Man of the match Ruan Pienaar inspired Ulster to a bonus point victory over Cardiff at Arms Park.
The win lifts Ulster to fifth in the table as they scored five tries on the artificial surface in the Welsh capital.
Ulster started brightly with a line break by Sean Reidy, Les Kiss side worked the ball through 11 phases before losing it in midfield.
The Blues broke the deadlock on four minutes with a penalty from out half Steve Shingler.
Charles Piutau came to Ulster’s rescue on nine minutes with a try saving tackle on Blues winger Tom James.
Ulster scored two tries in four minutes with Cardiff having a man in the sin bin.
Ulster won a penalty and kicked to touch, the forwards won the lineout and set up a driving maul, Ruan Pienaar broke from the back and following a jinking run was stopped short, Blues fullback Blaine Scully was yellow carded for killing the ball.
Ulster took a quick tap penalty working the ball patiently through 11 phases to create space for Piutau to finish off with Pienaar converting.
Stuart McCloskey making his first appearance since September got Ulster’s second try on 28 minutes.
Craig Gilroy carried into the Blues 22, Pienaar fed his centre and McCloskey glided through a non-existent defence to go under the posts making the conversion a formality for Pienaar.
Pienaar was instrumental in Ulster’s third try on 36 minutes, the South African scrumhalf charged down his opposite number Lloyd Williams attempted cleared, Scully won the ball but Ulster were able to turn the ball over and prop Kyle McCall barged over from close range with Piennar converting.
Cardiff reduced Ulster’s advantage at the break to 21-8, when hooker Kristian Dacey went over from close range for an unconverted try following eight phases.
Ireland flanker Iain Henderson was sin binned on 42 minutes for a high tackle on Blues winger Alex Cuthbert.
Cardiff kicked the resulting penalty to touch from the driving maul they dropped the ball but Williams gathered and sprinted over in the corner but the tried was chalked off for a knock on.
Despite having Luke Marshall in the sin bin Ulster sealed the bonus point with a fourth try on 62 minutes.
Prop Rodney Ah You forced a turnover, Peter Browne led the charge out of defence before offloading to Tommy Bowe, the Ireland wing went close before being stopped, Pienaar spun the ball to Gilroy and he fed Chris Henry and the flanker, in his first appearance since last season’s semi final against Leinster at the RDS, was able to hold off two defenders to ground the ball with Pienaar converting.
Cardiff set up a grandstand stand finish with two tries in four minutes.
Kiwi Willis Halaholo was first to cross on 68 minutes when his footwork allowed him to go under the posts with Nicky Robinson converting.
Robinson cut through the Ulster defence four minutes later before popping the ball to Cuthbert to go under the posts with the out half converting.
Louis Ludik put the result beyond doubt when he charged down Robinson’s kick and pounced on the loose ball to score Ulster’s fifth try which Pienaar converted.
Full time score: Cardiff Blues 22 - 35 Ulster Rugby.
Cardiff Blues:
B Scully, A Cuthbert, R Lee-Lo, W Halaholo, T James; S Shingler, L Williams,
G Jenkins, K Dacey, T Filise, G Earle J Down, J Turnbull, E Jenkins, J Navidi.
Replacements:
M Rees, R Gill for Jenkins 54 mins, S Andrews for Filse 54 mis, S Lewis-Hughes M Cook for Down 63 mins, T Williams for L Williams 68 mins, N Robinson for Shingler 60 mins, M Morgan for James 52 mins
Ulster:
C Piutau, T Bowe, L Marshall, S McCloskey, C Gilroy, B Herron, R Pienaar,
K McCall, R Herring, W Herbst, P Browne, F van der Merwe, I Henderson, C Henry, S Reidy.
Replacements:
J Andrew for Herring 65 mins, A Warwick for McCall 65 mins, R Ah You for Herbst 52 mins, K Treadwell for van der Merwe 52 mins, C Ross for Gilroy 62 mins, P Marshall for Herron, L Ludik for 68 mins , D Cave for L Marshall 68 mins
Ref A Brace (IRFU)
The win lifts Ulster to fifth in the table as they scored five tries on the artificial surface in the Welsh capital.
Ulster started brightly with a line break by Sean Reidy, Les Kiss side worked the ball through 11 phases before losing it in midfield.
The Blues broke the deadlock on four minutes with a penalty from out half Steve Shingler.
Charles Piutau came to Ulster’s rescue on nine minutes with a try saving tackle on Blues winger Tom James.
Ulster scored two tries in four minutes with Cardiff having a man in the sin bin.
Ulster won a penalty and kicked to touch, the forwards won the lineout and set up a driving maul, Ruan Pienaar broke from the back and following a jinking run was stopped short, Blues fullback Blaine Scully was yellow carded for killing the ball.
Ulster took a quick tap penalty working the ball patiently through 11 phases to create space for Piutau to finish off with Pienaar converting.
Stuart McCloskey making his first appearance since September got Ulster’s second try on 28 minutes.
Craig Gilroy carried into the Blues 22, Pienaar fed his centre and McCloskey glided through a non-existent defence to go under the posts making the conversion a formality for Pienaar.
Pienaar was instrumental in Ulster’s third try on 36 minutes, the South African scrumhalf charged down his opposite number Lloyd Williams attempted cleared, Scully won the ball but Ulster were able to turn the ball over and prop Kyle McCall barged over from close range with Piennar converting.
Cardiff reduced Ulster’s advantage at the break to 21-8, when hooker Kristian Dacey went over from close range for an unconverted try following eight phases.
Ireland flanker Iain Henderson was sin binned on 42 minutes for a high tackle on Blues winger Alex Cuthbert.
Cardiff kicked the resulting penalty to touch from the driving maul they dropped the ball but Williams gathered and sprinted over in the corner but the tried was chalked off for a knock on.
Despite having Luke Marshall in the sin bin Ulster sealed the bonus point with a fourth try on 62 minutes.
Prop Rodney Ah You forced a turnover, Peter Browne led the charge out of defence before offloading to Tommy Bowe, the Ireland wing went close before being stopped, Pienaar spun the ball to Gilroy and he fed Chris Henry and the flanker, in his first appearance since last season’s semi final against Leinster at the RDS, was able to hold off two defenders to ground the ball with Pienaar converting.
Cardiff set up a grandstand stand finish with two tries in four minutes.
Kiwi Willis Halaholo was first to cross on 68 minutes when his footwork allowed him to go under the posts with Nicky Robinson converting.
Robinson cut through the Ulster defence four minutes later before popping the ball to Cuthbert to go under the posts with the out half converting.
Louis Ludik put the result beyond doubt when he charged down Robinson’s kick and pounced on the loose ball to score Ulster’s fifth try which Pienaar converted.
Full time score: Cardiff Blues 22 - 35 Ulster Rugby.
Cardiff Blues:
B Scully, A Cuthbert, R Lee-Lo, W Halaholo, T James; S Shingler, L Williams,
G Jenkins, K Dacey, T Filise, G Earle J Down, J Turnbull, E Jenkins, J Navidi.
Replacements:
M Rees, R Gill for Jenkins 54 mins, S Andrews for Filse 54 mis, S Lewis-Hughes M Cook for Down 63 mins, T Williams for L Williams 68 mins, N Robinson for Shingler 60 mins, M Morgan for James 52 mins
Ulster:
C Piutau, T Bowe, L Marshall, S McCloskey, C Gilroy, B Herron, R Pienaar,
K McCall, R Herring, W Herbst, P Browne, F van der Merwe, I Henderson, C Henry, S Reidy.
Replacements:
J Andrew for Herring 65 mins, A Warwick for McCall 65 mins, R Ah You for Herbst 52 mins, K Treadwell for van der Merwe 52 mins, C Ross for Gilroy 62 mins, P Marshall for Herron, L Ludik for 68 mins , D Cave for L Marshall 68 mins
Ref A Brace (IRFU)