Bath feel the wrath ULSTER DOWN ENGLISH FOR QUARTER-FINAL SPOT
LEINSTER clinched top-seed status and a home Heineken Champions Cup quarter-final as they made it a recordbreaking 16 wins in a row in all competitions this season with an 18-0 victory at BENETTON.
Leo Cullen’s men had to battle hard against the Italians, with Caelan Doris and James Tracy tries in the second half helping them overcome the Italian side.
Meanwhile, George Furbank was the toast of NORTHAMPTON as they kept alive their hopes of qualifying for the quarter-finals with a bonus-point victory in LYON.
Saints crossed for tries from Mikey Haywood, Teimana Harrison, Cobus Reinach, Furbank and James Fish.
But it wasn’t until the 72nd minute that Saints took a lead they would not lose when Furbank went over for Saints’ fourth try on the way to a 36-24 win to claim their first victory in France for nine years.
Northampton co-captain Harrison said: “The win was a must and to come away with five tries was awesome. It puts us in a really good spot, so we’re excited.”
Northampton finish the pool stage on 19 points, but could still be pushed out of the last eight by SARACENS and GLOUCESTER, who play their final group games today. GLASGOW are also in contention after an impressive 45-7 win at SALE SHARKS.
ULSTER BATH
It was all level at halftime, before Ulster turned the screw in the second period to seal a 22-15 victory.
It took only six minutes for Ulster to break the deadlock when, from an attacking five metre line-out, the forwards set up a driving maul.
The ball was dropped as it edged close to the line and Springbok number eight Marcell Coetzee picked up and powered over from close-range with scrum half John Cooney adding the conversion.
Freddie Burns wasted the chance to open Bath’s account, missing a simple penalty from the Ulster 22.
Bath scored a try in the 18th minute thanks to Ruaridh Mcconnochie.
Following a sustained period of pressure in the Ulster 22 Freddie Burns put in a cross field kick,
Jacob Stockdale misjudged the bounce allowing the winger to pick up and dive over the line with Burns landing the conversion from a tight angle.
Four minutes later Bath had flanker Tom Ellis sin binned for a push on John Cooney , but Ulster could not capitalise and it was all level at the interval.
Ulster got their second try a minute after the restart, Billy Burns offloaded out of a tackle to Will Addison who wrong-footed Gabe Hamer-webb and drew the last defender before releasing winger Robert Baloucoune to dart over in the corner. Cooney added the extras.
Freddie Burns landed a long-range penalty for the visitors three minutes later after Sean Reidy was guilty of not rolling away.
Addison (inset) got Ulster’s third try in the 47th minute as Jacob Stockdale put the full-back into had a try disallowed for space to dot down. Cooney Ulster by the TMO in the failed with the conversion. 68th minute for a forward Bath set up a tense pass in the build up. finish by scoring Batty was red-carded a second try with eight minutes remaining with 15 minutes for a no arms remaining. tackle on Cooney, Billy Burns slotted over the resulting From a well penalty. worked five Ulster turned a kickable metre line-out penalty down in the last replacement minute to go for the corner, hooker Ross Batty Bath stole the line out was propelled over the and Hamer-webb broke line. Freddie Burns missed out of defence getting to the conversion. the halfway line before Lock Kieran Treadwell being stopped.