Ulster answer call to prey on Sabbath

Johnny Watterson at Ravenhill

"Life is temporary. Eternity is permanent," A lugubrious pronouncement from the Observance Society protesters outside Ravenhill Road for Ulster's first ever Sabbath Day Heineken European Cup match.

That glimpse of eternity was offered to Leicester yesterday. Luckily, it only actually lasted 80 minutes, even if it did cost them 33 points in their at times inept efforts at turning over Ulster in Belfast. It must have felt like forever for the twice-European Cup winners in their worst ever European result.

With a strong wind on Ulster backs and a low sun dazzling the visitors for most of the first period, Andy Ward's team prosecuted their case for total dominance into the second half, Leicester departing at the wrong end of one of the most extraordinary results to appear for some time in this competition.

For the Rev Ian Paisley and his small band of supporters at the gates of the ground it could not have been worse. The full house of over 12,000 had already eloquently made their views known on Sunday sport in the province and when they began to chant "easy, easy" before a sarcastic rendition of "Swing Low" as Ulster moved from their 28-0 half time lead to the 33-0 win, it would seem also that given this sort of stellar Ulster performance the DUP leader is definitely up against it. Still he was not dismayed.

"After all when God was up on the cross, no one supported him," said Dr Paisley. "This is a special day. We are down where we stand. If you present people with opportunities, people will take opportunities."

And so Ulster did take their opportunities in a controlled, passionate and ultimately surgical way, Ward fronting the effort with a fierce leadership role and a man-of-the-match performance and David Humphreys again seamlessly stitching his silken kicking game into the maelstrom of a battering, physical match.

Various cameo roles warmed the increasingly excited crowd as the match progressed. On 30 minutes when Ward ran through the England and Leicester scrumhalf Austin Healy for Ulster's second try, Ravenhill erupted.

In the second half when English captain Martin Johnson entered the match as a substitute for second row Louis Deacon, a cacophony of booing swept across south east Belfast.

But Leicester coach Dean Richards, whose primary job at the moment seems to be fending off questions about the Leicester "crisis" and whether he is feeling the pressure after "unacceptable" results, was sanguine.

"A couple of tries were very soft indeed. We were slightly disrupted with the loss of our two centres but we should have been able to cope with that," he said.

Embarrassed? he was asked. "Disappointed," he replied.

Ulster coach Alan Solomons, never less than cautious in his evaluation of matches, was already looking towards the second leg of this match.

"I think it is very important indeed that we enjoy the moment," he said. "It would be a mistake not to do that. But I can assure you that we will have our feet on the ground when we meet again in the morning.

"We had a particularly good afternoon and it was successful because of a genuine team effort. I would say that was our best performance.

"We spoke before the match about the necessity for everyone to be on their game and I'm pleased that everyone was able to do that."

At the end of it Humphreys jogged to the stand with his arms raised in the air. By that time Dr Paisley and his assembly had dispersed.

But the Ulster outhalf could have told him there that it is form which is temporary and class permanent.

Match report: Page 7