Ulster Rugby 8
Ospreys 0
Adam McKendry reports from Kingspan Stadium
IN A GAME marred with controversy outside the ground, inside Kingspan Stadium it was Ulster who emerged on top of a forgettable 8-0 bore-fest against the Ospreys in the Guinness Pro14.
A protest by the Belfast Feminist Network took place outside the main entrance to the stadium and the contest inside did little to detract from that as Jacob Stockdale’s last minute try was all that made this game secure.
It’s consecutive wins for Jono Gibbes’ side, who still have ambitions of reaching the PRO14 playoffs well alive after the victory, while the Ospreys’ own hopes of getting to the European playoff took a hit.
For a game with so much riding on it, the quality of the first half was severely lacking, to the extent that when John Cooney tapped over a seventh minute penalty it would prove to be the only score of the first half.
Ulster had their chances, Jacob Stockdale stopped inches short of the line when he broke down the blindside, before the Ospreys had to watch hooker Scott Otten depart having taken a blow to the head.
Dan Biggar saw a penalty of his own slide just wide of the uprights before the Welsh side had a try chalked off – centre Kieron Fonotia selling Charles Piutau a sumptuous dummy to cross only for the TMO to call it back for a neck roll earlier in the play.
The hosts did have a chance of their own to get on the board just before the interval when Stuart McCloskey drove for the line and was held inches short, and the visiting defence was able to scramble to get it away.
If the first half was dour, the second half was no better as Ulster thoroughly dominated proceedings but failed to turn any of that dominance into points.
Indeed, several times Ulster found themselves unable to force their way over at the line when faced with a resolute Ospreys defence, although eventually it did crack as wing Jeff Hassler saw yellow for slowing down the ball at the line.
But still, even with the extra man it wasn’t enough as the hosts couldn’t get the all-important try to take it beyond a one score game, with Nick Timoney’s sliding effort ruled out by the TMO for a knock on at the line.
It looked like a 3-0 finish was on the cards but, at the death, with the Ospreys going for the game winning try, a speculative pass from Dan Biggar missed out everyone and Stockdale gobbled it up and returned it for the try.
In the end, the result was right, with Cooney’s missed conversion making no difference to the final outcome, but this is a game that won’t live long in the memory of anyone.
Scorers
Ulster
Try: Stockdale
Con: Cooney (0 for 1)
Pen: Cooney (1 for 1)
Ospreys
Pen: Biggar (0 for 1)
ULSTER: Charles Piutau; Louis Ludik, Darren Cave (Luke Marshall 49), Stuart McCloskey, Jacob Stockdale; Johnny McPhillips (David Shanahan 31), John Cooney; (1-8) Callum Black (Andrew Warwick 55), Rory Best (Rob Herring 69), Ross Kane (Tom O’Toole 77); Kieran Treadwell (Alan O’Connor 52), Iain Henderson, Matthew Rea, Sean Reidy (Nick Timoney 65), Jean Deysel.
OSPREYS: Dan Evans; Jeff Hassler, Kieron Fonotia, Owen Watkin, Hanno Dirksen (Sam Davies 69); Dan Biggar, Tom Habberfield; (1-8) Nicky Smith (Rhodri Jones 60), Scott Otten (Ifan Phillips 19), Dmitri Arhip (Ma’afu Fia 61); Bradley Davies, Adam Beard (Guy Mercer 69); Alun Wyn Jones, Sam Cross, James King.
Subs not used: Lloyd Ashley, Matthew Aubrey, James Hook.
Man of the Match: Matthew Rea (Ulster)
Referee: Andrew Brace (IRFU)
