Edinburgh 16
Ulster 10
ULSTER’S INDIFFERENT START to the campaign endured this evening at Murrayfield, where the scant consolation of a losing bonus point saw the province drop to fifth in the Pro12 standings.
Edinburgh dominated a game of minimal flair or incident, illuminated only by a standout performance from home flanker Hamish Watson, whose try topped up 11 points from Greig Tonks’ boot to trump Sean Reidy’s effort and a penalty and conversion from Peter Nelson.
A lacklustre first-half yielded a meagre nine points and little to fill an under-populated Murrayfield with any signs of animation.
Nick Williams’ infraction as he went off his feet in the fifth minute let Edinburgh full-back Tonks in for the first three points of the encounter, and with Andrew Trimble penalised five minutes later for a similar offence, the hosts went for touch, only to surrender possession at the lineout.
Edinburgh nonetheless continued to call the tune as the second quarter loomed, Tonks’ left boot extending their lead on 18 minutes as a frustrated Ulster gave away their fifth penalty.
A fine right-wing break from Paul Marshall got Ulster into the home ‘22’ for the first time in as many minutes, earning a penalty which Nelson, assuming kicking duties in lieu of Stuart McCloskey, dispatched just inside the left upright.
Nimble footwork from Reidy set up the next Ulster attack, which saw them probe and pound for a good five minutes, but fail to breach the line and eventually lose possession to the ubiquitous Watson, impressive throughout with his ball-carrying and tackling.
Trimble’s dynamic chip-and-chase jump-started the second half moments after the restart, Marshall scampering into the ‘22’ from a tap-penalty and Williams using all his bulk to secure a 50-50 ball and create the space for Reidy to stretch over for the try.
Nelson converted, and after some neat passing between forwards and backs, the Edinburgh riposte culminated with a well-deserved try for Watson off replacement Viliamu Helu’s pass from the left wing.
Three points to the good courtesy of Tonks’ conversion, Edinburgh failed to sustain any momentum from the restart, and Ulster had only themselves to blame as they eschewed three easy points on the hour mark to kick a penalty to touch, and subsequently lost the chance by failing to drive the maul straight.
Tonks punished the Ulster profligacy on 65 minutes with his third penalty, and although a further effort six minutes later screwed well wide, bullish Edinburgh defence – in particular from a rolling Ulster maul with seconds to go – ensured the six-point lead was enough to see the Scots home.
Edinburgh:Tries: Watson
Penalties: Tonks (3)
Conversions: TonksUlster:
Tries: Reidy
Penalties: Nelson
Conversions: Nelson
Edinburgh: Greig Tonks; Tom Brown, Chris Dean, Andries Strauss, Damien Hoyland; Phil Burleigh, Nathan Fowles, Allan Dell, Neil Cochrane, John Andress, Anton Bresler, Fraser McKenzie, Mike Coman, Hamish Watson, Nasi Manu.
Ulster: Louis Ludik; Craig Gilroy, Sam Arnold, Stuart McCloskey, Andrew Trimble; Peter Nelson, Paul Marshall, Callum Black, Rob Herring (c), Wiehahn Herbst, Dan Tuohy, Franco van der Merwe, Roger Wilson, Sean Reidy, Nick Williams.