Ulster Unable To Build On Strong First Half As Tigers Prevail

Despite a dominant first half performance, Ulster bowed out of the European Challenge Cup after losing 33-24 to a resurgent Leicester Tigers side at Mattioli Woods Welford Road.

The Ulstermen were on course for their first European final since 2012, having built a 17-6 half-time lead thanks to tries from captain Iain Henderson and Billy Burns.

However, Tigers clawed back the momentum with three tries of their own and a very influential performance from player-of-the-match George Ford.

Following the injury-enforced departure of John Cooney in the 43rd minute, Ulster’s Dan McFarland noted afterwards: “Leicester wrestled the laurels from us with their excellent kicking game and put us under pressure there and momentum is an amazing thing.

“We missed an opportunity at the end of the first half to go nearly 20 points up when we missed touch into the corner, and then in the second half we came out and they got that first score after we had kicked the ball straight into touch.

“That was the swing in momentum they needed. It was really unusual for us because our kicking game has been really excellent.

“One of the things we’ve done really well is manage that aerial dogfight and the kicking battle. Their kicking game was superb throughout the game, ours dropped off and as a consequence they won.”

Ulster were under pressure early on from Leicester’s giant winger Nemani Nadolo, who got over the ball to force a penalty in the fourth minute which Ford missed.

The England out-half was successful with a second opportunity just two minutes later, before Cooney coolly slotted over a kick to punish the hosts for going offside.

It looked like Ulster’s first try would come in the 12th minute, when Robert Baloucoune found his way over in the corner, but after a TMO review, a knock-on was spotted in the build-up.

Nonetheless, with a penalty again for offside, the visitors kept pressing. Leicester duly lost their skipper Tom Youngs to the sin bin for repeated infringements.

Eventually, McFarland’s charges struck as Henderson muscled over from close range, ably assisted by Alan O’Connor and Nick Timoney. Cooney converted for a 10-3 lead.

Four minutes later, a Ford penalty cut the gap to four points, but it was not long before Ulster created an overlap for Burns to sneak through for the province’s second converted try.

As the interval approached, the hosts hunted down an elusive try with Ulster on their line. Having leaked a scrum penalty, the men in red held firm, winning a scrum against the head and giving Burns the chance to kick clear.

Ominously, Leicester started the second half with serious intent. Their head coach Steve Borthwick made changes in his front and back rows, and just four minutes in, Jasper Wiese touched down for Ford to convert.

Tigers made it a one-point game after Ulster were penalised for offside, Ford duly obliging with the three points. The visitors had replaced Cooney at this point, with Nadolo catching the scrum half with an unintentional flailing arm.

The English outfit had the bit between their teeth and took the lead in the 52nd minute when international prop Ellis Genge went over in the corner.

The increasingly-influential Ford nailed the conversion for good measure, leaving it 23-17. Leicester continued to turn the screw on Ulster, Ford dropping a goal on the hour mark.

Ulster replied through reliable number 8 Timoney, who ran a superb line through midfield to go on a thundering run on and cross the whitewash for their third try. Replacement Michael Lowry tagged on a textbook conversion to reduce the arrears to 26-24.

There was no late wobble from Tigers, however, as they exploited numbers out wide in the 73rd minute for winger Guy Porter’s clinching try. Ford’s conversion completed his crucial 18-point haul.

Giving his reaction after the game, Henderson said: “I think when you see other teams performing at different games – I thought Leicester were a different team in the first half as to the second as we were too – but it is the best teams that have that consistency there irrespective of what goes wrong or what player it is on the pitch.

“The other 14 players are still able to do their job perfectly and keep it going along. That is something where we have fallen down on before, and we fell down against Leicester.