Ulster headed to Cardiff, a week after an impressive win in Durban against the Cell C Sharks, looking to keep their play-off destiny in their own hands. Head Coach Dan McFarland made ten changes to that team, including the return of Rob Herring, Kieran Treadwell and Jacob Stockdale from the Ireland Six Nations squad.
It didn’t take long for the Ulstermen to get up and running. After holding onto the ball for a number of phases, the returning James Hume timed his pass well to his centre partner Stewart Moore. Moore held onto the ball and ran free through a gap in defence for the opening try after only two minutes. Nathan Doak made no mistake adding the extras.
Cardiff took only five minutes to respond. Ulster seemed to be in control in defence, but a strong carry by Rey Lee-Lo, bumping off two Ulster defenders, allowed the centre to pop an offload to Owen Lane who finished down the wing. Jarrod Evans failed to convert, but with sixteen minutes played, and Ulster penalised at the line out, he made amends with a penalty kick, giving the home team a one point lead.
The lead lasted no time at all, as the travelling Ulster support were treated to a world-class Jacob Stockdale try. Stewart Moore was able to release the winger with an offload between two defenders, before Stockdale chipped the last defender, regathered and grounded the ball in the corner. The class of the try was matched by the conversion, Doak slotting the extras from the touch line.
A third first half try for Ulster came off some dominant attack, moving the Welsh team side to side. Doak, keeping the tempo high, hit Jeff Toomaga-Allen on a short line, and the prop made a strong carry. With the defence retreating, Doak darted off himself from the base of the ruck, running in unopposed for this own converted try.
After a period of play which saw Dave McCann and Rory Sutherland make some big carries and Billy Burns make inroads in attack, Cardiff were penalised under pressure. Ulster opted to kick into the corner and turn to the maul. However, Cardiff held strong and forced an Ulster mistake. With the clock in the red, Ulster found themselves with another penalty and another line out, but unfortunately it produced the same result.
HALF TIME Cardiff 8 - 21 Ulster
In the opening exchanges of the second half, Ulster were looking to reassert their dominance and claim a bonus point. The first opportunity came as Billy Burns showed good pace to glide through a gap and bring play deep into the Cardiff half, but this chance was given up at the breakdown. Shortly after, Marcus Rea made a muscular carry, but his attempted offload was snuffed out.
Ulster didn’t let off though, and eventually were rewarded, as the ball was released from the forwards for Billy Burns to show good determination to power over the line. Doak was successful with his fourth conversion, and Ulster had the bonus point after 52 minutes of play.
With 60 minutes played, Ulster introduced a number of replacements, including Jude Postlethwaite for his senior Ulster debut. One of those replacements, hooker Tom Stewart made an immediate impact, dotting down off the back of a driving maul for the 5th try of the night. Doak kept his perfect record off the tee with another super conversion from the touchline.
Cardiff were not ready to accept defeat, and almost immediately from the result responded, with Lee-Lo again making an impressive offload to Owen Lane who crossed for this second of the evening.
Postlethwaite was showing plenty of promise, moving the ball and carrying well, and Ulster soon found themselves back in Cardiff territory. However, an intercept deep in the Cardiff 22 allowed the Welsh to run out of pressure. Ulster stopped the initial attack but replacement Aled Summerhill showed impressive pace and footwork to give Cardiff a third try. Jarrod Evans converted and the gap was reduced to 20-35 in favour of the visitors.
The Ulster management will be pleased, as a scrum penalty allowed Burns to pop the ball into the corner and gave the team an opportunity to extend their lead. Harry Sheridan, just off the bench, rose up in the air to take the ball at the front of the line-out and Tom Stewart made no mistake off the tail to cross for his second try of the night. Doak, perfect off the tee, added the extras to bring Ulster’s tally to 6 tries, and 42 points.
Both teams were afforded a couple of opportunities in the closing exchanges but neither were able to cross the whitewash again, leaving the final score as Cardiff 20, Ulster 42. Scrum half Nathan Doak was named the BKT URC Player of the Match. The Scrum Half was 100% off the tee and along with Burns, kept the tempo high off the back of some dominant forwards play.
FULL TIME Cardiff 20 - 42 Ulster
Scorers
Cardiff
Tries: O Lane (2), A Summerhill
Conversions: J Evans
Penalties: J Evans
Ulster
Tries: S Moore, J Stockdale, N Doak, B Burns, T Stewart (2)
Conversions: Doak (6)
Teams
Cardiff
(15-9) Ben Thomas; Owen Lane, Rey Lee-Lo, Max Llewellyn, Jason Harries; Jarrod Evans, Lloyd Williams;
(1-8) Rhys Carré, Kristian Dacey, Dillon Lewis, Lopeti Timani, Seb Davies, Josh Turnbull (capt.), Ellis Jenkins, James Ratti
Replacements: Liam Belcher, Corey Domachowski, Keiron Assiratti, Teddy Williams, Shane Lewis-Hughes, Ellis Bevan, Aled Summerhill, Matthew Morgan
Ulster
(15-9): Mike Lowry, Ben Moxham, James Hume, Stewart Moore, Jacob Stockdale, Billy Burns, Nathan Doak;
(1-8): Rory Sutherland, Rob Herring (Captain), Jeff Toomaga-Allen, Kieran Treadwell, Sam Carter, Dave McCann, Marcus Rea, Nick Timoney.
Replacements: Tom Stewart, Callum Reid, Gareth Milasinovich, Alan O’Connor, Harry Sheridan, John Cooney, Jude Postlethwaite, Ethan McIlroy.