Third-placed Ulster lost significant ground on Conference B top three rivals Leinster this evening at the RDS, as Leo Cullen's clinical province punished a series of defensive errors from the visitors, all the while limiting their tally to a late converted Jacob Stockdale try.
Two tries apiece from Jordan Larmour and Fergus McFadden, topped up by scores from Barry Daly and Johnny Sexton, made it a miserable foray south for the Ulstermen, who now trail tonight’s opponents by 11 points and – concerningly – only lead fourth-placed Edinburgh by a mere three.
High counts of turnovers lost and tackles missed proved Ulster’s downfall, and with the business end of the European Champions Cup group stage looming over the coming two weekends, much better will be required to see off La Rochelle and Wasps.
Rory Best, Iain Henderson and Stockdale all returned to the Ulster first XV tonight as Les Kiss made nine changes from the side that started in Monday’s exhilarating comeback victory over Munster, including a first start for Abbey Insurance Academy scrum-half Johnny Stewart.
Best captained the side from hooker in a pack composed of props Callum Black and Wiehahn Herbst, locks Henderson and Pete Browne – making his first appearance since September – and a back row of Matthew Rea, Sean Reidy and Jean Deysel.
In the backline Charles Piutau was retained at full-back, with Andrew Trimble and Stockdale taking over from Craig Gilroy and Rob Lyttle – both scorers against the Munstermen – on the wings. Darren Cave and Stuart McCloskey, who had teamed so effectively in the New Year’s Day fixture, continued in the centre, with Christian Lealiifano starting alongside Stewart at out-half for what will be his final Guinness Pro14 appearance before returning to home club the Brumbies at the end of January.
Defensive frailties cost Ulster dearly in a first half which was otherwise fairly evenly-matched. Leinster had McFadden to thank for their first score on five minutes, the winger making light work of the Ulster rearguard and picking out full-back Larmour for his second try in as many games.
An untimely slip from McFadden with Piutau isolated and the try-line at his mercy spared Ulster’s blushes 10 minutes later, but it proved a mere reprieve as Leinster recycled from right to left, and wing Daly applied the finishing touch after a missed tackle from Piutau.
Ulster enjoyed a good 10 minutes of possession and pressure in response, but two turnovers in quick succession did nothing to help their cause.
However, as the momentum swung back in favour of the hosts, much-improved defence from the visitors kept the scoreboard static until the interval, with Henderson putting in a crucial try-saving tackle on Larmour in stoppage time as the Leinstermen capitalised on a misplaced Piutau pass.
Half-Time Score Leinster 12 Ulster 0
Larmour looked to have repeated his first-half feat of scoring early minutes into the second period from Jamison Gibson-Park’s clever offload, only for the score to be struck off for a forward pass from Ross Byrne in the build-up.
Again, however, Ulster failed to sufficiently clear the danger, and McFadden was soon touching down in the opposite corner after wrong-footing last man Stockdale all too easily.
Another Ulster error – a lost ball from Cave in contact – paved the way for the bonus point try moments later, with a fantastic burst of pace from replacement prop Andrew Conway and another pinpoint pass from Gibson-Park setting McFadden free on half-way for an unopposed run-in.
Without a single point as the final quarter began, Ulster continued to offer little going forward, and when Larmour latched onto replacement out-half Sexton’s firm pass for try number five, it was no more than Leinster’s performance had deserved.
Stockdale’s consolation try six minutes from time was well-executed, but came at a price as replacement Tommy Bowe picked up a shoulder injury in the build-up, leaving the winger doubtful for selection in next Saturday’s crunch European clash with La Rochelle.
And there was still time for Sexton to add insult to injury with a breakaway try in the 82nd minute as Ulster threw caution to the wind in search of a second consolation score.
Full-Time Score Leinster 38 Ulster 7
Leinster (15 – 9) Jordan Larmour; Fergus McFadden, Garry Ringrose, Robbie Henshaw, Barry Daly; Ross Byrne, Jamison Gibson-Park
(1 – 8) Jack McGrath (c), James Tracy, Tadhg Furlong, Devin Toner, Scott Fardy, Josh Murphy, Jordi Murphy, Jack Conan
Replacements (16 – 23) Sean Cronin, Ed Byrne, Andrew Porter, Mick Kearney, Max Deegan, Nick McCarthy, Johnny Sexton, Noel Reid
Ulster (15 – 9) Charles Piutau; Andrew Trimble, Darren Cave, Stuart McCloskey, Jacob Stockdale; Christian Lealiifano, Jonny Stewart
(1 – 8) Callum Black, Rory Best (c), Rodney Ah You, Peter Browne, Iain Henderson, Matthew Rea, Sean Reidy, Jean Deysel
Replacements (16 – 23) Rob Herring, Kyle McCall, Wiehahn Herbst, Alan O’Connor, Nick Timoney, John Cooney, Johnny McPhillips, Tommy Bowe
Two tries apiece from Jordan Larmour and Fergus McFadden, topped up by scores from Barry Daly and Johnny Sexton, made it a miserable foray south for the Ulstermen, who now trail tonight’s opponents by 11 points and – concerningly – only lead fourth-placed Edinburgh by a mere three.
High counts of turnovers lost and tackles missed proved Ulster’s downfall, and with the business end of the European Champions Cup group stage looming over the coming two weekends, much better will be required to see off La Rochelle and Wasps.
Rory Best, Iain Henderson and Stockdale all returned to the Ulster first XV tonight as Les Kiss made nine changes from the side that started in Monday’s exhilarating comeback victory over Munster, including a first start for Abbey Insurance Academy scrum-half Johnny Stewart.
Best captained the side from hooker in a pack composed of props Callum Black and Wiehahn Herbst, locks Henderson and Pete Browne – making his first appearance since September – and a back row of Matthew Rea, Sean Reidy and Jean Deysel.
In the backline Charles Piutau was retained at full-back, with Andrew Trimble and Stockdale taking over from Craig Gilroy and Rob Lyttle – both scorers against the Munstermen – on the wings. Darren Cave and Stuart McCloskey, who had teamed so effectively in the New Year’s Day fixture, continued in the centre, with Christian Lealiifano starting alongside Stewart at out-half for what will be his final Guinness Pro14 appearance before returning to home club the Brumbies at the end of January.
Defensive frailties cost Ulster dearly in a first half which was otherwise fairly evenly-matched. Leinster had McFadden to thank for their first score on five minutes, the winger making light work of the Ulster rearguard and picking out full-back Larmour for his second try in as many games.
An untimely slip from McFadden with Piutau isolated and the try-line at his mercy spared Ulster’s blushes 10 minutes later, but it proved a mere reprieve as Leinster recycled from right to left, and wing Daly applied the finishing touch after a missed tackle from Piutau.
Ulster enjoyed a good 10 minutes of possession and pressure in response, but two turnovers in quick succession did nothing to help their cause.
However, as the momentum swung back in favour of the hosts, much-improved defence from the visitors kept the scoreboard static until the interval, with Henderson putting in a crucial try-saving tackle on Larmour in stoppage time as the Leinstermen capitalised on a misplaced Piutau pass.
Half-Time Score Leinster 12 Ulster 0
Larmour looked to have repeated his first-half feat of scoring early minutes into the second period from Jamison Gibson-Park’s clever offload, only for the score to be struck off for a forward pass from Ross Byrne in the build-up.
Again, however, Ulster failed to sufficiently clear the danger, and McFadden was soon touching down in the opposite corner after wrong-footing last man Stockdale all too easily.
Another Ulster error – a lost ball from Cave in contact – paved the way for the bonus point try moments later, with a fantastic burst of pace from replacement prop Andrew Conway and another pinpoint pass from Gibson-Park setting McFadden free on half-way for an unopposed run-in.
Without a single point as the final quarter began, Ulster continued to offer little going forward, and when Larmour latched onto replacement out-half Sexton’s firm pass for try number five, it was no more than Leinster’s performance had deserved.
Stockdale’s consolation try six minutes from time was well-executed, but came at a price as replacement Tommy Bowe picked up a shoulder injury in the build-up, leaving the winger doubtful for selection in next Saturday’s crunch European clash with La Rochelle.
And there was still time for Sexton to add insult to injury with a breakaway try in the 82nd minute as Ulster threw caution to the wind in search of a second consolation score.
Full-Time Score Leinster 38 Ulster 7
Leinster (15 – 9) Jordan Larmour; Fergus McFadden, Garry Ringrose, Robbie Henshaw, Barry Daly; Ross Byrne, Jamison Gibson-Park
(1 – 8) Jack McGrath (c), James Tracy, Tadhg Furlong, Devin Toner, Scott Fardy, Josh Murphy, Jordi Murphy, Jack Conan
Replacements (16 – 23) Sean Cronin, Ed Byrne, Andrew Porter, Mick Kearney, Max Deegan, Nick McCarthy, Johnny Sexton, Noel Reid
Ulster (15 – 9) Charles Piutau; Andrew Trimble, Darren Cave, Stuart McCloskey, Jacob Stockdale; Christian Lealiifano, Jonny Stewart
(1 – 8) Callum Black, Rory Best (c), Rodney Ah You, Peter Browne, Iain Henderson, Matthew Rea, Sean Reidy, Jean Deysel
Replacements (16 – 23) Rob Herring, Kyle McCall, Wiehahn Herbst, Alan O’Connor, Nick Timoney, John Cooney, Johnny McPhillips, Tommy Bowe