RUGBY/Celtic League: Ulster celebrated Alan Solomons' Ravenhill farewell and Andy Ward's 100th cap for the province by giving themselves a chance of the Celtic League title in Llanelli next week with a joyous 15th win out of 15 at their fortress this season. But their joy was tempered a little by a failure to procure a bonus point, reports Gerry Thornley from Ravenhill
As a result, with Gwent Dragons making hay against bottom-placed Borders, the Welsh outfit drew level with Ulster at the top of the table.
Presuming Llanelli (now three points behind) beat the Ospreys tomorrow, they will return to the top, but even if Ulster win their title shoot-out with the Scarlets next Friday in Stradey Park, they could be pipped to the title unless Leinster front up at the same time in Lansdowne Road.
Predictably, the result itself in an often fractious affair was never really in doubt. Ulster had far more aggression and stomach for the fight than a patched-up Leinster, who have largely forgotten what it's like to win.
Pushing up hard and gang tackling, Ulster scarcely gave an unambitious Leinster room to breathe, much less break the gain line, while David Humphreys' vastly superior kicking repertoire gave them territorial dominance.
Humphreys' virtuoso performance also featured a five-from-seven place-kicking ratio and an 18-point haul, as well as a hand and a foot in the other two tries, though he and his team-mates might lament not upping their pursuit of tries from earlier out.
It was a credit to Ulster's campaign and the Celtic League that a capacity crowd of 12,000 (a record for the competition by its best-supported team) turned out on a sun-kissed May evening. Surreal almost, especially with the announcement that a half-time marriage proposal had been accepted five minutes into the second half.
Typically, a pumped-up Ward - and alongside him Roger Wilson's influence became just as profound - led the way when he drove back Eric Miller in the tackle for the game's first turnover though Humphreys couldn't steer the ensuing 45-metre penalty between the posts.
Leinster, with an experienced if patchwork pack buttressed by the return of Leo Cullen and Miller, and an inexperienced back line, sought to take the game to the home side up front. Off the platform of a smooth lineout, the Lions played a conservative mauling and kicking game, content to launch close-in surges rather than go wide.
Victor Costello, typically as well, was the game's most prominent early ball carrier, his rumble and a well controlled lineout drive which Matt Mustchin brought down leading to a Brian O'Meara penalty.
However Ulster's response was textbook in its precision. After Ward took up a tap penalty when the Leinster front row were penalised, Humphreys' skip pass and quick hands by Bryn Cunningham put Howe over in the corner; Humphreys converted as well.
Miller, showing up well until his expected departure at half-time, made the yards for O'Meara to cancel out a Humphreys penalty, before a moment of trademark genius by the latter paved the way for Howe's second try. Off an Ulster lineout to the left, Humphreys' beautifully disguised and weighted cross-kick back to the left corner bounced invitingly for an unattended Howe to dot down - albeit amid a strong suspicion of offside.
Penalties by Humphreys either side of the interval - the first against Reggie Corrigan at a scrum after the crowd's insistence and the second after Shane Stewart had brushed through Felipe Contepomi's tackle - extended the lead to 21-6. By now, Leinster had changed half their pack and they also gambled on introducing Brian O'Riordan for O'Meara, but when Rowen Frost was binned for sly footwork at the base of a ruck to prevent O'Riordan clearing the ball away, Contepomi continued a singularly inglorious night by missing the straightforward penalty in between putting two restarts out on the full.
Leinster made little of their numerical advantage, Neil Doak latching onto an overthrow to spark intense pressure; hitting the rucks hard and low to procure quick ball was the key before Humphreys scampered through an overstretched defence for a cheeky try which, needless to say, he converted from a wide angle.
Leinster didn't subside completely, Ben Gissing and Shane Byrne coming up with defensive plays and Costello and Corrigan leading a charge out of defence, and they finished out injury time in Ulster territory. Ulster will hope they show such spirit next week, though the priority will be their own display in Stradey.
SCORING SEQUENCE: 6 mins: O'Meara pen 0-3; 11: Howe try, Humphreys con 7-3; 18: Humphreys pen 10-3; 27: O'Meara pen 10-6; 29: Howe try 15-6; 40 (+2 mins): Humphreys pen 18-6 (half-time 18-6); 46: Humphreys pen 21-6; 68: Humphreys try and con 28-6.
ULSTER: B Cunningham; S Young, S Mallon, S Stewart, T Howe; D Humphreys, N Doak; S Best, M Sexton, R Moore, M Mustchin, R Frost, A Ward (capt), R Wilson, N Best. Replacements: P Wallace for Cunningham (65 mins); P Shields for Sexton (69); R McCormack for Moore, A Larkin for Mallon (both 74), K Campbell for Stewart (79).
LEINSTER: J Norton; J McWeeney, J Hearty, F Contepomi, B Burke; M Leek, B O'Meara; R Corrigan (capt), S Byrne, P Coyle, L Cullen, M O'Kelly, A McCullen, V Costello, E Miller. Replacements: N Ronan for Miller (half-time); B Gissing for Cullen (51 mins); D Dillon for McCullen, E Byrne for Coyle (both 54); B O'Riordan for O'Meara (59).
Referee: Nigel Williams (Wales).
