Ulster battled both the elements and a resilient Ospreys side to secure a dramatic 28–24 victory at Affidea Stadium on Saturday night, booking their place in the EPCR Challenge Cup quarter-finals.
In wild conditions as Storm Dave circled Belfast, rain and swirling winds gave way to a rainbow that symbolized the game we had in store. Ulster produced a performance full of resilience and attacking quality.
The hosts made a blistering start despite the conditions. Straight from kick-off, Ulster won a scrum penalty on halfway and immediately applied pressure deep inside the Ospreys 22. From a well-constructed lineout and a series of sharp forward carries, Cormac Izuchukwu crashed over on 3 minutes for the opening try. Nathan Doak held his nerve in the wind to convert, giving Ulster a 7–0 lead.
Ospreys responded quickly. After building pressure inside the Ulster 22, scrum-half Reuben Morgan-Williams sniped over from close range on 8 minutes, with Dan Edwards converting to level the scores at 7–7.
The momentum continued to swing as the visitors struck again on 19 minutes. Following a sustained attacking maul, quick hands released Dan Kasende, who burst through a gap to score. Edwards added the extras to push Ospreys ahead 14–7.
Ulster remained composed and gradually worked their way back into the contest. After a series of penalties and close-range pressure, they opted for quick tap-and-go plays near the line. That persistence paid off on 33 minutes when David McCann powered over from close range. Doak’s impressive conversion in difficult conditions narrowed the gap to 17–14.
The remainder of the half saw both sides trade territory in testing weather, with handling errors creeping in as the wind swirled across the pitch.
Half-time: Ulster 14 – 17 Ospreys
Ulster emerged strongly after the break and quickly found momentum. After building phases inside the Ospreys half, a slick attacking move on 46 minutes saw Stuart McCloskey release Jacob Stockdale, who produced a powerful break, evading multiple defenders to score under the posts. Doak converted to give Ulster a 21–17 lead.
With confidence growing and the storm beginning to ease momentarily, sunlight briefly cutting through to reveal a rainbow over the stadium, Ulster capitalised again on 55 minutes. Quick hands created space out wide before Nick Timoney executed a clever dummy and surged down the touchline to finish brilliantly. Doak’s outstanding conversion from the sideline extended the lead to 28–17.
Ospreys refused to relent and remained firmly in the contest. After sustained pressure close to the Ulster line, a high tackle infringement led to a penalty try being awarded on 67 minutes, with Jack Murphy shown a yellow card. That brought the visitors back within four points at 28–24, setting up a tense final quarter.
The closing stages were dominated by Ospreys pressure, as they pushed relentlessly for a decisive score. A potential try on 76 minutes, following a sharp break through midfield, was ruled out by the TMO for a forward pass, offering Ulster a crucial reprieve.
Ulster’s defence then came to the fore. Repeated phases from Ospreys were met with disciplined tackling and key turnovers, while the pack held firm under immense pressure. As the clock ticked into the final minute, Ulster regained possession and calmly worked the ball into touch to seal a hard-earned victory.
Full-time: Ulster 28 – 24 Ospreys
In a game shaped as much by the elements as the opposition, Ulster demonstrated composure, physicality and attacking flair at key moments. Overcoming both a fierce Ospreys challenge and the chaos of Storm Dave, they now progress to the quarter-finals with confidence and momentum.
Scorers:
Ulster:
Tries – Izuchukwu (3), McCann (33), Stockdale (46), Timoney (55).
Cons – Doak (4)
Ospreys:
Tries – Morgan-Williams (8), Kasende (19), Penalty Try (67).
Cons – Edwards (2)
Pen - Edwards
Teams:
Ulster Rugby:
1. Angus Bell (11) 2. Rob Herring (268) 3. Tom O’Toole (136) 4. Iain Henderson (C) (173) 5. Cormac Izuchukwu (48)6. David McCann (85)7. Nick Timoney (178) 8. Juarno Augustus (11) 9. Nathan Doak (103) 10. Jake Flannery (33) 11. Jacob Stockdale (143) 12. Stuart McCloskey (213) 13. James Hume (114) 14. Werner Kok (29) 15. Ethan McIlroy (72)
Replacements:
16. Tom Stewart (69), 17. Sam Crean (14), 18. Scott Wilson (51), 19. Charlie Irvine (9) 20. Bryn Ward (13) 21. Conor McKee (16) 22. Jack Murphy (28) 23. Zac Ward (23)
Ospreys:
1. Gareth Thomas, 2. Sam Parry, 3. Rhys Henry, 4. Rhys Davies, 5. Ryan Smith, 6. Huw Sutton, 7. Jac Morgan (c), 8. Morgan Morris, 9. Reuben Morgan-Williams, 10. Dan Edwards, 11. Luke Morgan, 12. Keiran Williams, 13. Owen Watkin, 14. Dan Kasende, 15. Jack Walsh
Replacements:
16. Efan Daniel, 17. Steffan Thomas, 18. Tom Botha, 19. James Fender, 20. Harri Deaves, 21. Kieran Hardy, 22. Evardi Boshoff, 23. Iestyn Hopkins