Edinburgh prove too much for Ulster’s young guns

Edinburgh 28 Ulster 17

Ulster’s impressive record at Murrayfield was dented on Friday night by an Edinburgh side that was determined to atone for a miserable showing against Zebra last weekend.

The imminent Autumn internationals affected both sides but in the event Edinburgh’s younger bridgade were able to step up to a higher level and able too to carry out the instructions of their coach Duncan Hodge to play fast rugby.

Added to the Edinburgh brew was pride and passion which produced a first half performance of high tempo rugby complemented by accuracy in the tackle that simply left Ulster shipwrecked.

The visitors to their credit were able to recover in the second half, scoring two tries to please the many fans who had travelled to Edinburgh to see this match.

Edinburgh’s monopoly of possession in the opening minutes gave them quick points as scrum half Sean Kennedy first juggled the ball and then skilfully delivered a scoring pass to flanker Viliame Mata, Welshman Jason Tovey converting from wide out.

Ulster were under pressure immediately after the first score as Edinburgh’s right wing Damian Hoyland followed up his own chip ahead. The visitors were able to resist Edinburgh’s subsequent short range drives but when the ball was spun wide Hoyland had the pace and footwork to finish what he had started with his side’s second try, this time unconverted.

The twelve point lead established by Edinburgh in as many minutes then increased after the home side’s teenage full back Blair Kinghorn kicked a 45 metre penalty goal only for Ruan Pienaar to reply in kind some seven minutes later.

The kicking contest continued, this time Duncan Weir, who was a temporary replacement for Jason Tovey, succeeding with his first attempt at goal.

Ulster came close to scoring their first try when Clive Ross charged down an attempted clearance kick by Weir but sadly for the visitors Kinghorn was able to touch down for a 22m drop-out before the chasing runners could reach the ball.

Edinburgh, however, were quickly back on the attack and from a well placed kick by Sean Kennedy, the home side won a penalty, converted into three points by the boot of Weir to give the Murrayfield men a 21-3 interval advantage.

Ulster made changes after the break but to no great effect as Edinburgh yet again turned the screw with a break down the left touchline by replacement wing Mike Allen, whose perfect pass sent Magnus Bradbury in for the home side’s third try converted by by Tovey.

The Kingspan men were looking livelier in the second half and came within inches of scoring when Tommy Bowe came off his blind side wing. Then when Charles Piutau chased a delicate chip from Pienaar, the full back appeared to have scored only for Irish referee Andrew Brace to rule a knock on after consulting with the TMO.

But finally the sizable Ulster travelling support got something to cheer about when replacement Aaron Cairns chased a disagonal chip by fellow replacement Paul Marshall to score a try in the corner, Pienaar adding the extras.

Hardly had the Ulster fans sat back down when the visitors scoreboard leapt forward again as replacement Jacob Stockdale burst through midfield from broken play to score a gem of a try, Pienaar again succeeding with the conversion kick.

As both sides tired the game became less structured allowing for numerous breaks but somehow fitness ensured that defences prevailed.

Scorers: Edinburgh – Tries: Mata, Hoyland, Bradbury. Cons: Tovey (2) Pens Weir (2), Kinghorn. Ulster – Tries: Cairns , Stockdale. Cons: Pienaar (2) Pens Pienaar.

Edinburgh: B Kinghorn; D Hoyland, C Dean, P Burleigh, T Brown; J Tovey, S Kennedy; J Cosgrove, N Cochrane, M McCallum, F McKenzie, B Toolis, V Mata, J Ritchie, M Bradbury.

Replacements: S McInally for Cochrane 61, K Whyte for Cosgrove 70 , F Arregui for McCallum 59, L Carmichael for McKenzie 69 , C Du Preez for Ritchie 35-40 and for Mata 45, S Hidalgo-Clyne for Dean 75, D Weir for Tovey 23-34, and 67, M Allen for Brown ht.

Ulster: C Piutau; T Bowe, L Marshall, S Windsor, R Lyttle; B Herron, R Pienaar; K McCall, R Herring, W Herbst, D Tuohy, F van der Merwe, P Browne, C Ross, S Reidy.

Replacements: J Andrew for Herring , W Andrew for K McCall 56, K Ross for Herbst 56 , R Diack for Van Der Merwe 42, C Joyce for Tuohy 43, P Marshall for Windsor 67, A Cairns for Bowe 67, J Stockdale for Herron 42.

Referee: A Brace (IRFU).