Ulster edge out Connacht to return to winning ways after South Africa trip
Ulster returned to winning ways with a hard-fought 32-27 United Rugby Championship victory over Connacht at Kingspan Stadium.
The hosts, beaten in South Africa by the Lions and then the Bulls in their last two outings, bounced back thanks to 12 points from scrum-half John Cooney.
A 71st-minute red card for Josh Murphy following a shoulder to the face of James McCormick with the scores level at 24-24 proved costly for Connacht as the home side made the extra man count in the closing stages.
Ulster hooker John Andrew broke the deadlock little more than two minutes in after being propelled over from a maul, Cooney converting.
Winger Shayne Bolton opened Connacht’s account after 11 minutes with an unconverted try. Following a series of probes on the Ulster try-line scrum-half Ben Murphy, the son of Ulster coach Richie, threw a looping pass wide for Bolton to finish in the corner.
Ulster extended their lead after 20 minutes with a try from Jude Postlethwaite, the centre reaching out and dotting down from close range, but Cooney was off target with the conversion.
Cooney scored Ulster’s third try after 28 minutes, picking the ball up from the base of a ruck on the Connacht 22 to go under the posts, making his conversion a formality.
Lock Joe Joyce got Connacht back in the game with a try from a driving maul three minutes later, but Josh Ioane could not convert from a tight angle.
Ulster had winger Werner Kok sin-binned for a tackle in the air a minute later.
Murphy showed the Ulster defence a clean pair off heels to ace over from long range with the clock in the red at the end of the first half and Ioane converted to cut Ulster’s advantage to 19-17 at the interval.
Connacht had a try chalked off by the TMO three minutes into the second half as flanker Sean O’Brien was adjudged not to have grounded the ball.
They were reduced to 14 men when lock Josh Murphy was yellow carded after 50 minutes and Ulster took immediate advantage with their bonus-point try from flanker David McCann.
The sides were level after 61 minutes as replacement hooker Dylan Tierney-Martin scored from a maul, with Ioane converting.
But then came Murphy’s sending-off and Cooney was on target with the resulting penalty.
Nick Timoney put the result beyond doubt with Ulster’s fifth try in the 78th minute before Ioane knocked over a penalty with the last kick of the game.
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Great win over SCOTLAND AUSSIES TO WIN WXV 2 FULLY DESERVED!!! from a Kiwi Fan!
Go to commentsI think the Wallabies improved ability to retain the ball for several phases is more than enough opportunity for the halfbacks to prove their worth.
In regards to Sio and Ainsley, Sio I could agree with, he played very well last night against Bristol but I have no idea about who Ainsley is or what his form is like.
The Latu ship has sailed and hooker is not a position we currently have issues with.
I have written a seperate column just on Skelton which will come out in the comings days, so I agree with you there.
If Skelton is playing then I think for this tour it is enough and it is worth to continue to get game time and minutes into the current lock stocks.
Hodge doesn't fit in this side.
I wish Perese had been used at 12 consistenly by Wallabies and Tahs alike. But I don't think he is the right player to come in and add for now. Perhaps after the Lions, he wasn't a regular starter before he left under any coach, why would we draft him in now?
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