ULSTER 24 LEICESTER TIGERS 10

A blistering second-half performance ensured that Ulster’s 2018/19 Heineken Champions Cup campaign got off to a winning start, as tries from Alan O’Connor, Will Addison and Jacob Stockdale saw off the Leicester Tigers. Ulster showed a marked improvement in the second period after failing to register a single point in the first 40 minutes, and expert kicking from Man of the Match John Cooney topped up the three scores to inflict a fifth Kingspan defeat from five in European competition for Geordan Murphy’s men. Head Coach Dan McFarland welcomed three players back into the first XV on return from injury, with Jordi Murphy starting at flanker, Craig Gilroy on the wing, and the versatile Addison at centre. Academy prospect Michael Lowry made his European bow at full-back, with centre Stuart McCloskey, winger Stockdale, out-half Billy Burns and scrum-half Cooney completing the back seven. In the pack Andrew Warwick and Ross Kane propped either side of captain Rory Best, with a second row of O’Connor and Iain Henderson, and a dynamic back row of Marcell Coetzee, Murphy and Number Eight Nick Timoney. Tigers put the inexperienced Lowry to the test straight from the off with two high balls within the first 60 seconds, and while the youngster failed to hold the first, the second was handled better with a strong clearance to touch under pressure. Ulster soon settled into their rhythm, however, and but for a misplaced pass straight to Leicester hands five metres from the line, could have taken the lead on eight minutes.  Then a knock-on from Lowry as Leicester continued to single the Banbridge man out brought a 10-metre scrum, soon followed by a penalty from the same distance, dispatched by George Ford. The slippery conditions ensured that knock-ons abounded from both sides as the first quarter wore on, but there was nothing untidy about Ulster’s first real attack when it came on 21 minutes, Addison carving a hole in the heart of the Leicester midfield and releasing Lowry, whose dash for the line was only halted by a high tackle from Ford. The out-half’s challenge earned him 10 minutes in the sinbin, and presented Ulster with a five-metre scrum from which Gilroy only just failed to score in the corner, the winger dragged into touch by his tackler a second before touching down. While the Leicester penalties began to pile up, Ulster failed to make a breakthrough of any kind, and Ford returned to the pitch with no points conceded during his absence. Marty Moore soon followed the out-half into the action as a replacement for Kane, before another knock – this one for Burns – brought on Angus Curtis seconds from the interval. Half-Time Score Ulster 0 Leicester 3 Ulster retook the field for the second half with Burns back in the ranks, and more of a spring in their step. Two Leicester penalties in quick succession allowed their hosts to eat up the metres down the left flank, and strong driving from a five-metre lineout got O’Connor over on 43 minutes for the try. Cooney converted, and moments from the restart looked to have been instrumental in a second Ulster score, his kick towards the flag eventually touched down by Henderson after a turnover inches from the line. However replays showed a forward pass in the build-up, and referee Pascal Gauzère ruled out the try. Suitably jolted into action, Leicester set up camp in the Ulster ‘22’ for a good five minutes, until two poor lineouts and a knock-on brought play back to the half-way line with Ulster in possession. Again they inched their way upfield courtesy of set-pieces, and again a try was the end result, Addison wriggling over in the corner despite the attentions of three tacklers. The extras added again by Cooney, Ulster set about trying to kill the game off, David Shanahan joining the cause on 65 minutes in place of Burns, with Cooney moving to out-half. Another malfunction at the visitors’ lineout almost brought Lowry his first try three minutes later, but the full-back was held up behind the line, and when play was called back for an Ulster penalty, Cooney took the three points. It was game, set and match three minutes later, however, when Stockdale slid over in the corner from McCloskey’s bullet pass after quick hands from Ulster had spread play from right to left. Manu Tuilagi rapidly pulled one back with a fine solo effort, but there was still time for a final Ulster push with a bonus point up for grabs, although possession was finally lost at the breakdown of a rolling maul to bring proceedings to an end. Next up for Ulster is a trip to Paris to face Racing 92 in Round Two on Saturday 20 October. Full-Time Score Ulster 24 Leicester 10 Ulster (15 – 9) Michael Lowry; Craig Gilroy, Will Addison, Stuart McCloskey, Jacob Stockdale; Billy Burns, John Cooney (1 – 8) Andrew Warwick, Rory Best (c), Ross Kane, Alan O’Connor, Iain Henderson, Marcell Coetzee, Jordi Murphy, Nick Timoney Replacements (16 – 23) Adam McBurney, Eric O’Sullivan, Marty Moore, Kieran Treadwell, Sean Reidy, David Shanahan, Angus Curtis, Angus Kernohan Leicester (15 – 9) Jonah Holmes; Adam Thompstone, Manu Tuilagi, Kyle Eastmond, Jordan Olowofela; George Ford, Ben Youngs (1 – 8) Greg Bateman, Tom Youngs (c), Dan Cole, Mike Williams, Harry Wells, Guy Thompson, Brendon O’Connor, Sione Kalamafoni Replacements (16 – 23) Tatafu Polota-Nau, David Feao, Joe Heyes, Sam Lewis, Tommy Reffell, Sam Harrison, Matt Toomua, Gareth Owen