Aironi Rugby 15 Ulster 22:TWO GAMES in and though Ulster have hardly been setting the Magners League alight with their performances, they remain unbeaten with their latest effort being grafted out at the far-from-full Stadio Luigi Zaffanella in Viadana on Saturday night.
There were some positives for Ulster coach Brian McLaughlin, not least the fact Ulster ended the game heroically defending – thanks to the late sinbinning of Pedrie Wannenburg – to just hold on for four points.
“The inconsistency of our set-piece is something we’re going to have to look at,” a relieved McLaughlin said. “We’re giving away a lot of frees at scrums while our lineout in vital areas wasn’t what it should be. But the key thing is we keep winning. We played with a lot of fire and we showed a lot of courage.”
Outhalf Niall O’Connor’s 17 points kept Ulster ticking over, even though they arguably failed to take adequate control on the scoreboard after two Aironi players were binned with Nick Williams and replacement Gabriel Pizarro yellow-carded in the first and second half respectively.
However, number eight Robbie Diack was the standout player with his 60th-minute intercept try, when he snaffled a pass thrown by Ludovic Mercier, giving Ulster a seven-point lead just after Pizarro’s binning.
Ulster should have scored at the end of the first half when Paddy Wallace made the break that led to Chris Henry being put into space, on the left wing, only for the Ireland international to be rather easily bundled into touch.
Replacement scrumhalf Ian Porter’s presence proved vital as he managed to get underneath Williams in the final frantic minutes when it looked as if Ulster were on course to crumble.
Ulster had only led 9-6 at the turnaround despite playing against 14 men from the 32nd minute. Early indiscipline from Nigel Brady led to Mercier’s equalising drop goal, and the former France international put his side in the lead with another strike after a high tackle from Darren Cave.
An O’Connor penalty followed by Diack’s try put Ulster 19-12 ahead, but the lead was narrowed after Tom Court was pinged at a scrum – it was yet another inconsistent night of refereeing – and Mercier made no mistake.
Williams was very lucky to stay on the field for handling at a ruck, but O’Connor was grateful of the chance and put Ulster into a 22-15 lead after 72 minutes.
AIRONI: J Laharrague; G Toniolatti, R Quartaroli, D des Fountain, G Rubini; L Mercier, T Tebaldi; A De Marchi, F Ongaro, S Perugini, C Del Fava, Q Geldenhuys, J Erasmus, G Krause, N Williams. Replacements: G Pizarro for D des Fountain (2 mins); P Canavosio for T Tebaldi; M Bortolami for C Del Fava (both 45 mins); L Redolfini for A De Marchi, L Ferraro for F Ongaro, J Sole for J Erasmus (all 60 mins). Yellow cards: N Williams 32 mins; G Pizarro 58 mins.
ULSTER: A D'Arcy; T Seymour, D Cave, P Wallace, D McLlwaine; N O'Connor, P Marshall; T Court, N Brady, D Fitzpatrick, J Muller, T Barker, P Wannenburg, C Henry, R Diack. Replacements: B Young for D Fitzpatrick (4 mins), I Porter for P Marshall, W Faloon for C Henry, I Whitten for T Seymour (all 60 mins); R Caldwell for T Barker (62 mins); A Kyriacou for N Brady (69 mins); P McAllister for B Young (73 mins). Yellow card: P Wannenburg 75 mins.
Referee: David Jones(Wales).
