LES KISS AND Leo Cullen gave opposing interpretations of the penalty try which set Ulster on their way to a 30-6 victory this afternoon at Kingspan Stadium, a win that keeps the northern province in real contention for a play-off place.
Consulting with TMO Seamus Flannery, referee George Clancy sin-binned Rob Kearney and awarded a penalty try after the fullback had stooped to block Ruan Pienaar as he chased his chip to the line – the collision flooring the Springbok scrum-half to the extent that he required treatment.
Leinster head coach Cullen made his feelings clear on the decision post-match, maintaining that Kearney’s act did not constitute a professional foul.
“I thought there was cover there with Dave Kearney, and a penalty try was harsh,” he said.
“It was a bit dramatic from Pienaar, and he seemed to be OK for the rest of the game.”
Cullen felt both Kearney’s punishment and that of Luke Fitzgerald in the second half – for an off-the-ball grab of winger Rory Scholes – were ‘costly.’
Ulster Director of Rugby Kiss, however, played down the importance of the incident and highlighted that, over the course of a season, decisions tend to even themselves out.
“It was a try. But I don’t think it was the defining part of the game,” said Kiss.
“We’ve had some bad calls, like the forward pass against Glasgow that was ridiculous and lost us a point if not the game.”
“Everyone has a sob story here and there, and the bottom line is it gave us a penalty try when at times we haven’t got what we would have expected out of the season.”
Centre Stuart McCloskey was more categorical, insisting: “It was a definite penalty try.
“What was he meant to give? [Kearney] moved into him, he’d kicked it over his head, it was cynical.”
“But when a team’s under pressure you understand it, they will do cynical things.
“Occasionally we would do the same thing. But I thought the ref had a great game and the two yellows were valid.”
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