Tonight a sodden Kingspan Stadium hosted a fitting tribute for exiting stars Ruan Pienaar and Roger Wilson, as select international outfit the Barbarians came out on top in an entertaining eleven-try extravaganza.
Both the retiring Wilson and the Montpellier-bound PIenaar got their names on the scoresheet – albeit through conversion kicks – as newcomers Mark Keane and Callum Patterson capped fine debut performances with tries, while the more established Stuart McCloskey and Alan O’Connor also crossed the whitewash for the Ulstermen.
The match was also a momentous occasion for another giant of modern rugby, as France captain Thierry Dusautoir hung up his boots after delivering yet another man-of-the-match performance.
Boasting 11 internationals of seven different nationalities in their starting ranks, the Barbarians were nonetheless left flailing in McCloskey’s wake on five minutes as the bulky centre shrugged off three challenges to reach the line for the opening try, Wilson the unlikely hero as he coolly slotted over the conversion with all the panache of a certain Paddy Jackson.
Instonians wing Keane was next on the scoresheet, diving onto McCloskey’s chip forward to ground wide on the left, with Pienaar this time taking on kicking duties – a controversial choice given Wilson’s 100% record to date, but perhaps a judicious one as the Springbok expertly dispatched his kick from a tight angle.
New Zealander Corey Flynn pulled one back for the Baa Baas on the 20-minute mark after some muscular close-range mauling, with centre Waisea Nayacalevu finishing off a slick move to touch down in the corner four minutes later.
A supremely powerful rolling maul took Pau prop Chris King over for the visitors’ third try in the 32nd minute, and just when it began to look like Pienaar and Wilson’s parade may be subjected to some heavy precipitation, a rolling maul of Ulster’s own got Ballymena youngster Patterson his first try in provincial colours.
Pienaar converted before making way for Paul Marshall to rapturous applause from across the Kingspan Stadium – but there was still time left in the period for King to notch up his second try of the encounter, sending his side off one point to the good at the break.
Half-Time Score Ulster 21 Barbarians 22
The second half opened with a well-taken try from O’Connor off Marshall’s offload, Brett Herron this time adding the extras. However the pendulum soon swung back in the Barbarians’ favour with the award of a penalty try on 55 minutes, Ian Madigan nudging his side a single point ahead with the conversion.
Quick hands and feet from Nayacalevu brought the Baa Baas their sixth try of the night on the hour mark, and with Les Kiss’s side now eight points adrift, a fine interchange between Herron and replacement Dave Shanahan only failed to culminate in a try thanks to an unfortunate knock-on a metre from the line from final recipient Marshall.
Saracens full-back Alex Goode thought he had added a late try only for play to eventually be pulled back for a dangerous tackle on Patterson – but Joe Tekori powered over just before the whistle, giving the departing Dusautoir the chance to emulate Wilson’s first-half conversion, which the Stade Toulousain legend duly did.
Full-Time Score Ulster 28 Barbarians 43
Ulster (15 – 9) Peter Nelson; Mark Keane, Callum Patterson, Stuart McCloskey, Craig Gilroy; Brett Herron, Ruan Pienaar (Joint Captain)
(1 – 8) Andy Warwick, Rob Herring, Rodney Ah You, Pete Browne, Alan O'Connor, Matthew Rea, Clive Ross, Roger Wilson (Joint Captain)
Replacements (16 – 24) John Andrew, Kyle McCall, Ross Kane, Stephen Mulholland, Chris Henry, Paul Marshall, Dave Shanahan, Callum Smith, Ricky Lutton
Barbarians (15 – 9) Alex Goode (Saracens & England); David Smith (Castres), Waisea Nayacalevu (Stade Francais & Fiji), Robbie Fruean (Bath Rugby), Horacio Agulla (Castres & Argentina); Ian Madigan (Bordeaux Begles & Ireland), Rory Kockott (Castres & France)
(1-8) Chris King (Pau), Corey Flynn (Star RFC & New Zealand), Mike Ross (Leinster & Ireland), Paul Willemse (Montpellier), Patricio Albacete (Toulouse & Argentina), Joe Tekori (Toulouse & Samoa), Thierry Dusautoir (Toulouse & France, captain), Facundo Isa (Lyon & Argentina)
Replacements (16-23) Richard Hibbard (Gloucester & Wales), Vincent Pelo (La Rochelle & France), Census Johnston (Toulouse & Samoa), Jeremy Thrush (Gloucester & New Zealand), Chris Masoe (Racing Metro & New Zealand), Kahn Fotuali'i (Bath Rugby & Samoa), Brock James (La Rochelle), Jean-Marcellin Buttin (Bordeaux-Begles & France)
Both the retiring Wilson and the Montpellier-bound PIenaar got their names on the scoresheet – albeit through conversion kicks – as newcomers Mark Keane and Callum Patterson capped fine debut performances with tries, while the more established Stuart McCloskey and Alan O’Connor also crossed the whitewash for the Ulstermen.
The match was also a momentous occasion for another giant of modern rugby, as France captain Thierry Dusautoir hung up his boots after delivering yet another man-of-the-match performance.
Boasting 11 internationals of seven different nationalities in their starting ranks, the Barbarians were nonetheless left flailing in McCloskey’s wake on five minutes as the bulky centre shrugged off three challenges to reach the line for the opening try, Wilson the unlikely hero as he coolly slotted over the conversion with all the panache of a certain Paddy Jackson.
Instonians wing Keane was next on the scoresheet, diving onto McCloskey’s chip forward to ground wide on the left, with Pienaar this time taking on kicking duties – a controversial choice given Wilson’s 100% record to date, but perhaps a judicious one as the Springbok expertly dispatched his kick from a tight angle.
New Zealander Corey Flynn pulled one back for the Baa Baas on the 20-minute mark after some muscular close-range mauling, with centre Waisea Nayacalevu finishing off a slick move to touch down in the corner four minutes later.
A supremely powerful rolling maul took Pau prop Chris King over for the visitors’ third try in the 32nd minute, and just when it began to look like Pienaar and Wilson’s parade may be subjected to some heavy precipitation, a rolling maul of Ulster’s own got Ballymena youngster Patterson his first try in provincial colours.
Pienaar converted before making way for Paul Marshall to rapturous applause from across the Kingspan Stadium – but there was still time left in the period for King to notch up his second try of the encounter, sending his side off one point to the good at the break.
Half-Time Score Ulster 21 Barbarians 22
The second half opened with a well-taken try from O’Connor off Marshall’s offload, Brett Herron this time adding the extras. However the pendulum soon swung back in the Barbarians’ favour with the award of a penalty try on 55 minutes, Ian Madigan nudging his side a single point ahead with the conversion.
Quick hands and feet from Nayacalevu brought the Baa Baas their sixth try of the night on the hour mark, and with Les Kiss’s side now eight points adrift, a fine interchange between Herron and replacement Dave Shanahan only failed to culminate in a try thanks to an unfortunate knock-on a metre from the line from final recipient Marshall.
Saracens full-back Alex Goode thought he had added a late try only for play to eventually be pulled back for a dangerous tackle on Patterson – but Joe Tekori powered over just before the whistle, giving the departing Dusautoir the chance to emulate Wilson’s first-half conversion, which the Stade Toulousain legend duly did.
Full-Time Score Ulster 28 Barbarians 43
Ulster (15 – 9) Peter Nelson; Mark Keane, Callum Patterson, Stuart McCloskey, Craig Gilroy; Brett Herron, Ruan Pienaar (Joint Captain)
(1 – 8) Andy Warwick, Rob Herring, Rodney Ah You, Pete Browne, Alan O'Connor, Matthew Rea, Clive Ross, Roger Wilson (Joint Captain)
Replacements (16 – 24) John Andrew, Kyle McCall, Ross Kane, Stephen Mulholland, Chris Henry, Paul Marshall, Dave Shanahan, Callum Smith, Ricky Lutton
Barbarians (15 – 9) Alex Goode (Saracens & England); David Smith (Castres), Waisea Nayacalevu (Stade Francais & Fiji), Robbie Fruean (Bath Rugby), Horacio Agulla (Castres & Argentina); Ian Madigan (Bordeaux Begles & Ireland), Rory Kockott (Castres & France)
(1-8) Chris King (Pau), Corey Flynn (Star RFC & New Zealand), Mike Ross (Leinster & Ireland), Paul Willemse (Montpellier), Patricio Albacete (Toulouse & Argentina), Joe Tekori (Toulouse & Samoa), Thierry Dusautoir (Toulouse & France, captain), Facundo Isa (Lyon & Argentina)
Replacements (16-23) Richard Hibbard (Gloucester & Wales), Vincent Pelo (La Rochelle & France), Census Johnston (Toulouse & Samoa), Jeremy Thrush (Gloucester & New Zealand), Chris Masoe (Racing Metro & New Zealand), Kahn Fotuali'i (Bath Rugby & Samoa), Brock James (La Rochelle), Jean-Marcellin Buttin (Bordeaux-Begles & France)