Ulster keeps the pressure on Stormers
MATCH REPORT: Ulster kept the pressure on the Stormers in the race for second place on the United Rugby Championship standings.
The Irish province beat the Bulls 32-23 in a bruising and at times fractious match at Ravenhill Stadium, in Belfast, in a Round 16 encounter on Saturday.
It sees Ulster move to within two points of the Stormers on the URC standings, with just two rounds of league action remaining.
Two yellow cards, the second five minutes from time, proved to be the undoing of a Bulls team that never got the rub of the green from the match officials.
* To recap all the drama, CLICK HERE!
A hat-trick of tries from hooker Tom Stewart helped Ulster defeat a willing Bulls outfit and make it three URC wins in a row.
The Irish province fought back from 12-20 down to secure their latest victory and continue to pressurise second-placed Stormers ahead of the play-offs.
Ulster wing Robert Baloucoune also crossed for a score as the Ravenhill team claimed another bonus-point win, with Nathan Doak kicking three conversions and a penalty and John Cooney slotting a solitary penalty.
Baloucoune scored two minutes into his comeback from injury after Ulster threw the ball out to his wing. Doak missed the difficult conversion.
Six minutes later Chris Smith was wide with a penalty after Doak had been bottled up at a breakdown, but the Bulls’ flyhalf made no mistake six minutes later from the tee.
With 18 minutes on the clock a kick through from Ulster was picked up by Kurt-Lee Arendse who combined with Canan Moodie, the wing picking up his own chip and sending Arendse away to score. Smith converted to put the Bulls 10-5 ahead.
Ulster responded in the 25th minute. Tom Stewart drove through off a maul for the hosts' second try and Doak’s touchline conversion put them back in the lead.
But seven minutes later Izak Burger scored a try following a surging Bulls attack which Smith converted to put the South Africans 17-12 and on the stroke of half-time Smith kicked his second penalty to extend the lead further.
From the restart, Ulster were on the front-foot.
Elrigh Louw was yellow carded for the visitors and then Ulster drove Stewart over for his second try, with Doak’s conversion cutting the lead to one point.
The Irish province then took the lead after 54 minutes when Stewart wriggled through from close range for his third of the match, which Doak converted as Ulster took a 26-20 lead.
Smith’s third penalty in the 62nd-minute cut Ulster’s lead to three points but Doak’s 71st-minute penalty made it 29-23 to the home team.
The Bulls then had what appeared to be a vital penalty reversed after Billy Burns was clattered in the back by replacement Bismarck du Plessis and shortly afterwards sub Cooney kicked a last-minute penalty to round off victory.
Player of the Match
Tom Stewart’s hat-trick of tries delivered another standout performance from the Ulster hooker. The player, who was in Ireland's camp last week, has seven tries in his last three URC games and 14 overall in all competitions. The 22-year-old had a strong all-round game as Ulster kept their winning run going.
Play of the match
The Bulls’ first try was a thing of beauty and came about when Michael Lowry’s kick through was picked up by Kurt-Lee Arendse who threw a pass to Canan Moodie. The winger chipped over the top, collected the ball and threw the scoring pass to the supporting Arendse.
The scorers
For Ulster
Tries: Baloucoune, Stewart 3
Cons: Doak 3
Pens: Doak, Cooney
For the Bulls
Tries: Arendse, Burger
Cons: C Smith 2
Pens: C Smith 3
Yellow cards: Elrigh Louw (Bulls, 42 - repeated infringement, illegally collapsing maul), Bismarck du Plessis (Bulls, 75 - foul play, dangerous clean out)
Teams
Ulster: 15 Mike Lowry, 14 Rob Baloucoune, 13 James Hume, 12 Stewart Moore, 11 Jacob Stockdale, 10 Billy Burns, 9 Nathan Doak, 8 Duane Vermeulen (captain), 7 Nick Timoney, 6 David McCann, 5 Sam Carter, 4 Kieran Treadwell, 3 Jeff Toomaga-Allen, 2 Tom Stewart, 1 Andy Warwick.
Replacements: 16 John Andrew, 17 Eric O’Sullivan, 18 Gareth Milasinovich, 19 Alan O’Connor, 20 Harry Sheridan, 21 Marcus Rea, 22 John Cooney, 23 Jude Postlethwaite.
Bulls: 15 Kurt-Lee Arendse, 14 Canan Moodie, 13 Cornal Hendricks, 12 Harold Vorster, 11 David Kriel, 10 Chris Smith, 9 Izak Burger, 8 Elrigh Louw, 7 Cyle Brink, 6 Marco van Staden, 5 Ruan Nortje (captain), 4 Ruan Vermaak, 3 Mornay Smith, 2 Johan Grobbelaar, 1 Gerhard Steenekamp.
Replacements: 16 Bismarck du Plessis, 17 Simphiwe Matanzima, 18 Francois Klopper, 19 Janko Swanepoel, 20 WJ Steenkamp, 21 Embrose Papier, 22 Morné Steyn, 23 Stedman Gans.
Referee: Craig Evans (Wales)
Assistant referees: Andrew Cole (Ireland); Kieran Barry (Ireland)
TMO: Jon Mason (Wales)