Edinburgh 26

Ulster 28

Bryn Palmer reports from the Hive Stadium

ULSTER EMERGED AS narrow victors from a satisfying first pre-season friendly outing against Edinburgh at the Hive Stadium.

Both sides scored four tries in an entertaining encounter, but Ross Thompson’s unsuccessful conversion of the hosts’ final score, which bounced off an upright, denied Edinburgh a draw.

It was an encouraging first hit-out for Richie Murphy’s side as they aim to build on last season’s run to the European Challenge Cup final, after missing out on the URC play-offs.

But with neither side including any of their international players as they ease back into action after summer Test duty, both teams are likely to look very different in three weeks when they meet in the opening round of the new URC season in Belfast on 25 September.

Fielding four debutants including half-backs Matthew Devine and Irish-qualified Jamie Benson, Ulster started brightly, bringing powerful wing Aitzol Arenzana-King – one of four Academy prospects who started the game – into the line at regular intervals.

Hooker Jamie McCormick plunged over after a lineout drive from a penalty to the corner before a youthful Edinburgh side – with 14 players still on the injured list – replied when debutant centre Geordie Gwynne battered his way over.

But the visitors were the more cohesive in attack and full-back Michael Lowry fired out a long miss-pass to send Arenzana-King over on the left before another slick move was finished off by scrum-half Devine.

Edinburgh reduced the gap to seven points when scrum-half Hector Patterson sniped over just before the interval before the hosts changed their entire XV for the second period.

Ulster restricted themselves to four changes initially, including a welcome return for back-rower James McNabney after missing the whole of last season with an ACL injury. 

Loosehead Eric O’Sullivan powered over to extend the lead before Edinburgh prop Paul Hill dived over to keep it a seven-point game heading into the final quarter.

The hosts battered away at the Ulster line with their big men before replacement scrum-half Conor McAlpine darted over, but Thompson’s missed conversion proved the difference.

Ulster continue their pre-season preparations with a home game against Ospreys next Friday, 11 September.

Edinburgh: P O’Conor; F Doyle, G Gwynn, M Tuipulotu, W Goosen; J Grayson, H Patterson; A Hepburn, H Morris, J Stewart, C Lindsay, G Young, O Duncan, J Utterson, T Currie.  

Replacements (all 41 mins): J Whitcombe, J Blyth-Lafferty, P Hill, E McVie, C Hunter-Hill, S Byrd, J Dalrymple, T Dodd, C McAlpine, R Thompson, R McHaffie, K Higgins, M Currie, H Paterson, J Brown.

Ulster: M Lowry; C Mullins, B Carson, D Hawkshaw, A Arenzana-King; J Benson, M Devine; E O’Sullivan, J McCormick, T McAllister, H Sheridan, J Hopes, J McKillop, T Brigg, D McCann.

Replacements: H Walker (48), F Longstaff (70), E Bello (41), B Donnell (41), E Snyman (57), M Moloney (48), J McNabney (22), C Logan (65), J Flannery (41), J Scott (56), J Findlay (69), J Murphy (70). 

- Updated with corrected date for Ospreys fixture.