Spence scores for Ulster. Picture from bbc.co.uk
The double-header of Pool 4 reached its climax this afternoon as Ulster faced Bath at a snowy Rec. Both teams had everything to play for as last weekend’s results, especially after Italian side Aironi claimed a shock victory over pool leaders Biarritz; and going into the game, Ulster were sitting second in the Pool with 9 points, and Bath were third with 7 points after they gained a losing bonus point at Ravenhill last weekend. Bath took an early lead in the game, and Ulster struggled to match up to their opponents; however a change in fortune provided Ulster the chance to take the lead – and the game – as they ended Bath’s Heineken Cup dream for another year.
As the heavy snowfall caused chaos in Ulster and forced all three of Northern Ireland’s airports to close, Ulster were in a race against time to make it to Bath for their vital fixture. Yesterday it was revealed the squad had boarded a bus en route to Dublin where they then flew out to Bristol, arriving late in the afternoon. Despite the inconvenience to their journey, the groundstaff at the Rec worked hard to ensure the pitch was safe to play on, and as the 1.30pm kick off approached, the decision was made for the game to go ahead.
Bath took an early lead just 30 seconds into the match when Ulster failed to gather the kick-off properly; allowing Bath winger Matt Carraro to sprint towards Ulster’s try line and dive into the right hand corner. Olly Barkley missed the conversion, but the shaky start would prove detrimental for Ulster as the next few minutes unfolded. Bath 5 Ulster 0.
As Ian Humphreys desperately tried to clear the ball on five minutes, his kick was charged down by Michael Claassens and Bath looked certain to score a second try until Carraro knocked the ball forward metres from the line. An offside offence from Andrew Trimble four minutes later gave Barkley the chance to step up to the posts with a penalty just outside of Ulster’s 22. His kick was on target, widening his teams’ lead. Bath 8 Ulster 0.
As the restart was taken, it looked as if Ulster had finally found their way around the pitch as Robbie Diack picked up the ball and powered through the Bath defence to set up fullback Adam D’Arcy for Ulster’s first try of the game. Humphreys added the conversion to narrow the points’ gap and put the pressure back onto Bath. Bath 8 Ulster 7.
Fifteen minutes into the game and prop Tom Court was penalised for a high tackle. Barkley wasted no time in signalling for the posts and made no mistake in adding three more points to the scoreboard. Bath 11 Ulster 7.
However Humphreys retaliated two minutes later with a penalty of his own to keep the teams one point apart. Bath 11 Ulster 10.
As the second quarter got underway, scrappy play and infringements from both sides meant most of the action centred around Barkley and Humphreys exchanging kicks. Barkley landed his kick on the 24th minute to widen the points’ gap slightly but on the stroke of half-time Humphreys landed his second penalty after Bath were penalised for not rolling away from the tackle. As half-time came, only one point separated the teams again, with Bath holding on to the narrow lead. Bath 14 Ulster 13.
As the second half began, Bath immediately had the upper hand and forced Ulster back into their own half. However, after a scuffle between Bath’s Butch James and Ulster’s Dan Touhy on 45 minutes, James found himself in the sin bin, giving Ulster the upper hand. Unfortunately, the Ulstermen were unable to capitalise on the advantage they had been handed as they gave away two successive penalties which allowed Bath to stall for time.
56 minutes into the match and a fantastic kick from Ruan Pienaar brought his side deep into Bath’s half and after a series of good recycling, youngster Nevin Spence touched down into the corner for his first Heineken Cup try. Humphreys added a spectacular conversion as his team took the lead for the first time in the game. Bath 14 Ulster 20.
As the third quarter came to an end, Humphreys signalled to the posts once again when Bath were penalised for not releasing after the tackle. It was a brave decision from the fly half as the penalty was awarded inside his own half; yet he silenced the opposition as the ball slotted between the posts. Bath 14 Ulster 23.
Minutes later Barkley stepped up for a penalty but his kick went just wide of the posts, leaving the score unchanged. However continuous pressure from the home side resulted in Ulster infringing at the breakdown. It looked like flanker Willie Faloon was to blame, however as the ref went to his pocket, it was Spence who was sent to the sin bin. As the centre made his way off the pitch, Barkley landed his kick, lessening the points’ difference. Bath 17 Ulster 23.
With just ten minutes left on the clock, a momentary lapse in concentration from the Ulstermen after the restart proved disastrous as Bath winger Matt Banahan stormed past the defence to score a try and bring his side within one point of Ulster. Barkley was unable to add the conversion, much to the relief of the visitors. Bath 22 Ulster 23.
Ulster piled on the pressure from the restart and with seven minutes remaining Bath infringed at the breakdown once more, allowing Humphreys to opt for the posts and continue his 100 per cent kicking rate. As the ball sailed between the uprights, it looked like Ulster has just snatched the win. Bath 22 Ulster 26.
As the final seconds counted down, Ulster fought hard to retain possession and as they saw out the game, Bath said goodbye to their Heineken Cup hopes for another year.
Thoughts on the game?
Personally, I think Ulster were lucky to get away with the win today. They seemed to struggle to get going this afternoon and never really looked like scoring.
Basic errors cost them precious points again as their failure to gather the restart resulted in Bath scoring the opening try. At this level of rugby, when you are playing against the best teams in Europe, you can’t afford to make basic errors like that.
Nevin Spence had another fantastic game – minus his sinbinning – and is definitely one to keep watching.
Ian Humphreys was deservedly Man of the Match as he kicked an impressive 6 from 6 including a difficult conversion and a superb long-range penalty.
With Bath now virtually out of the Heineken Cup for another year, Ulster are still in with a chance of qualifying further. However, their New Years’ fixture against Biarritz (at home) will prove the ultimate test for the squad. It will be interesting to see how the match unfolds and whether Ulster will finally be able to make the knock-out stages for the first time since 1999.
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9 Responses to “Match Report: Bath 22 Ulster 26”
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I don’t think Ulster were lucky at all . I think that they were magnificent to carve out a crucial hard fought win away from home , especially after the arduous journey to England. Humphries had his best game in some time ; his kicking was extraordinary; and Pienaar got properly involved at last. Once again Spence impressed and was unjustly carded. He reminds me a lot of Gordon D’Arcy . Had this match been lost then Ulster’s whole season was on the slide. Now they face a beatable Biarritz at home , with real momentum behind them.
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Yes, I would tend to agree with Sammergee, you make your own luck in professional sport. Make no mistake this was a much better Bath team than the one that started in Belfast so hats off to the Ulstermen.
Being a supporter who travels to most matches I seldom hear the Sky commentaries but was anyone else disappointed in Tyrone’s contribution? I felt he was trying so hard to be impartial he was actually anti Ulster.
Was anyone else sickened at how Butch James got away with the assault on Darcy, he was clearly taken out without the ball in front of the officals and no action and not a peep from the commentators. Shame on you Mr Howe.
Paddy W ….. Mr Dependable was surprisingly lax in the tackling department 2 big misses. As a punishment he should stay off twitter for a week!
Brady ……… is he is being protected the same way as McGlock did with Best ? Either that or McGlock favours a three prop front row, he offers little about the park.
Merry Christmas to all, get your insults back early as I am busy this week. Ho! Ho! Ho!
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PS
Well done Flat Top for all your hard work ensuring the game went ahead!
I’m sure the trip was “the best ever!”
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I too am of the opinion that in the euphoria of winning it is easy to forget a charged down clearance which but for the bounce could easily have been a try for Bath–then there is the fact that Barkley missed 3 kicks .
Bar Ulster winning- and kicking everything going Humphreys could easliy be nominated for “prat of the match” instead of man of the match and would have had the result been different. ( far too many kicks easily read to many team mates taking ball and man )
Man of the match for me was Pienaar his decision to go narrowside with the little kick ahead took a lot of the pressure off the Ulster forwards for the last 7 minutes ensuring the win and on such are matches lost and won.
Butch James got away with “the late tackle/ body check/assault with malicious intent because the game was at the” Rec ” same offence at Ravenhill would have been at least a yellow .
I will comment further ( tbc)
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Don’t know if it was a Man of the Match performance from Pienaar. My overwhelming emotion at the time was – thank feck he’s finally done something – and lets all hope we start seeing a bit more from the South African.
My MotM goes to young Spence who was outstanding over both games.
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Nice one Mote – Pienaar for MoM….let’s face it – you were never going to vote for iHumph, were you?
As for the rest – are you a Bath fan in disguise? Get over yourself. Take the result for what it was – a win for Ulster, in England. Ifs, buts, maybes – don’t change the scoreline at the final whistle. We won….closing the result out with grit and determination and down to 14 men for a while at the death. Have a Merry Christmas and a peaceful and prosperous New Year…and don’t be sucking any more lemons.
RR – agreed, the eulogising of St Butch of James was hard to take….and he should have received the yellow for the late hit….not for the handbags later in the game. Think maybe the Ref himself was sick to the back teeth with the Sky commentary love-in by that stage. Personally speaking i think Lobbe should be cited for his assault on Mueller, and Grewcock too, for good measure. The latter if only for being a fantastic pantomime villain….Boo! Hiss!
Not so sure Tyrone was “anti-Ulster” – but he did seem to be more than a little caught up in the whole “Aren’t Bath wonderful and isn’t Butch just gorgeous” performance.
Anyway – pity we missed the pleasure of being there. Still – roll on Munster!
GC
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Yes it could be a “Happy New Year” in Turnipstan if they focus everything on Heineken Cup survival.
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“Place Kicker of the Match” would go to Humphreys
I think some should watch Pienaar a little more — quick to the breakdown and despite what many may think the only really bad pass he has made was the last pass against Munster unfortunately his defence is not as vigourous as Boss but unlike Boss he seems to allow the game to run by the outhalf — if only
tbc — I have a few gripes ( only a few says you ) FIRSTLY O Connell gets 4 weeks for a backhander— when being held players week in and week out hit players who are holding/pulling them in the maul without carding the only difference being the point of contact usually a blow to the arm — is that justice ? like most I would be happy to see him not playing against Ulster but I don’t think it justice !!
Secondly yellow cards for penalty offences ( so called professional fouls ) yellow cards are or should be for offences against the person not the ball if teams persist in refusing to accept a 3 point penalty they must accept that the opposition will persist in fouling frequently the refs in their desire to card a defender card the wrong player like Spence on Saturday similiarly it is a lottery as to whop will be carded and frequently it is not the player who is fouling persistantly
The Penalty exists for offences a referee with a yellow card can be a coaches nightmare
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I agree with a lot of the comments above, but think that Butch James was fortunate to only get away with a yellow card offence against big Dan T. The earlier ‘assault’ as previously mentioned against D’Arcy went unpunished as did the blatent late hit on Humphries in the first half where in my opinion he followed through in the attempted chargedown of Humph’s kick and made sure that he hit him with the forearm … again went unpunished so in my opinion he got off very lightly.
Humph got man of the match for his 100% kicking record…… ok in that he took them well, but there were other outstanding performances who could have easily won it as has been suggested Nevin Spence whose tackling and running were superb, also Johann Muller whose leadership was so evident and was my MOTM.
As RR has said Paddy W obviously left his tackling technique in either Belfast or Dublin airport and Andy Trimble did not have one of his better games.
All in all a good win at the Rec against a very good Bath side ( on paper) even though we didn’t play particularly well in parts especially the first 1/4 of the game. We need to be much sharper against Biarritz.
But before that bring on Leinster & Munster !!!
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