European Champions Cup pool rivals Wasps outscored Ulster by four tries to two in tonight's curtain-raiser for the 2017/18 season at Kingspan Stadium, as Les Kiss gave both established first-teamers and Academy prospects a run-out in advance of the first round of the new-look Guinness Pro14.
The highlights for Ulster were well-taken scores from Pete Browne and Callum Patterson – who delivered a particularly polished performance at centre, looking in no way out of place in a back-line with over 500 caps between them.
Wasps, while by no means at full strength either, looked powerful and dangerous from one to 15, and showed enough to confirm that the Coventry-based side, runners-up in last term’s English Premiership, will prove formidable opponents in a tough European group.
Early signs of ring-rustiness from both sides set the tone for the first 10 minutes, with the visitors settling first to put together a flowing move down the Ulster left which culminated in a try for scrum-half Craig Hampson.
Ulster toiled hard but gained little in response, enjoying virtually exclusive possession of the ball in the remainder of the first quarter but struggling to make any real impact, with even a deep rolling maul – one of their most prolific weapons last term – coming to naught.
A Brett Herron penalty on 21 minutes narrowed the gap, and when Wasps cheaply surrendered a lineout on their ‘22’ the Ulster drive looked promising until Stuart McCloskey knocked on. Infringements at the scrum, however, gifted Ulster the put-in then the penalty, and a quick touch-and-go soon had Browne bundling over for the try.
A knock for McCloskey brought Tommy Bowe into action at centre five minutes short of the pause, but Wasps went on to fare considerably better at the rolling maul seconds from the whistle, with Simon McIntyre applying the finishing touch after strong driving from his front row partners Ashley Johnson and Jake Cooper-Woolley.
Half-Time Score Ulster 8 Wasps 14
Heavy rotation at the break brought several new faces onto the park including Rob Herring, Rodney Ah You and Peter Nelson, but it was two starters who engineered Ulster’s fine second try – Nick Timoney supplying the killer pass and Patterson the pace to outstrip all chasers to the line.
Wasps struck back promptly through winger Josh Bassett with a score that proved unpopular with the Kingspan faithful, both for the apparent crossing at its outset that went unpunished, and for the ease with which the visitors ploughed through the Ulster defence as the move gathered momentum.
Danny Cipriani added a fourth with finesse just before the hour mark, and despite the introduction of the 120-kg bulk of new Springbok recruit Jean Deysel, the Ulstermen had to wait a further 10 minutes before carving out their next scoring chance, foiled when Nelson just ran out of space on the left flank.
It was to prove the hosts’ last opportunity of note, sending the Kingspan crowds home disappointed but with their appetite whetted for the advent of the season proper in two weeks’ time, when South African outfit the Cheetahs visit Belfast to make their Guinness Pro14 bow on Friday 1 September.
A final friendly remains against Northampton Saints on 25 August at Franklin's Gardens before the season begins in earnest.
Full-Time Score Ulster 15 Wasps 26
Ulster (15 – 9) Louis Ludik; Andrew Trimble, Callum Patterson, Stuart McCloskey, Craig Gilroy; Brett Herron, Paul Marshall
(1 – 8) Callum Black, John Andrew, Wiehahn Herbst, Pete Browne, Alan O’Connor, Matt Rea, Chris Henry (c), Nick Timoney
Replacements: Rob Herring, Adam McBurney, Andy Warwick, Kyle McCall, Rodney Ah You, Jonny Simpson, Robbie Diack, Jean Deysel, Caleb Montgomery, Clive Ross, Aaron Cairns, David Shanahan, Peter Nelson, Tommy Bowe, Charles Piutau, Jack Owens
Wasps (15 – 9) Rob Miller; Marcus Watson, Brendan Macken, Gaby Lovobalavu, Josh Bassett; Danny Cipriani, Craig Hampson
(1 – 8) Simon McIntyre, Ashley Johnson, Jake Cooper-Woolley, Will Rowlands, Kearnan Myall, Jack Willis, Guy Thompson, Alex Rieder
Replacements: Tom Cruse, Ben Harris, Paul Doran-Jones, Matt Symons, Marcus Garratt, Antonio TJ Harris, Dan Robson, Juan De Jongh, Guy Armitage, Christian Wade, Owain James
The highlights for Ulster were well-taken scores from Pete Browne and Callum Patterson – who delivered a particularly polished performance at centre, looking in no way out of place in a back-line with over 500 caps between them.
Wasps, while by no means at full strength either, looked powerful and dangerous from one to 15, and showed enough to confirm that the Coventry-based side, runners-up in last term’s English Premiership, will prove formidable opponents in a tough European group.
Early signs of ring-rustiness from both sides set the tone for the first 10 minutes, with the visitors settling first to put together a flowing move down the Ulster left which culminated in a try for scrum-half Craig Hampson.
Ulster toiled hard but gained little in response, enjoying virtually exclusive possession of the ball in the remainder of the first quarter but struggling to make any real impact, with even a deep rolling maul – one of their most prolific weapons last term – coming to naught.
A Brett Herron penalty on 21 minutes narrowed the gap, and when Wasps cheaply surrendered a lineout on their ‘22’ the Ulster drive looked promising until Stuart McCloskey knocked on. Infringements at the scrum, however, gifted Ulster the put-in then the penalty, and a quick touch-and-go soon had Browne bundling over for the try.
A knock for McCloskey brought Tommy Bowe into action at centre five minutes short of the pause, but Wasps went on to fare considerably better at the rolling maul seconds from the whistle, with Simon McIntyre applying the finishing touch after strong driving from his front row partners Ashley Johnson and Jake Cooper-Woolley.
Half-Time Score Ulster 8 Wasps 14
Heavy rotation at the break brought several new faces onto the park including Rob Herring, Rodney Ah You and Peter Nelson, but it was two starters who engineered Ulster’s fine second try – Nick Timoney supplying the killer pass and Patterson the pace to outstrip all chasers to the line.
Wasps struck back promptly through winger Josh Bassett with a score that proved unpopular with the Kingspan faithful, both for the apparent crossing at its outset that went unpunished, and for the ease with which the visitors ploughed through the Ulster defence as the move gathered momentum.
Danny Cipriani added a fourth with finesse just before the hour mark, and despite the introduction of the 120-kg bulk of new Springbok recruit Jean Deysel, the Ulstermen had to wait a further 10 minutes before carving out their next scoring chance, foiled when Nelson just ran out of space on the left flank.
It was to prove the hosts’ last opportunity of note, sending the Kingspan crowds home disappointed but with their appetite whetted for the advent of the season proper in two weeks’ time, when South African outfit the Cheetahs visit Belfast to make their Guinness Pro14 bow on Friday 1 September.
A final friendly remains against Northampton Saints on 25 August at Franklin's Gardens before the season begins in earnest.
Full-Time Score Ulster 15 Wasps 26
Ulster (15 – 9) Louis Ludik; Andrew Trimble, Callum Patterson, Stuart McCloskey, Craig Gilroy; Brett Herron, Paul Marshall
(1 – 8) Callum Black, John Andrew, Wiehahn Herbst, Pete Browne, Alan O’Connor, Matt Rea, Chris Henry (c), Nick Timoney
Replacements: Rob Herring, Adam McBurney, Andy Warwick, Kyle McCall, Rodney Ah You, Jonny Simpson, Robbie Diack, Jean Deysel, Caleb Montgomery, Clive Ross, Aaron Cairns, David Shanahan, Peter Nelson, Tommy Bowe, Charles Piutau, Jack Owens
Wasps (15 – 9) Rob Miller; Marcus Watson, Brendan Macken, Gaby Lovobalavu, Josh Bassett; Danny Cipriani, Craig Hampson
(1 – 8) Simon McIntyre, Ashley Johnson, Jake Cooper-Woolley, Will Rowlands, Kearnan Myall, Jack Willis, Guy Thompson, Alex Rieder
Replacements: Tom Cruse, Ben Harris, Paul Doran-Jones, Matt Symons, Marcus Garratt, Antonio TJ Harris, Dan Robson, Juan De Jongh, Guy Armitage, Christian Wade, Owain James