Ulster kept their quest for a top four RaboDirect Pro12 slot in good health this afternoon at the expense of 11th-placed Zebre, in a tight contest edged by Darren Cave’s first-half try and solid kicking from Paddy Jackson.
Today’s game in Parma, the first of four back-to-back clashes with Italian opposition in both domestic and European competitions, saw a disciplined display from Mark Anscombe’s side, bereft of half-a-dozen first-choice names through injury and player resting. Despite the absence of Messrs Best, Muller, Bowe et al, Ulster managed the tie expertly, and were good value for their sixth victory of the term.
Zebre belied their humble Pro12 league standing by pinning Ulster back for a good ten minutes at the top of the encounter, displaying a blend of strength and stealth which the visitors had to be at their alert best to resist. Gonzalo Garcia reaped the benefits of his side’s early superiority with a well-struck penalty from the Ulster 10-metre line, cancelled out by a central Jackson effort in the 12th minute.
The Italians continued to press, however, spreading play through their ranks and forcing a second Ulster infringement, this time well inside the ‘22’, which Garcia once again translated into three points. But a collapsed scrum, courtesy of Zebre’s resident Irishman David Ryan, put Ulster into the driving seat, and a promising attack spearheaded by Cave after a neat lay-off from John Afoa only failed to secure five points when Mike McComish’s final pass on the wing was intercepted.
Jackson picked up a further three, however, with Zebre again penalised in front of the posts, and a superb Andrew Trimble take from his lofty garryowen on 26 minutes set the wheels in motion for the Ulster try. Jackson himself had a further part to play, a sublime sleight of hand from the outside-half liberating Craig Gilroy inside the ‘22’, before the winger picked out Cave metres from the line, and the centre, so impressive last week against Edinburgh, crossed behind the posts.
The Jackson conversion gave Ulster a seven-point lead, maintained until the half-time whistle as the teams battled for territory in the middle of the park.
Half-Time Score Zebre 6 Ulster 13
Zebre opened the second period with a shunned three points, Tomasso Iannone opting for the lineout which Ulster subsequently pilfered. Quick feet from Gilroy as Ulster broke away got the visitors deep into Italian territory, and a second lineout steal, this time by Dan Tuohy, led to the concession of another penalty which Jackson dispatched for a 10-point lead.
The Ulster number 10 made it five kicks from five on the 50-minute mark as the visitors kept the scoreboard ticking over, but a strong drive from the Italians saw full-back Guglielmo Palazzani stretch over the whitewash moments later despite a muscular last-ditch tackle from Luke Marshall.
Replacement out-half Luciano Orquera’s conversion kick sailed disappointingly wide, but good exploitation of the full breadth of the pitch by Zebre as the game entered its final quarter kept Ulster under the cosh for a full 10 minutes, until Roger Wilson grabbed onto a loose ball and punted it deep into Zebre territory.
Ulster built on this relocation of the action, earning possession of the ball and forcing the penalty as Zebre strayed offside, although Jackson’s kick clipped the outside of the upright and rebounded into touch. Then Mauro Bergamasco turned back the years with an energetic burst through the heart of the Ulster defence, eluding replacement forwards Callum Black and Niall Annett until the visiting rearguard regrouped and grounded the veteran deep in their ‘22’.
A penalty against Tuohy for a high tackle got Zebre back into the Ulster danger zone with five minutes remaining, but stout defence as the Ulster forwards held up the ball carrier put an end to the Italian pressure with 77 minutes on the clock. Indeed, Ulster closed out the match in the ascendancy, controlling the ball in midfield until replacement scrum-half Michael Heaney kicked into touch.
Ulster mount to third place in the Pro12 standings on the back of today’s win, level on 29 points with Glasgow Warriors and a full six behind high-flying Munster. Attentions now turn to the Heineken Cup, with Benetton Treviso the visitors to Ravenhill in seven days’ time, before a return trip to northern Italy on 14th December.
Tickets for the Treviso game at Ravenhill are still available and can be purchased here.
Full-Time Score Zebre 11 Ulster 19
Zebre (15 – 9) G Palazzani; L Sarto, K Ratuvou, G Garcia, G Vendetti; T Iannone, B Leonard (1 – 8) M Aguero, T d’Apice, D Ryan, Q Geldenhuys, M Bortolami, M Bergamasco, N Cattina, S Vunisa
Replacements (16 – 23) A Manici, S Perugini, L Leibson, E Caffini, F Cristiano, A Chillon, L Orquera, R Quartaroli
Ulster (15 – 9) R Andrew; A Trimble, D Cave, L Marshall, C Gilroy; P Jackson, P Marshall (1 – 8) T Court, R Herring, J Afoa, N McComb, D Tuohy, R Diack (c), M McComish, R Wilson
Replacements (16 – 23) N Annett, C Black, D Fitzpatrick, C Joyce, S Doyle, M Heaney, J McKinney, M Allen