Swansea ... 38 Ulster ... 10Paddy Wallace was carried off with a broken ankle after replacing David Humphreys in what turned out to be a nightmare match for Ulster at St Helen's in Swansea on Saturday.
Humphreys, who had a finger in the eye, went off after 55 minutes and Wallace departed a sad scene for the province in the third minute of stoppage time.
Both sides used their seven replacements, Ulster mainly for injuries and Swansea largely for tactical reasons. The Welshmen, however, gained their first Celtic League win of the season at a cost as two of their internationals - both try scorers - were carried off.
Captain and centre Scott Gibbs retired at about the same time as Wallace with a twisted ankle and full back Kevin Morgan suffered "a bad dead leg" early in the second half. Ulster's South African flanker Warren Brosnihan reckoned he had "12 or 14 stitches" in a cut after an accidental clash of heads.
"We were decimated by injuries," said Ulster coach, Alan Solomons. "We went well for the first 21 minutes but then gave away two soft tries."
Solomons did not comment but there was an Ulster feeling that English referee Steve Leyshon might have penalised Swansea for what appeared to be a high tackle that brought Humphreys's injury.
Next weekend Ulster are home to high-riding Nice whom they beat 38-29 at Ravenhill in last season's Celtic League quarter-finals, while Munster will host Swansea.
In brilliant sunshine the Welsh finished with four tries to one.
Tyrone Howe, put away by Humphreys, raced through from just inside Swansea's half. Humphreys converted and added a penalty after his first two kicks drifted wide in the breeze.
Then came the hurricane of points. Gibbs, head bandaged after a cut in the third minute, and Morgan capitalised on defensive errors for their tries and outhalf Arwell Thomas landed two penalties and a conversion.
That left Ulster 21-10 down at the interval after a first half that lasted 45 minutes through injuries.
Thomas finished with 18 points including four penalties from seven attempts as Swansea took the second half 17-0.
Though a physical game it was not ill-tempered and most of the penalties were for technical errors.
SCORERS: Swansea - S Gibbs, K Morgan, M Robinson, S Payne tries; A Thomas 3 cons, 4 pens. Ulster - T Howe try; D Humphreys, pen, con.
SWANSEA: K Morgan; M Robinson, S Wynn, S Gibbs (capt), S Payne; A Thomas, S Cordingley; D Morris, D Balshem, E Evans, J Griffiths, J Slade, R Jenkins, C Charvin, D Thomas. Replacements: G Henson for Morgan (49 mins); J Thomas for D Thomas, S Pope for Morris, D Dorsey for Evans (all 61); J Bater for Jenkins (68); D Colclough for Balshem (75).
ULSTER: B Cunningham; J Toppin, J Bell (capt), A Larkin, T Howe; D Humphreys, N Doak; J Fitzpatrick, P Sexton, R Kempson , M Blair, J Davidson, W Brosnihan R Nelson, N McMillan. Replacements: S Shields for Sexton, P Wallace for Humphreys (both 55 mins); R Constable for Bell (60); T McWhirter for Davidson (65); S Best for Fitzpatrick (70).
Referee: S Leyshon (England)
