Match Report | Benetton Rugby 34-19 Ulster Rugby
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Ulster fell to defeat in Treviso as Richie Murphy’s side were outscored by four tries to three by Benetton in Round 11 of the BKT United Rugby Championship.
The game marked the return from injury for international back trio Jacob Stockdale, Stuart McCloskey and James Hume, Tom O’Toole was back from suspension, while Rob Herring and Cormac Izuchukwu were released from Ireland camp.
There was a debut for debut for prop Jacob Boyd who started while his Queens University club front-row colleague, Bryan O’Connor, also got his first taste of action for the province as a late replacement.
Ulster made the prefect start getting the game’s opening try with just three minutes on the clock.
Fly-half Aidan Morgan made a break off an attacking lineout, the forwards had a few picks and goes on the line before Nathan Doak wriggled over a pile of bodies to touch down, the scrum half then converted his own try.
Benetton levelled the scores on 12 minutes, after a bit of enterprising attack from Ulster broke down.
From an inventive lineout Nick Timoney, Jacob Stockdale and Stuart McCloskey produced a scintillating strike move but a forced offload went to ground on the Benetton 22. Winger, Matt Gallagher, hacked the ball three times and had enough pace to outsprint the visitor’s defence and dot down. Argentine ten, Tomas Albornoz, added the conversion.
Ulster regained the lead five minutes later. The visitors were absorbing Benetton pressure when Mike Lowry made a great defensive read to intercept Albornoz’s pass in midfield and he showed his pace to race away from his own half to go under the posts unopposed, making Doak’s conversion a formality.
Ulster received a blow when Cormac Izuchukwu could no longer continue after sustaining an injury after a lineout.
Albornoz then reduced Ulster’s lead to two points on 26 minutes, after the pack forced a scrum penalty.
Jacob Stockdale showed great attacking instincts to mark his return to competitive rugby with Ulster’s third try on 29 minutes.
Timoney spotted his winger in space and flung the ball wide, Stockdale made good metres before offloading inside to Doak, the scrum half was then hit hard in contact and the loose ball went backwards.
Stockdale scooped it and showed neat footwork to evade the last defender to power over for an unconverted try.
Benetton reduced Ulster's lead at the interval to 19-17, with a try in the final minute of the first half.
Rhyno Smith took a quick- tap penalty in the Ulster 22 and the forwards drove for the line, sucking in visiting defenders, before spinning it wide for winger, Mendy, to stroll in. Albornoz converted.
Ulster were reduced to 14 men on 43 minutes, as David McCann was sin binned for cynically stopping a Benetton counterattack. Michael Lowry was also replaced by Jude Postlethwaite after going off for an HIA.
Ulster fell to defeat in Treviso as Richie Murphy’s side were outscored by four tries to three by Benetton in Round 11 of the BKT United Rugby Championship.
The game marked the return from injury for international back trio Jacob Stockdale, Stuart McCloskey and James Hume, Tom O’Toole was back from suspension, while Rob Herring and Cormac Izuchukwu were released from Ireland camp.
There was a debut for debut for prop Jacob Boyd who started while his Queens University club front-row colleague, Bryan O’Connor, also got his first taste of action for the province as a late replacement.
Ulster made the prefect start getting the game’s opening try with just three minutes on the clock.
Fly-half Aidan Morgan made a break off an attacking lineout, the forwards had a few picks and goes on the line before Nathan Doak wriggled over a pile of bodies to touch down, the scrum half then converted his own try.
Benetton levelled the scores on 12 minutes, after a bit of enterprising attack from Ulster broke down.
From an inventive lineout Nick Timoney, Jacob Stockdale and Stuart McCloskey produced a scintillating strike move but a forced offload went to ground on the Benetton 22. Winger, Matt Gallagher, hacked the ball three times and had enough pace to outsprint the visitor’s defence and dot down. Argentine ten, Tomas Albornoz, added the conversion.
Ulster regained the lead five minutes later. The visitors were absorbing Benetton pressure when Mike Lowry made a great defensive read to intercept Albornoz’s pass in midfield and he showed his pace to race away from his own half to go under the posts unopposed, making Doak’s conversion a formality.
Ulster received a blow when Cormac Izuchukwu could no longer continue after sustaining an injury after a lineout.
Albornoz then reduced Ulster’s lead to two points on 26 minutes, after the pack forced a scrum penalty.
Jacob Stockdale showed great attacking instincts to mark his return to competitive rugby with Ulster’s third try on 29 minutes.
Timoney spotted his winger in space and flung the ball wide, Stockdale made good metres before offloading inside to Doak, the scrum half was then hit hard in contact and the loose ball went backwards.
Stockdale scooped it and showed neat footwork to evade the last defender to power over for an unconverted try.
Benetton reduced Ulster's lead at the interval to 19-17, with a try in the final minute of the first half.
Rhyno Smith took a quick- tap penalty in the Ulster 22 and the forwards drove for the line, sucking in visiting defenders, before spinning it wide for winger, Mendy, to stroll in. Albornoz converted.
Ulster were reduced to 14 men on 43 minutes, as David McCann was sin binned for cynically stopping a Benetton counterattack. Michael Lowry was also replaced by Jude Postlethwaite after going off for an HIA.
