Ulster guaranteed their placed in next season's European Champions Cup with an empathic victory over the Ospreys in the playoff at Kingspan Stadium.
The hosts had to overcome adversity before the game started with the late withdrawals of prop Ross Kane and fullback Charles Piutau, then lost Louis Ludik and Callum Black early in the first half but managed to produce one of their best displays of the season to outscore Allen Clarke’s side by 4 tries to 3.
The visitors had the first chance to open the scoring on four minutes as Ulster were punished for not rolling away at the ruck but Dan Biggar’s penalty came back of the post.
The Ospreys dominated the opening 15 minutes and were rewarded with the game’s first try, they kicked a penalty touch, Alun Wyn Jones secured the lineout and the pack drove for the line. Ulster’s defence was able to stop the first wave but the British & Lions lock was able to power over from close range, with Biggar landing the conversion.
Scrumhalf John Cooney opened Ulster’s account with a 26th minute penalty from 35 metres as the Ospreys failed to roll away in the tackle.
Biggar missed the chance to restore the Welsh region’s seven point cushion as he saw another penalty strike the post.
Craig Gilroy, a late replacement in the starting line up for Piutau, gave Ulster the lead on 35 minutes when he finished off a well crafted try.
Following a sustained period of pressure, centre Luke Marshall put a perfectly weighted kick in behind the defence for the Irish winger to race on to and touch down in the corner. Cooney narrowly missed the conversion from a wide angle but Jono Gibbes’ side went into the interval with a 8-7 lead.
Gilroy got his second try just two minutes after the restart. Ospreys turned the ball over in midfield and outhalf Johnny McPhilips’ probing kick was collected by his winger after he won foot race against Biggar. Cooney slotted over the touchline conversion.
Cooney was denied a try on 51 minutes after a sniping over from the base of the scrum but he accidentally ran into the referee in the process of scoring.
However, Ulster did get a try from the resulting five metre scrum as the ball was worked through a few phases before Treadwell smashed his way over from close range. Cooney converted for a 22-7 lead.
The Ospreys got back in the game just after the hour mark with their second try; James Hook threw a long skip pass to Jeff Hassler and the winger powered over the whitewash, but Biggar failed to convert.
Cooney knocked over a penalty from in front of the posts three minutes later to increase Ulster’s lead to 13 points. The pivot was on target with a long range penalty on 70 minutes.
Jacob Stockdale put the result beyond doubt with Ulster’s fourth try on 72 minutes. The Ireland winger intercepted Hook’s pass on the Ospreys 10 metre line and sprinted under the posts unopposed, with Cooney landing the simple conversion.
Biggar grabbed a late consolation try for the visitors and then hit the post for a third time with the conversion.
ULSTER
(15-9): L Ludik; C Gilroy, L Marshall, S McCloskey, J Stockdale; J McPhillips, J Cooney;
(1-8): C Black, R Herring, T O’Toole, A O'Connor, K Treadwell, R Diack, S Reidy, N Timoney;
Replacements: J Andrew for Timoney 76 mins, A Warwick for Black 23 mins, R Ah You, J Regan, C Henry for Diack 62 mins, D Shanahan for Cooney 76 mins, D Cave for Marshall 56 mins, D Busby for Ludik 19 mins .
OSPREYS
(15-9): S Davies; J Hassler, A Beck, O Watkin, H Dirksen; D Biggar, T Habberfield;
(1-8): N Smith, S Otten, D Arhip, B Davies, A Wyn Jones, D Lydiate, J Tipuric, J King;
Replacements: I Phillips for Otten 71 mins, R Jones for Smith 49 mins, M Fia for Arhip 49 mins, A Beard for Davies 72 mins, S Cross for Lydiate 49 mins, M Aubrey for Allen 53 mins, C Allen for Dirksen for 47 mins, J Hook for Watkin 53 mins
Ref M Mitrea (FIR)
The hosts had to overcome adversity before the game started with the late withdrawals of prop Ross Kane and fullback Charles Piutau, then lost Louis Ludik and Callum Black early in the first half but managed to produce one of their best displays of the season to outscore Allen Clarke’s side by 4 tries to 3.
The visitors had the first chance to open the scoring on four minutes as Ulster were punished for not rolling away at the ruck but Dan Biggar’s penalty came back of the post.
The Ospreys dominated the opening 15 minutes and were rewarded with the game’s first try, they kicked a penalty touch, Alun Wyn Jones secured the lineout and the pack drove for the line. Ulster’s defence was able to stop the first wave but the British & Lions lock was able to power over from close range, with Biggar landing the conversion.
Scrumhalf John Cooney opened Ulster’s account with a 26th minute penalty from 35 metres as the Ospreys failed to roll away in the tackle.
Biggar missed the chance to restore the Welsh region’s seven point cushion as he saw another penalty strike the post.
Craig Gilroy, a late replacement in the starting line up for Piutau, gave Ulster the lead on 35 minutes when he finished off a well crafted try.
Following a sustained period of pressure, centre Luke Marshall put a perfectly weighted kick in behind the defence for the Irish winger to race on to and touch down in the corner. Cooney narrowly missed the conversion from a wide angle but Jono Gibbes’ side went into the interval with a 8-7 lead.
Gilroy got his second try just two minutes after the restart. Ospreys turned the ball over in midfield and outhalf Johnny McPhilips’ probing kick was collected by his winger after he won foot race against Biggar. Cooney slotted over the touchline conversion.
Cooney was denied a try on 51 minutes after a sniping over from the base of the scrum but he accidentally ran into the referee in the process of scoring.
However, Ulster did get a try from the resulting five metre scrum as the ball was worked through a few phases before Treadwell smashed his way over from close range. Cooney converted for a 22-7 lead.
The Ospreys got back in the game just after the hour mark with their second try; James Hook threw a long skip pass to Jeff Hassler and the winger powered over the whitewash, but Biggar failed to convert.
Cooney knocked over a penalty from in front of the posts three minutes later to increase Ulster’s lead to 13 points. The pivot was on target with a long range penalty on 70 minutes.
Jacob Stockdale put the result beyond doubt with Ulster’s fourth try on 72 minutes. The Ireland winger intercepted Hook’s pass on the Ospreys 10 metre line and sprinted under the posts unopposed, with Cooney landing the simple conversion.
Biggar grabbed a late consolation try for the visitors and then hit the post for a third time with the conversion.
ULSTER
(15-9): L Ludik; C Gilroy, L Marshall, S McCloskey, J Stockdale; J McPhillips, J Cooney;
(1-8): C Black, R Herring, T O’Toole, A O'Connor, K Treadwell, R Diack, S Reidy, N Timoney;
Replacements: J Andrew for Timoney 76 mins, A Warwick for Black 23 mins, R Ah You, J Regan, C Henry for Diack 62 mins, D Shanahan for Cooney 76 mins, D Cave for Marshall 56 mins, D Busby for Ludik 19 mins .
OSPREYS
(15-9): S Davies; J Hassler, A Beck, O Watkin, H Dirksen; D Biggar, T Habberfield;
(1-8): N Smith, S Otten, D Arhip, B Davies, A Wyn Jones, D Lydiate, J Tipuric, J King;
Replacements: I Phillips for Otten 71 mins, R Jones for Smith 49 mins, M Fia for Arhip 49 mins, A Beard for Davies 72 mins, S Cross for Lydiate 49 mins, M Aubrey for Allen 53 mins, C Allen for Dirksen for 47 mins, J Hook for Watkin 53 mins
Ref M Mitrea (FIR)