Sport

Ulster slump continues as Benetton edge gripping contest

Ulster Rugby head coach Dan McFarland refused to dwell on his side being denied what would have been a match-winning try in the late stages of their defeat to Benetton on Saturday
Ulster Rugby head coach Dan McFarland refused to dwell on his side being denied what would have been a match-winning try in the late stages of their defeat to Benetton on Saturday Ulster Rugby head coach Dan McFarland refused to dwell on his side being denied what would have been a match-winning try in the late stages of their defeat to Benetton on Saturday

United Rugby Championship: Benetton 31 Ulster 29

ULSTER’S season continues to unravel at an alarming rate after the northern province fell to yet another defeat on Saturday.

This time it was Benetton who bettered the Ulstermen in a griping seven-try contest but the purchase of two bonus points helps to keep Ulster fourth in the URC rankings.

Ulster started on the front foot and they were rewarded for their early endeavours in the eighth minute when Eric O’Sullivan crashed over for the games opening score. But Benetton rallied and responded with two tries of their own through Tomas Albornoz and Onisi Ratave.

Ulster were struggling to get to grips with the game and failed to match the intensity that the Italians were bringing to the occasion.

Disruptive at the breakdown, they continually forced Ulster into multiple errors and were able to constantly peg Ulster back into their own half.

Trailing by just a converted try at the break, 17-10, Ulster were still very much in the contest, but going into the final 15 minutes it was looking very bleak as Benetton lead 28-15.

Ulster needing a miracle to get anything out of the game produced their best spell of the game and a Michael Lowry try was followed by a penalty try. Now with four minutes remaining it was looking like Ulster were about to claim a win that for most parts seemed to be way off.

However, on 78 minutes Ulster were left chasing the game again when Rhyno Smith’s penalty went over with a little help from a post.

But there was still time for one last Ulster assault. And it nearly proved to be a successful one too.

Robert Baloucoune raced down the right and his attempted pass to Stewart Moore appeared at first to have been knocked on by Benetton’s Albornoz with Stewart Moore looking set to go over for the match winning score. But on review, referee Ben Whitehouse was happy that Albornoz’s touch went back.

Afterwards head coach Dan McFarland refused to dwell on what could have been a fifth and match winning try for his side. Instead, McFarland focused on an error strewn first half.

“We were so close at the end there with a potential try in the corner that looked like a deliberate knock down from them, but it is was it is.

“I think we gave them too much of a lead and that’s the bottom line. In that first half we made too many errors when we had the ball in play and that’s been very unlike us until the last two games,” admitted McFarland.

“In both the last two games we’ve turned the ball over at various stages when we’ve been on attack and that’s given the opportunity for the opposition to go down the other end. Ultimately, we came out, demonstrated what we can do in attack and scored four tries. But we needed more scores in that first half and not to give them the ball as often.”

The final quarter proved to be Ulster’s best spell and a 14-point swing looked to have sealed a much-needed win for McFarland. But in a game of fine margins, Smith’s late penalty saw Ulster snatch defeat from the jaws of victory.

“We fought our way back into it. I was really proud of the way the lads did that. We played some nice stuff to put pressure on Benetton in the last 20 minutes and to get those two scores to go into the lead.

“So obviously really disappointed but at the same time proud of the way we got back into it and got two points from it.”