Ian Humphreys converting his own try, Ulster completed a superb second half comeback against French heavyweights Clermont Auvergne at Ravenhill.

Brian McLaughlin selected an unchanged starting line-up for this Heineken Cup opener, with captain Johann Muller, Stephen Ferris and John Afoa all overcoming knocks picked up against Connacht last weekend.

The Clermont Auvergne teamsheet made impressive reading too however, with names like Aurelien Rougerie, David Skrela, Morgan Parra and Julien Bonnaire needing no introduction.

Clermont took control directly from their own kick-off, and barely 90 seconds had elapsed before Parra had the chance to chalk up an early lead from a kickable penalty on the right flank, but his effort veered off target.

However, it was not long before the visitors had five points instead of three, pacy winger Noa Nakaitachi touching down after the Clermont centre partnership of Rougerie and Regan King had ripped a hole in the Ulster defence.

Parra’s poor kicking form continued as his conversion attempt missed the posts, but his side had gained early momentum.

With Clermont penalised for collapsing a 10th minute scrum, Ian Humphreys kicked Ulster’s first points of the afternoon from the visitors’ ten-metre line. McLaughlain’s men then began to apply the pressure.

This lasted only a matter of minutes, however, before Ulster were again penalised in a kickable position, and this time Parra’s half-back partner David Skrela took the responsibility, making no mistake with the boot.

This minor setback seemed to spark Ulster into life, scrum half Paul Marshall dashing forth after a quickly-taken penalty.

The men in white narrowly missed out on a levelling try in the 20th minute, with a French hand intercepting Humphreys’ final pass to Craig Gilroy on the left wing.

As possession and territory then ebbed back in the Frenchmen’s favour, an errant drop goal attempt from Skrela came and went, until an Ulster penalty on the half hour mark earned a lineout right on the Clermont 22.

The ensuing surge was blighted by an unfortunate knock on as Paddy Wallace try to set up Simon Danielli, and the province’s best try-scoring opportunity of the half evaporated into the Ravenhill air.

Clermont worked hard at closing out the half with a strong mauling display deep in Ulster territory, forcing another penalty in the 38th minutes which Skrela gratefully dispatched.

Just on the stroke of half-time, however, Humphreys kept Ulster within touching distance with another 22-metre penalty for an 11-6 scoreline.

A superb muscular tackle by Danielli on Rougerie just after the restart, knocking the ball clean from the centre’s hands, served as an early statement of intent from Ulster.

And with the visitors penalised for infringing at a maul after 45 minutes, Humphreys was unlucky to see his kick spin wide of the posts.

With an Ulster scrum upgraded to a penalty after an off-the-ball push by Parra, Ulster advanced well from the lineout and forced another penalty.

This time Humphreys dispatched his shot on goal with ease from in front of the posts, reducing the arrears to just two points.

The match now poised at its critical stage, two errors quickly followed from within the visitors’ ranks. Firstly, replacement out-half Brock James fluffed a long range penalty attempt and then full-back Lee Byrne knocked on when trying to gather a high ball deep in Clermont territory.

Ulster found themselves in possession in a promising position until they were penalised for collapsing the resulting scrum.

Undeterred, Ulster kept asking the Clermont defence questions. Muller and the excellent Rory Best and Stephen Ferris, who carried well throughout and produced some bone-crunching tackles, were really coming to the fore.

It took replacement full-back Adam D’Arcy, only just on the pitch for the injured Danielli, to create the opening for Humphreys’ all-important try. The Australian exposed a gap on the left flank and Humphreys administered the killer blow.

D’Arcy sped down the wing, judiciously holding onto the ball long enough for Humphreys to catch him up, and fed the out-half at the perfect moment.

Humphreys crossed the line to deafening cheers inside Ravenhill, and had the composure to convert his own try, pushing the hosts into a 16-11 lead.

A missed penalty from James in the 75th minute did nothing to dampen Ravenhill spirits and, with two minutes remaining, the final play of the match saw the frustrated visitors unable to penetrate Ulster’s stubborn midfield resistance.