Ulster's reign to have short life span

Ulster climbed the mountain top and saw the promised land last season, but try as they might the European Cup holders cannot tap into the spirit which carried them all the way last season.

Such is the reduced threshold for qualification this time around, that a second consecutive defeat at the outset of this campaign has probably left them a mountain of Everest proportions to climb now.

Although the French referee seemingly only had his eyes on the home side - the penalty count going 18-9 to Wasps - and further angered the estimated 12,000 crowd by awarding a controversial late try, in reality Ulster could have no complaints.

Perhaps it's not that surprising, for it's always more difficult to defend a trophy than to win it the first time. Apart from a predictably impassioned early flurry, Ulster spent much of the night on the back foot. Their pack simply couldn't generate sustained momentum in contact against their bruising Wasps counterparts and the key stars of last year's campaign such as David Humphreys cannot recapture the moments of inspiration which catapulted last season's romantic story when feeding off scraps.

A streetwise Wasps played the referee altogether cuter, and also controlled the throw-in - having 23 line-outs to Ulster's 11.

Although Ulster's defence was at times heroic and Wasps' attacking gambits somewhat constrained, the visitors sucked the life out of Ulster with their driving mauls and sustained continuity via close-in drives - aspects of the game which were beyond Ulster.

But for Kenny Logan's poor return of four penalties from seven - compared to Simon Mason's two from two - and at least four spurned try-scoring chances, Wasps would assuredly have won more handily.

The irony of this year's campaign is that whereas last season it was the Ulster team which had to inspire their supporters, this time it's the other way around. Requiring little encouragement from the PA man, the crowd roundly booed the English visitors before Ulster made their gladiatorial entrance.

In something of a back-to-basics approach, the crowd got just what they were baying for at the outset; a minor early punch-up, a flurry of Garryowens from David Humphreys, and an opening penalty from Simon Mason inside seven minutes.

Mark Blair and Darren Molloy exchanged a few off-the-ball punches and were yellow-carded, Molloy also renewing acquaintances with one-time fellow Irish development tourist Justin Fitzpatrick.

As ever, Andy Ward was the source of Ulster's early inspiration. He earned an early turnover with a trademark, bear-hugging tackle on Wasps scrum-half Bryan Shelbourne and then stopped Joe Worsley dead in his tracks. The Wasps flanker was penalised for not releasing. Cue to Mason who he bisected the posts from 45 metres. Alas that was as good as it got.

Humphreys continued to give the ball plenty of air, but the composed and dangerous Joe Ufton was more than equal to the task. Humphreys had one 35-metre drop goal attempt but was marginally adrift.

A great little burst from the impressive Eric Miller, supported by Johnny Bell, followed by a hesitant snipe from Stephen Bell briefly had Wasps stretched and Ravenhill in full voice. But Ulster were over eager, conceding a wave of penalties (at one stage Paddy Johns conceded three penalties in quick succession). Stephen Bell was taking a lot out of the ball and Humphreys made a couple of untypical handling errors.

However, Logan having spurned a 35-metre penalty into the bitterly cold breeze, Wasps rejected four further potential three-pointers for attacking lineouts inside the 22. They came to nowt, Miller making one clean athletic steal from Lawrence Dallaglio before having the legs taken from under him.

Mark Denny might have put his blindside winger Joss Lewsey through an inviting gap rather than blindly taking the tackle, and Logan - who had a real curate's egg of a match - failed to hold a pass from Ufton after a typically elusive run from the full back. Still, to great roars of approval from the crowd, the half-time scoreline read 3-0.

Miller's interval departure was a significant loss and, on the resumption, Logan beat Humphreys to embark upon a long, winding infield run from deep which was only ended by Stephen Bell's try-saving tackle. Ulster were literally hanging on by their fingertips.

Logan promptly pulled another 35-metre penalty before Johns made a try-saving tackle on Simon Shaw. It couldn't last, and it didn't. Logan finally opened his and Wasps account, quickly added another, and then after failing to gather Alex King's kick through with the line abegging, the Wasps winger tagged on another couple of penalties to make it 12-3 as Ulster resorted to catch-up with a reshuffled backline.

Briefly the Ulster pack flickered into life for Mason to make it 12-6, but five minutes from time the ever-willing if risky Tyrone Howe attempted a loop on his own 22 with Mason, who was tackled without the ball by Trevor Leota.

Amid a cacophony of boos as Monsieur Jutge waved play on, Logan deftly picked up onehanded, danced up the touchline and offloaded for the supporting Will Green to score in the corner. Logan, after his peaks and troughs, bizarrely landed the touchline conversion via the upright.