RUGBY Ulster 8 Leinster 16:IN MANY respects, this would have been just what Joe Schmidt wanted. Such has been the way they've cruised through their last two wins, posting 88 points and 14 tries, the European champions needed a tough, even slightly gruelling work-out before encountering just that against Clermont next week.
Without being anything like their fluid selves, Leinster got down and dirty to withstand a typically ferocious derby effort from Ulster, a resolute and impenetrable defensive effort in the second half – never conceding a single line break – helped them complete a six-game clean sweep of their fellow provincial rivals in the Rabo Direct Pro12.
Ulster, with far less true strength in depth, would have been less grateful for such a searching work-out. Not only did this second defeat in 21 home games seriously imperil their prospects of reaching the league play-offs, it would appear they’ll also have the more worrisome medical bulletins over the next few days.
The sporting royalty wasn’t confined to the European champions, as the 10,000-plus crowd was illuminated by the presence, for the first time this season, of the world’s number one golfer Rory McIlroy and, for the first time, his girlfriend Caroline Wosniacki, the world number one women’s tennis player until recently, in the corporate box adjacent to the BBC commentary team.
They didn’t witness quite the classic that might have been expected, for although these two teams boast the most potent attacks in the league, they also possess ultra-physical, aggressive hard-working defences, and, typical of interpros, know each other pretty well too. Ulster’s defence negated Leinster’s running game for much of the time. They forced a few spillages with their fast defensive line and their work at the breakdown often slowed the visitors’ ball to a crawl. Nor would the Leinster think tank have been overtly happy with their line-out.
The home scrum looked in difficulty at the first put-in, but grew stronger, with Declan Fitzpatrick making a timely and encouraging return after five months in the continuing absence of the suspended John Afoa, while Tom Court provided further proof, were it needed, that he is now a specialist loosehead. They earned three penalties at scrum time, although a couple looked very much down to refereeing interpretations.
Initially Leinster made a declaration of intent. Ruan Pienaar was unlucky to see a well aimed and weighted box kick on half-way bounce remorselessly dead, but from the ensuing scrum Leinster struck lethally.
Dave Kearney, ghosting infield from his blindside wing, cut through off a lovely inside pass from Jonny Sexton and linked infield with Fergus McFadden, who carried deep into the Ulster 22. A few recycles later, Dominic Ryan drew defenders by feinting to take Reddan’s pass, leaving a clear route to the line to Kevin McLaughlin.
Ulster rolled up their sleeves and went to work, but to gasps of surprise from the crowd, a straightish 35-metre penalty from Pienaar hit the outside of the post.
When Richardt Strauss, whose darts have been dodgy of late, overthrew, it put Ulster on the front foot and after Andrew Trimble carried up the middle Paddy Wallace gathered Willie Faloon’s return pass one-handed to straighten and flip a little basketball pass to Johann Muller.
He rumbled hard and straight to roll with Rob Kearney’s tackle and reach out for his first Ulster try. That said, he looked to have lost control of the ball and it was a surprise that the TMO, Peter Ferguson, awarded the score.
After another unerring strike from Sexton far more unnerving for the home crowd was the sight of Chris Henry limping off with what seemed an injured left shin, to be followed by a groggy Paddy Wallace in the 33rd minute. Pedrie Wannenburg followed after half-time.
Pienaar and Sexton traded penalties before half-time before a scoreless third quarter. Typically, when an Eoin Reddan pass went to ground, everyone froze for Brian O’Driscoll to gather and weave through in a vintage moment, but Fergus McFadden couldn’t hold the pass. Nearing the hour, Isaac Boss was booed upon his return as a replacement in what was his 50th appearance for Leinster since leaving Ulster, and the away side cranked up their intensity off their first attacking set-pieces of the half. Heinke van der Merwe and McLaughlin were held up just short before Sexton, though they had a penalty advantage, opted for a drop goal to put the visitors two scores clear.
Likewise, discretion being the better part of valour, both coaches withdrew some of their main men as they emptied their benches. There are bigger fish to fry next weekend.
SCORING SEQUENCE – 7 mins: McLaughlin try, Sexton con 0-7; 26mins Muller try 5-7; 30Sexton pen 5-10; 38mins Pienaar pen 8-10; 40mins Sexton pen (8-13); 67mins Sexton drop goal 8-16.
ULSTER: S Terblanche; A Trimble, D Cave, P Wallace, C Gilroy; P Jackson, R Pienaar; T Court, N Brady, D Fitzpatrick, J Muller (capt), L Stevenson, C Henry, W Faloon, P Wannenburg. Replacements: R Diack for Henry (18 mins), A D'Arcy for Wallace (33 mins), N McComb for Wannenburg (50 mins), A Macklin for Fitzpatrick (56 mins), A Kyricaou for Brady, P McAllister for court (both 61 mins), I Porter for Pienaar (68 mins), I Humphreys for Trimble (77 mins),
LEINSTER: R Kearney; D Kearney, B O'Driscoll, F McFadden, L Fitzgerald; J Sexton, E Reddan; C Healy, R Strauss, M Ross, L Cullen (capt), B Thorn, K McLaughlin, D Ryan, S O'Brien. Replacements: H van der Merwe for Healy, I Boss for redden (both 57 mins), S Cronin for Strauss, S Jennings for O'Brien (both 61 mins), N White for Ross, F Carr for Kearney (both 68 mins), D Toner for Thorn, I Madigan for Sexton (both 72 mins).
Referee: John Lacey(IRFU).
