HARLEQUINS 10 ULSTER 34

John Cooney extended his remarkable European scoring record this evening at the Stoop as Ulster marched on to their fourth consecutive Heineken Champions Cup victory – and picked up what could prove to be a crucial bonus point. Two tries and nine points from the boot for the Man of the Match brought his try tally after four rounds to four – joint-top in the tournament with Racing 92’s Teddy Thomas – and his total points haul to 54 – streets ahead of the chasing pack. More importantly still, additional tries from Luke Marshall, Matt Faddes and Tom O’Toole eased Ulster past the bonus-point threshold, strengthening their lead in Pool Three to six points clear of second-placed Clermont, who face Bath on Sunday. Only two personnel changes to the starting XV that edged out the same side by a single point last Saturday saw Faddes and former Quin Kieran Treadwell come in at wing and lock respectively, with last week’s starters Craig Gilroy and Alan O’Connor looking to make a big impact from the bench. Otherwise Ulster lined up with Jacob Stockdale again at full-back, Louis Ludik on the opposite wing from Faddes, Stuart McCloskey and Marshall in midfield, and the first-choice half-back pairing of Billy Burns and Cooney. A strong pack featured a front row of Eric O’Sullivan, Rob Herring and Marty Moore ahead of Treadwell and captain Iain Henderson, with Sean Reidy, Jordi Murphy and Marcell Coetzee again the back row forwards. An early shoulder injury to Burns saw the out-half soldier on after treatment, and after impressive pacy passing from both sides in midfield, Ulster made the first breakthrough on seven minutes, courtesy of a well-placed Cooney penalty. The next penalty, for infringement at the scrum from Quins, was put into touch by Burns as Ulster looked to capitalise on a solid period of pressure, but a marginal knock-on from Treadwell put paid to the resulting attack. However a steal at a Quins lineout, followed by a defensive offside as the visitors pressed forward, gave Ulster a second bite at a close-range rolling maul, but it was frustrated once again by a slight knock-on as the pack drove onwards. Approaching the 30-minute mark, Ulster had enjoyed roughly three quarters of the share of both possession and territory, but, frustratingly, had little to show for it – and were almost left rueing their missed opportunities when Stephan Lewies burst into the ‘22’ in Quins’ best attack to date, only for the ball to go forward in contact as the second row ploughed towards the line. James Lang drew the sides level five minutes later through a short-range penalty, but the parity was short-lived when Burns found a gap deep in the Quins defence, exploiting the space before feeding Stockdale at exactly the right moment. Faddes then took over on the wing, finally supplying Cooney, who had just enough strength to propel himself over the line under the tackle for a crucial try. The scrum-half’s conversion brought the half to a close with his team on the right side of a seven-point lead that their superior possession and territorial advantage had fully deserved. Half-Time Score Harlequins 3 Ulster 10 With O’Toole a late first-half replacement for Moore, Ulster made a bright start to the second period, but were once again indebted to Cooney on 43 minutes for a last-gasp tap-tackle on Ross Chisholm when the Quins full-back looked odds-on to finish off a counter-break with a try. Wasting no time at all, Ulster came again and with a penalty coming, a deft chip from McCloskey was picked up by a sliding Marshall 10 metres from home, and the centre had the requisite composure and presence of mind to pick up, steady himself, and force his way over the line for an excellent finish. Cooney – yet to put a foot wrong in the match – added the extras, and with Ulster now in complete control, the scrum-half showed great alertness just before the hour mark to add try number three, gathering a loose ball just inside the ‘22’ and chasing on to touch down. The conversion dispatched once again, Quins sprung into life through a Lewies try and Lang conversion on 63 minutes, but with the Ulster focus on one thing only – the bonus point that had eluded them in the first three rounds – the concession did not cause them undue concern. The breakthrough could have come on 74 minutes, but for a crooked put-in at a five-metre lineout from replacement hooker Adam McBurney, but it was still not long in coming, the visitors profiting from an overthrow at Quins’ very next lineout, and Faddes showing great footwork to get himself over the line from Stockdale’s pass. The Ulstermen were still not done, O’Toole barging over for his first Heineken Cup try seconds before full-time, and sealing a comprehensive win that elevates Dan McFarland’s side to 17 points with two rounds to play. Full-Time Score Harlequins 10 Ulster 34 Harlequins (15 – 9) Ross Chisholm; Vereniki Goneva, James Lang, Francis Saili, Cadan Murley; Brett Herron, Martin Landajo (1 – 8) Santiago Garcia Botta, Elia Elia, Kyle Sinckler (c), Stephan Lewies, Tevita Cavubati, Semi Kunatani, Will Evans, Alex Dombrandt Replacements (16 – 23) Jack Musk, Nick Auterac, Simon Kerrod, Dino Lamb, James Chisholm, Niall Saunders, Paul Lasike, Travis Ismaiel Ulster (15 – 9) Jacob Stockdale; Matt Faddes, Luke Marshall, Stuart McCloskey, Louis Ludik; Billy Burns, John Cooney (1 – 8) Eric O’Sullivan, Rob Herring, Marty Moore, Kieran Treadwell, Iain Henderson (c), Sean Reidy, Jordi Murphy, Marcell Coetzee Replacements (16 – 23) Adam McBurney, Andrew Warwick, Tom O’Toole, Alan O’Connor, Matthew Rea, David Shanahan, Bill Johnston, Craig Gilroy