A powerful first half display, which included tries from Paddy Jackson, Ruan Pienaar and Tommy Bowe, was enough for Ulster to withstand a ferocious Benetton Treviso fightback in the GUINNESS PRO12 this afternoon.
After a near perfect performance in the opening period at the Stadio di Monigo, Ulster struggled after half-time as the Italians put paid to any pretensions of a bonus point win for the visitors – and got themselves to within an unconverted try of a comeback victory.
Neil Doak’s men held on, however, to stay fifth in the league table (39 points) and keep the pressure on the top four teams – leaders Glasgow Warriors (43), Munster (42), Leinster (41) and the Ospreys (40).
Jared Payne, available for selection for the first time since sustaining a foot injury during his Ireland debut against South Africa in November, started on the bench with Louis Ludik – rested for last week’s interprovincial clash with Leinster – named at full-back. The only other change implemented by Doak saw Alan O’Connor start in the second row in place of Franco van der Merwe, who was sidelined with a chest infection.
Ulster came out all guns blazing in the Veneto sunshine, Pienaar’s quickly-taken tap penalty in the fourth minute bringing them into the Italians’ 22 where, after some good ground won by Clive Ross, Paddy Jackson’s chip and chase sat up well as he retrieved the ball behind the Treviso defensive line and ran behind the posts for a neat early try.
Jackson converted his own score but, with Treviso launching a threatening attack of their own from the restart, Craig Gilroy intentionally killed the ball as they neared the whitewash and found himself exiled to the sin-bin for 10 minutes.
Treviso failed to capitalise on their numerical advantage, however, falling further behind on 18 minutes as Jackson sweetly struck a penalty from wide on the left.
Gilroy returned two minutes later and made his presence felt within seconds, leading a breakaway down the left wing from Robbie Diack’s offload on halfway, and picking out Pienaar (pictured below) at the right moment to allow the scrum half an unopposed run to the line for try number two.
Jackson added the extras, and three minutes later turned provider as he provided Tommy Bowe with a sublime inside pass on the verge of the Treviso 22 after more sterling work from Gilroy. Bowe, heavily strapped around both the head and the right leg after the bruising encounter with Leinster, outpaced Angelo Esposito with a trademark diagonal run to the line. Jackson converted once again.
A fourth try looked inevitable with five minutes remaining in the half, as Bowe and Pienaar again led the way in a speedy raid which only broke down as Gilroy opted to cut inside his man 10 metres from home, when a straight sprint down the line may well have secured the score.
Treviso put together their best spell of rugby just before the break. They were rewarded on 38 minutes as Sam Christie gathered a low grubber kick from Jayden Hayward and resisted Bowe’s challenge to touch down by the left corner flag. The score was expertly converted by Hayward for a 24-7 scoreline.
With Wiehahn Herbst making an early second half exit due to an apparent hamstring strain, Bronson Ross slotted in at tighthead, but the Ulster locomotive rolled on unimpeded as they struck two convertible penalties to touch in search of the bonus point.
Neither lineout supplied the fourth try, however, and as Payne made his long-awaited return on 52 minutes in place of Darren Cave, Treviso moved up another gear, taking a hold on the game which they would not relinquish for the remainder.
Their sudden superiority soon materialised in a score from Francesco Minto, as the replacement lock stretched over from a maul after patient build-up play from his fellow forwards.
Hayward sank the conversion to reduce the gap to 10 points and as Ulster’s aspirations for the bonus point victory began to seem somewhat premature, a 67th minute penalty from the Kiwi full-back left his side only a converted try away from parity.
A further three points followed five minutes later, this time from distance, and with Ulster close to floundering, their first break in a good 20 minutes won a penalty which Pienaar chose to kick to touch. Possession was lost at the lineout in the first instance and although two further put-ins followed in quick succession, both were lost as Treviso battled for all they were worth.
Fortunately for Ulster, the Italians failed to win possession back in any meaningful position, and Jackson was grateful to boot the ball into touch after the clock passed the 80-minute mark.
The PRO12 campaign now takes a break, as Ulster face reigning European champions Toulon in the Champions Cup next Saturday before welcoming Leicester Tigers to Kingspan Stadium on Saturday week (January 24).
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