Ulster’s youngsters were giving a bit of a pre-season drubbing by Bayonne last night. We’d hopped to bring live text coverage but due to illness and language problems we had to rely on updates from Ulster Rugby Official Facebook site where I belive the scores were phoned in by David Humphreys.
Below is a rough time line of the game as it unfolded.
Ulster 7-0 down after 15 mins
Another try for Bayonne (unconverted) after 22 mins – they run the length of the field to score after Ulster turn ball over. Bayonne 12 – 0 Ulster
A third try for Bayonne after a grubber kick in behind the Ulster defence, converted to make the score Bayonne 19-0 Ulster after 35 mins
Ulster on the scoreboard in a very physical game with a penalty from young out-half James McKinney.
Half-time score Bayonne 19-3 Ulster
Oh Dear! A fourth try for Bayonne, converted and after 49 minutes the score is Bayonne 26-3 Ulster
Ulster Rugby Official – Ouch, another converted score for Bayonne, score is 33-3 after 56 minutes. Front Row Union – Double Ouch!
Another converted try to the home side 70 mins played, Bayonne 40-3 Ulster. Gettin a bit despondent now!
All 11 of Ulster’s subs now on the field – time for a dramatic comeback!
Final Score: Bayonne 40-3 Ulster. Let’s hope the youngsters got something out of it! No need to riot just yet!
Thanks to Ulster Rugby Official and David Humphreys for their coverage. Good job!
Ulster (15-9): Adam D’Arcy, Conor Gaston, Darren Cave, Ian Whitten, Ricky Andrew, James McKinney, Paul Marshall. (1-8) Tom Court, Andi Kyriacou, Declan Fitzpatrick, Tim Barker, Neil McComb, Pedrie Wannenburg, Chris Henry, Robbie Diack. (16-26) Callum Black, Paddy McAllister, Adam Macklin, Jerry Cronin, John Burns, Lewis Stevenson, Mike McComish, Willie Faloon, Ian Porter, Paddy Jackson, Craig Gilroy.
Bayonne (1-15): Iguiniz, Da Ros, Boyoud, Linde, Flavell, Bernad, Haare, Baget, C. Garcia, Boyet, O’Connor, Gerber, Lacroix, Lagain, Pietersen. (16-25) Roumieu, Lafond, Boutaty, Marmouyet, Audy, Otazo, Mazars, April, Carrillo, Visensang Elhorga.
After the game Humphreys gave his verdict.
While we’re disappointed with the score-line, it was not wholly unexpected given where the two teams are in terms of their pre-season preparations.
Given that we are missing so many of our regular match-day 23, either through international call-up or injuries, this game has been a very good opportunity and a steep learning curve for our young players who got a chance this evening to see what playing at this level is all about.
The game was very set-piece orientated, in typically French fashion Bayonne were very strong up front and mauled us a lot but in comparison to our friendly last season against Harlequins which was very similar, this time we actually got some ball although being the first run-out we had too many turnovers which didn’t help and a number of their tries came from our mistakes.
No-one likes to be sitting in the dressing room on the wrong end of a 40 point score-line but on the whole we’re certainly not panicking, and we have two more friendlies and plenty of work ahead of us before our first competitive game against Glasgow in the Pro12.
As you’d expect from an early pre-season game we had some players with cramp but other than a few bumps and bruises we appear to have come through the match unscathed.
It is a bit of a disappointment that it appears we were given a bit of a mauling up front as that wasn’t far off a regulation Pro12 pack that we put out. However, as we didn’t actually see the game, speculation on the why’s and wherefores is pretty meaningless.
Just to clarify matters. Bayonne have played one friendly before this one and their season starts a week before Ulster’s so they are not really that much further ahead in terms of pre-season.
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One Response to “Pre Season. Bayonne 40 Ulster 3”
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not good – could not watch the game – but there seem to be too many regular starters i Ulster lineup to come back with only 3 points
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