Sport

Ulster take a nail-biter at the death

Ulster 27 Ospreys 26: IT WAS a far from perfect performance, as surrendering two soft tries provides ample testimony, but the…

Sat Sept 04 2010 - 01:00

Ulster 27 Ospreys 26:IT WAS a far from perfect performance, as surrendering two soft tries provides ample testimony, but the result was what really mattered as Ulster opened their Magners campaign with a nerve-fraying win over current champions Ospreys.

After Dan Biggar landed an early penalty, the visitors failed to score until just short of the half hour. Ulster, on the other hand, looked eager for work and Niall O’Connor’s opening penalty tied the scores.

Soon after, with the visitors scrambling defence conceding a penalty, O’Connor kicked for the corner and from Rory Best’s overthrow to Johann Muller, Ferris pounced after Jerry Collins made a fairly feeble attempt at gathering Best’s throw. With the line wide open, Ferris touched down and O’Connor converted. The outhalf then landed a 49-metre penalty, pretty much from the restart, to stretch Ulster’s lead to 13-3.

When Nikki Walker was binned for taking David McIlwaine out without the ball, it looked good for Ulster but, instead, the visitors managed to claw their way back. Biggar’s second penalty had already been landed just before the Walker incident but then another mix-up at an Ulster lineout had rather more damaging consequences for the home side.

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Good hands from Marty Holah and Collins helped move the ball left at pace and winger Richard Fussell made the left corner. Biggar landed the tricky conversion and in the space of six minutes Ulster’s 10-point lead had been completely hauled back with the sides now tied at 13-13.

But Ulster at least managed to make the extra man count and three minutes later Holah missed Darren Cave, who slid over after the home side moved the ball into space on the left. O’Connor, though, failed to nail the conversion and with, Walker back on the field, Biggar then made no mistake with his fourth penalty after Bryan Young was pinged at a scrum cutting Ulster’s lead to 18-16 at the turnaround.

Ulster needed to hit the ground running after the restart and O’Connor provided the momentum with his fourth penalty success. Again, though, they were unable to build on their lead and after O’Connor’s difficult pass was spilled by McIlwaine it was Biggar, of course, who managed to get on the end of Andrew Bishop’s hack through for a 42nd minute try which he then converted to put Ospreys 23-21 ahead.

O’Connor put Ulster one point ahead with his fifth success from eight attempts after 53 minutes. But the lead didn’t last as Biggar’s put Ospreys back in front at 26-24 lead after Ulster infringed.

Ospreys’ replacement Shane Williams was penalised for being in front of Lee Byrne’s kick ahead. It proved fatal for Ospreys as O’Connor stepped up to slot home the winning penalty at the death.

ULSTER: A D’Arcy; T Seymour, D Cave, I Whitten, D McIlwaine; N O’Connor, P Marshall; B Young, R Best (Capt), D Fitzpatrick, J Muller, T Barker, S Ferris, W Faloon, P Wannenburg. Replacements:P Wallace for Whitten (20mins); T Court for Young (h-t); N Brady for Best (48mins); R Diack for Ferris and P McCallister for Fitzpatrick (both 65mins).

OSPREYS: G Owen; N Walker, S Parker, A Bishop, R Fussell, D Biggar, J Nutbrown; R Bevington, M Davies, C Griffiths, I Gough, I Evans, J Collins (Capt), M Holah, J Thomas. Replacements:S Williams for Fussell; H Bennett for Davies; P James for Griffiths; L Byrne for Owen; B Lewis for Holah; D Jones for Bevington; R Webb for Nutbrown.

Referee: P Allen (SRU)