The University of Ulster RFC at Coleraine were the hosts for Ulster's third and final game of the 2018 Interprovincial Series, a title decider against Leinster.
It was a warm, bright day with a slight breeze and despite the heavy rain during the week, the playing surface was in excellent condition.
Andy McKeen, who captained the team in the opening two rounds was unavailable for this match, so CIYMS centre Calum Irvine lead Ulster in the title decider.
Playing down the slope with the breeze, Ulster kicked off and had a great start. Keeping Leinster penned in their own 22 for much of the opening exchanges, Ulster were awarded a penalty, which Lee Steenson converted to give the home team an early 3-0 lead.
Leinster did not take long to get into the game and following a midfield scrum, right wing Derrick Williams made a clean break through the middle of the Ulster back line. The scrambling defence brought the attack to an end but the referee adjudged there to have been a high tackle and awarded Leinster a penalty. Leinster kicked to ball to the corner and having previously mauled a couple of lineouts, they caught Ulster out with a low throw in to the front of the lineout, as open side flanker Simon Feeney caught the ball and rumbled his way over the line. Fly-half Gearoid McDonald successfully converted from the left hand touch line to make it 3-7 after 11 minutes.
McDonald then further increased Leinster’s lead with another penalty, with Steenson replying for Ulster shortly after, to make the score 6-10 to Leinster after 27 minutes.
A crucial moment of the match came right on half time. As Ulster applied good pressure and made good use of the elements, a Leinster clearance kick took play back to the half way line. Ulster decided to take a quick line out but Leinster were wise to this, making a solid hit in midfield. In the next phase, the ball was chipped over the top as Leinster turned defence into attack. They quickly moved the ball to the right hand touch line, off loading at every opportunity giving Ulster no time to reset their defence. The ball was popped inside and out, with the final pass going to the hands of Derrick Williams who ran the ball in, touching down under the posts, to make the conversion a formality for McDonald and the half time score 6-17 to Leinster.
Ulster had exactly the start they were after in the second half. A loose ball was hacked through into the Leinster 22. Their scrum half, Stephen Horan was covering across like you would expect and gathered the ball. However, he saw a white line of Ulster defenders coming towards him and inexplicably threw the ball behind him, expecting someone to be there to gather his pass. The grateful recipient was the on rushing Ulster openside flanker Jason Gilliland, who gathered the ball from the floor and scored next to the posts. Steenson was again successful to make the score 13-17 after 4 minutes of the second half.
Leinster then dominated possession and field position, virtually camping in the Ulster 22 for the next 25 minutes. The Ulster men, to a man stood up to the challenge, putting their bodies on the line, time after time, making try saving tackles to keep Ulster in the game. A yellow card to Ulster back row Steven Dickey following a Leinster maul that came down proved to be decisive. Leinster again pushed the ball into the corner and after 25 minutes of pressure, finally mauled the ball over the line. McDonald nailed the conversion to make it 13-24 to Leinster with 7 minutes remaining.
Yet again Ulster responded, with a series of quick ruck balls and great handling to make their way up the pitch towards the Leinster line. Replacement scrum half Ryan Garrett spotted half a gap and made a break, scurrying his way towards the line. With an outstretched arm, he managed to place the ball on the whitewash to score and give Ulster hope of a famous comeback, 18-24 after 78 minutes.
Ulster managed to gather the ball from the kick off and with renewed hope, set about going up the pitch again in search of a try to win the series. However, it was not to be, as Leinster were awarded a penalty to give them back possession. With Ulster on the hunt to get the ball back, there was a slight knock on whilst attempting a turnover, scrum to Leinster as the referee called last play. Leinster successfully took the ball at the scrum and nudged it into touch. With that, came the referee’s whistle for no side, as Leinster won the game and the 2018 Interprovincial Series.
It was a warm, bright day with a slight breeze and despite the heavy rain during the week, the playing surface was in excellent condition.
Andy McKeen, who captained the team in the opening two rounds was unavailable for this match, so CIYMS centre Calum Irvine lead Ulster in the title decider.
Playing down the slope with the breeze, Ulster kicked off and had a great start. Keeping Leinster penned in their own 22 for much of the opening exchanges, Ulster were awarded a penalty, which Lee Steenson converted to give the home team an early 3-0 lead.
Leinster did not take long to get into the game and following a midfield scrum, right wing Derrick Williams made a clean break through the middle of the Ulster back line. The scrambling defence brought the attack to an end but the referee adjudged there to have been a high tackle and awarded Leinster a penalty. Leinster kicked to ball to the corner and having previously mauled a couple of lineouts, they caught Ulster out with a low throw in to the front of the lineout, as open side flanker Simon Feeney caught the ball and rumbled his way over the line. Fly-half Gearoid McDonald successfully converted from the left hand touch line to make it 3-7 after 11 minutes.
McDonald then further increased Leinster’s lead with another penalty, with Steenson replying for Ulster shortly after, to make the score 6-10 to Leinster after 27 minutes.
A crucial moment of the match came right on half time. As Ulster applied good pressure and made good use of the elements, a Leinster clearance kick took play back to the half way line. Ulster decided to take a quick line out but Leinster were wise to this, making a solid hit in midfield. In the next phase, the ball was chipped over the top as Leinster turned defence into attack. They quickly moved the ball to the right hand touch line, off loading at every opportunity giving Ulster no time to reset their defence. The ball was popped inside and out, with the final pass going to the hands of Derrick Williams who ran the ball in, touching down under the posts, to make the conversion a formality for McDonald and the half time score 6-17 to Leinster.
Ulster had exactly the start they were after in the second half. A loose ball was hacked through into the Leinster 22. Their scrum half, Stephen Horan was covering across like you would expect and gathered the ball. However, he saw a white line of Ulster defenders coming towards him and inexplicably threw the ball behind him, expecting someone to be there to gather his pass. The grateful recipient was the on rushing Ulster openside flanker Jason Gilliland, who gathered the ball from the floor and scored next to the posts. Steenson was again successful to make the score 13-17 after 4 minutes of the second half.
Leinster then dominated possession and field position, virtually camping in the Ulster 22 for the next 25 minutes. The Ulster men, to a man stood up to the challenge, putting their bodies on the line, time after time, making try saving tackles to keep Ulster in the game. A yellow card to Ulster back row Steven Dickey following a Leinster maul that came down proved to be decisive. Leinster again pushed the ball into the corner and after 25 minutes of pressure, finally mauled the ball over the line. McDonald nailed the conversion to make it 13-24 to Leinster with 7 minutes remaining.
Yet again Ulster responded, with a series of quick ruck balls and great handling to make their way up the pitch towards the Leinster line. Replacement scrum half Ryan Garrett spotted half a gap and made a break, scurrying his way towards the line. With an outstretched arm, he managed to place the ball on the whitewash to score and give Ulster hope of a famous comeback, 18-24 after 78 minutes.
Ulster managed to gather the ball from the kick off and with renewed hope, set about going up the pitch again in search of a try to win the series. However, it was not to be, as Leinster were awarded a penalty to give them back possession. With Ulster on the hunt to get the ball back, there was a slight knock on whilst attempting a turnover, scrum to Leinster as the referee called last play. Leinster successfully took the ball at the scrum and nudged it into touch. With that, came the referee’s whistle for no side, as Leinster won the game and the 2018 Interprovincial Series.