John Afoa goes over for Ulster's second try. Picture Darren Kidd | PressEye
The match rolled out pretty much as expected with Ulster recording a bonus point win against a rather limited Munster. New boys Stefan Terblanche and John Afoa scored in the first half with Ian Humphreys and Ruan Pienaar crossing the line in the second as Ulster comfortably pulled clear from the underpowered visitors. Humphreys added two conversions and two penalties with Pienaar completing the scoring with a late penalty.
It was a cagey enough start from both sides with Munster edging the early encounters despite an early long range penalty from Humphreys. Shortly after, a period of pressure from Munster on the Ulster line created space out wide allowing Keatley to chip over the defence for young winger Luke O’Dea to collect and score in the corner. Keatley added the extras and Ulster trailed 3 – 7.
Ulster patiently worked their way back into the game with the backs looking dangerous with ball in hand. Humphreys added a second penalty and minutes later, good work from Cave sent Terblanche clear for his début try. Humphreys converted, but moments later Munster hit back with a Keatley penalty taking the score to 13 – 10 and the visitors had a chance to level the score with a second penalty under the posts. However the game took a definite swing in Ulster’s favour with Keatley pushing his chance wide and Ulster broke up field after some nice interplays to eventually send Afoa ambling over under the posts for Ulster’s second game, the ten point swing giving Ulster a comfortable 20 – 10 lead at the break.
There was still plenty to play for in the second half and the next score was crucial to determining the outcome. Munster opted for a scrum following a free kick at a lineout and a big effort from the front five, ably led by Kyriacou, turned the table on the Munster pack and good work from Faloon nudged the ball clear for a delighted Humphreys to hack on and outstrip the defence to the try line for Ulsters third, which remained unconverted. A big statement from the pack and one that secured the outcome of the game.
With the crowd now baying for mashed Turnips the Ulster pack went one better ten minutes later with a powerful drive sending the visitors scrum racing backwards at a rate of knots. This time it was Henry that harassed the scrum half, forcing the ball free for Pienaar to pick up and race to the corner for Ulster’s vital fourth try.
With the benches emptied the game became fairly static with neither side creating much. Ulster completed their scoring with a Pienaar penalty seven minutes from time but shortly after spoiled their second half performance with an attempt to move the ball deep in their own 22 was pounced on by Johne Murphy for the utility back to slide over near to the posts. Keatley added the conversion, but with two minutes on the clock Ulster held on to close the game out reasonably comfortably.
| Teams |
Ulster: (15-9) Adam D’Arcy, Craig Gilroy, Darren Cave, Ian Whitten, Stefan Terblanche, Ian Humphreys, Ruan Pienaar (1-8) Paddy McAllister, Andi Kyriacou, John Afoa, Johann Muller (C), Dan Tuohy, Pedrie Wannenburg, Willie Faloon, Chris Henry. (16-23) Nigel Brady, Callum Black, Adam Macklin, Louis Stevenson, Ali Birch, Paul Marshall, Chris Farrell, Peter Nelson
Munster: (15-9) D Hurley, L O’Dea, T Gleeson, L Mafi, J Murphy, I Keatley, D Williams. (1-8) W du Preez, D Varley, S Archer, I Nagle, M O’Driscoll (C), Dave O’Callaghan, T O’Donnell, J Coughlan. (16-23) D Fogarty, M Horan, J Ryan, B Holland, P Butler, T O’Leary, S Deasy, W Chambers.
Attendance: 11,379
| The Front Row Review |
A case of partial redemption for the management after the capitulation in Leinster. After the two inter-provincials Ulster have five points but it’s a disappointing that Ulster didn’t aspire to more and it’s a poke in the eye for the supporters over the holiday season to be denied the chance to see the Ireland players in action, or even, to see truly competitive games.
Don’t know how the rest of the league will view these “arrangements” from the Irish teams with home sides practically guaranteed home wins and if Ulster do manage to sneak into the play off’s by a point I would guess that the Welsh and Scottish contenders would have some justification in complaining as to how these games had been arranged.
Ulster have a lot of work to do if they are to put themselves in that position with, by my reckoning, seven or eight wins required from the remaining ten fixtures.
Tomorrow is the start of a New Year and it is an opportunity to build on the good points that transpired over the last week with the scrums performing admirably in both games and the backs developing a fast paced game of sorts. A bit more belief in the ability of the backs would help and if Ulster could back themselves to go one on one out wide against the better sides then things may indeed pick up.
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One Response to “PRO12: Ulster 33 Munster 13”
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Since the holiday period basically saw local derbys being played in Scotland Wales and Italy each Union had a similiar opportunity to with draw their Internationals if they wanted and may have .
Whether the supporters in those countries would feel short changed by the arrangement and fail to turn up is another matter, the IRFU has the benefit of knowing that because of the historic nature of Interpros a crowd is guaranteed– that is not the case in Italy Wales and Scotland. Advantage Ireland
While the scrum held its own at Leinster overall in open play ruck and maul Ulster were second best and coped with a second string Munster 8 without really dominating ruck and maul
If the Best and Ferris return this week the added power might provide a platform for a win without them it will be touch and go.
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