…but the right result for the Ulstermen, writes Kristian Ross
Ulster Rugby stayed top of the PRO12 for the second week running with a hard fought 25-0 win over interprovincial rivals Connacht in Belfast on Friday night.
More fitting tributes were paid to Nevin Spence, a giant Ulster Rugby shirt in the crowd with his surname on, as well as another minute's silence.
Fans had came out in large numbers, a huge crowd of over 10,000 at Ravenhill, paying their respects in the first home game since Nevin's passing.
Going into the match, Ulster were still unbeaten and were in good form following their huge win over Cardiff the week before, but Connacht would prove to be tough, having being buoyed by fantastic win over European Champions Leinster, in their previous fixture.
NZ born Scot Dan Parks got the game underway, and as the ball entered the Ulster half, Paddy Jackson made the first clearance of the match, pinpoint accuracy from the kick showing that once again he would prove to be dangerous with the boot.
Ulster won the first scrum, and won it with minimal ease, carrying on their super domination from the Cardiff win, as Jackson got Ulster up to halfway with the penalty, the team in white started to go through the phases before Nick Williams made good ground and Ulster were awarded a penalty, the attacking intent shown by young Paddy Jackson as he opted for touch rather than the posts.
A good line out saw Ulster move the ball wide, Jared Payne almost finding Andrew Trimble to send Ulster away, but it eluded the Coleraine born wing flying into touch, and from the resulting lineout out Connacht were able to clear.
Connacht were able to launch their first attack of the match, but again were penalised at the ruck, and another well placed Paddy Jackson kick put the Ulstermen into the Galway men's half for the second time in a few minutes. A positive to be had, but Connacht moved the out from the lineout, and were awarded a scrum following some good play from Michael Swift, but the turnover became pointless when Ulster were gifted a free kick as the Ronan Loughney engaged too early, and it was the Ulstermen who decided on another scrum, wanting to exert their dominance with the forwards once more.
And that's exactly what they did, a ever moving forward scrum saw Connacht collapse and Ulster were able to get the first points of the night. It is only fair to say, Jackson has been supremely cool under pressure this season, and he demonstrated again, a straightforward kick nonetheless, but from distance as Ulster went ahead 3-0.
Another scrum following the kick off and another early engagement from Connacht, as George Clancy started to lose patience with the green front row. Ulster made sure that they would come away with the ball from the scrum and a good run from Tommy Bowe along the wing was brought to a end as he was tackled into touch. Connacht got the ball away, but had brief respite, a cracking run from Nick Williams, saw him offload to Stephen Ferris, who moved the ball onto Paul Marshall, before Connacht turnover, but yet again Ulster came away with the ball from Marshall, however Clancy believed the scrum half had knocked on a awarded a scrum to the men from the west.
Good defending had been the key from Connacht in the match, but they still were finding it hard to get out of their own half, until a excellent Dan Parks kick sent the ball deep into the Ulster 22, as Anscombe's men were pushed back towards their own try line, Paul Marshall clearing the ball and negating any chance of danger for a few seconds at least. Connacht tried to go through the phases again, but just were unable to break Ulster's resilience, and when they knocked on, their short lived attack came to a brief end.
It seemed that scrums were going to play a big role in the match, as another collapsing one from Connacht saw Jackson send another good kick into the green half and some nifty passing from Ulster allowed Andrew Trimble to again run at the Connacht defence, but he was adjudged to have been in touch.
The first quarter of the match had gone, and Ulster won the ball back in Connacht territory and as they moved forward, Ravenhill started to sense the first real chance of a try as numerous passes were still unable to heed five points when Andrew Trimble knocked forward.
With impeding danger now looking more evident, Connacht needed to get the ball away, a clearance by Kieran Marmion only went as far as Andrew Trimble and his superb run allowed for Paul Marshall to collect, as Tom Court and Rory Best drove Marshall over the line but the referee deemed that it was inconclusive so a scrum was awarded to the Ulstermen who now knew that the first score of the game was in sight. The first scrum went down, Clancy decided to reset, the second scrum the ball was collected, Nick Williams grabbing it. Ulster pushed on, but were denied the chance again as Paddy Wallace came in from the side, and Dan Parks was able to boot into touch.
At last Connacht must have though they had quelled the danger, but it was not to be, Ulster winning the lineout, Jared Payne sprinting away down the wing as the ball was pushed out wide again, and Ulster won a penalty as Tiernan O'Halloran left his feet whilst tackling. Ulster wanted this try badly and opted for touch once more, and after a first good Ulster drive, Chris Henry thought he had scored, but in a bizarre twist, Dave Gannon was sin binned, and a penalty try seemed on the cards, but illegal blocking via Jared Payne meant Ulster would have to settle for the scrum. The scrum from Ulster was again superb, as Connacht started to crumble, Clancy reset, and was then forced to reset again as Ulster once again asserted clear superiority, this time George Clancy awarded a penalty try for the Ulstermen, and Paddy Jackson was able to slot the extra's as Ulster moved into a 10-0 lead with five minutes until half time.
Ravenhill was seeing a total demolition job in the scrum and the fans may have been looking forward to another score before half time, but as Connacht kicked off the resulting play saw Dan Tuohy tackle without the ball and Dan Parks had the chance to finally put Connacht on the board after being exiled in the Ulster half for 20 minutes, but he dragged his effort wide much to the delight of the Ravenhill faithful who proceeded with a few high spirited chants of dodgy kicker.
As the first half started to wind down, Ulster again started to apply pressure down the wings, Jared Payne almost finding Tommy Bowe but the ball went into touch, but again Ulster won the ball following a lineout by Connacht, and they pushed forward well until Clancy called Ulster for holding on in the tackle, but Clancy was called into action again, Michael Swift given a stern talking to by the Limerick man and Ulster showed once again how much they wanted tries as Jackson put the ball into the corner. Another good drive by Ulster, and it was finished off by Nick Williams, a man who so far this season has just shown how much of an absolute powerhouse he is, another Ulster try, and now a commanding lead at 15-0, that seconds later was made 17-0 thanks to Paddy Jackson. Ulster were going into the second half very comfortable indeed.
With the second half about to start, Eric Elwood must have thought his team would need a miracle to get back into this one, Connacht having only won away once in the PRO12.
Paddy Jackson got the second 40 minutes underway and Ulster got some luck, Willie Faloon knocking forward as Ulster made their first push of the first half. Connacht turned over, but Tommy Bowe started another Ulster attack until a Paddy Jackson grubber for the corner proved to be worthless as Connacht cleared again.
A stop start first few minutes burst into life when Paul Marshall sprinted forward from a quick tap penalty and Nick Williams showed another fantastic burst of pace. Ulster were now knocking on the proverbial door, but great defending by Connacht saw Ulster held up, for the moment at least.
But it was another Ulster scrum, the Ulstermen must have only been confident, but nothing came of it at all, as a Ulster hand in the scrum gave away the try scoring opportunity.
The first chance for Connacht came when Robbie Henshaw made a darting run down the wing, but to Fetu'u Vainikolo knocked on following the pass and a fantastic kick by Paddy Jackson got the ball into the Connacht half before Stephen Ferris stole the lineout and Ulster gained possession, but the move broke down with a Dan Tuohy knock on.
The second half had proved tense and tedious so far, no fluidity at all, well had been Ulster's strong point last week, boring could have been the word, but slow would have been more appropriate.
With the first ten minutes of the second half been passed, Ulster had a line out in the Connacht half as they again looked to extend the lead with a try, and were able to go for the corner with a penalty from Paddy Jackson as Connacht were caught offside. It looked promising, but Rory Best made the rare mistake of not throwing it straight from the whitewash, and Connacht had the scrum. Connacht found themselves under pressure, but were relieved when they were awarded a penalty for holding on, Dan Parks clearing.
Meanwhile Ulster made changes with Rory Best coming off for Rob Herring. And things looked good for Ulster when they won the lineout and they attacked with ferocity again.
Both teams switched possession, until Ulster finally had the breakthrough, Johnny O'Connor deliberating trying to stop a Ulster ball getting through by sticking out his foot, and Paddy Jackson stuck another easy kick over to make it Ulster 20-0 Connacht.
Connacht moved forward with some excellent passing and finally had their first sustained period in the Ulster half since the second period had begun until a knock on stop progress in their tracks. Before they gained possession a few seconds later, but some great tackling by Rob Herring and Stephen Ferris saw Connacht pushed back, a scrum awarded for a knock on that Ferris believed hadn't existed.
Replacements came on in the form of Craig Gilroy, Mike McComish and Lewis Stevenson for Stephen Ferris, Johan Muller and Andrew Trimble. Connacht had fourteen minutes to try and get their first score, as again the game entered another stop-start rhythm until a Paddy Jackson penalty that was hammered down towards the corner allowed for Ulster to build again.
The tackles came thick and fast from Connacht as Ulster went forward, but a knock forward by John Afoa saw the Galwegians have the scrum. Anscombe again saw the need for change, Paddy Jackson and Tom Court making way for Luke Marshall and Callum Black and shortly after Michael Heaney replacing Paul Marshall.
The clock now had 5 minutes left on it, as Connacht started to press for that first score, but still it eluded them, as Nick Williams suffered, noticeably holding his chest with a rib injury as he gingerly went off, and he was replaced by Adam Macklin.
Connacht won a scrum in the Ulster half, but still they couldn't make any ground, winning a penalty and opting for the scrum, before Ulster were awarded a one and they saw the opportunity to do that. They did more than that when Michael Heaney gave the ball to Craig Gilroy in a great move that eventually saw a cross kick to Tommy Bowe, recycled by Jared Payne who popped up a great pass to Luke Marshall, who went over for Ulster's third try.
However in a interesting decision, Ulster opted not to take the conversion in order to try and get try number four and the bonus point, however it wasn't to be as George Clancy called time. Ulster with a fifth straight consecutive victory.
Looking forward to Friday, it's the first Heineken Cup game of the season against French side Castres Olympique, Pedrie Wannenburg returning to Ravenhill, and I know a special someone who will be excited for his visit.
Anscombe will have much harder opponents this Friday, and much tougher scrums to deal with. His post match interview clearly showed he wasn't happy with the game branding it "boring".
Ulster will need to try and look for fluidity, as well as less turnovers. They will also love if Nick Williams is fit and available.
The Ulstermen once again paid a fitting tribute to Nevin Spence this week, and they announced that his initials well remain under the Ulster Rugby badge for the rest of the season.
Stand Up For The Ulstermen.
I'm Kristian. 18. And my mind is filled with rugby shaped thoughts. Supporting Ulster Rugby, Newcastle Falcons and of course the mighty Ireland. Tommy Bowe is the MAN !!!! SUFTUM.
