Sunday Mirror (Northern Ireland)
ROGER THAT.. OVER AND OUT
Wilson signs off with rare try and Pienaar leaves in tears on emotional Belfast night
ULSTER No 8 Roger Wilson signed off his Ulster career with a try to help his side to victory over Leinster at Kingspan Stadium.
He dotted down a first-half try to give his side the initiative and after they led 10-6 at half-time, Andrew Trimble sealed the win.
Leinster scored with a penalty try late on but they couldn’t secure top spot in the league.
Ulster’s most capped player Wilson was playing his last game for the province, as was Springbok scrum-half Ruan Pienaar who was in tears after his farewell appearance (right, with son Jean-Luc).
“Some atmosphere. All we asked for from a team point of view was to give the fans something to shout about at the end of the season,” said Wilson. “I’m very happy with the way things have ended.”
Leinster came into this game knowing they needed just three points to secure top spot but fell to a third defeat in a row in Belfast.
They are still set to play their seventh home semi-final in eight seasons and had won 10 in a row in the league.
Leo Cullen’s side had all of the early territory and Joey Carbery notched a penalty. But the Ulster passion was evident and when they had a penalty five metres from the Leinster line captain Andrew Trimble refused to allow a kick at goal.
They went for the scrum, Stuart
McCloskey got over the gain-line and Wilson went straight through the middle of the ruck to crash over for the try.
Ulster hadn’t won in the Pro12 since they beat Dragons on March 24, but they had lost just once at home in the league since February 2016 and Paddy Jackson kicked the conversion.
That gave Ulster a 7-3 lead in the 10th minute and Carbery missed an easy penalty before he narrowed the gap in the 23rd minute.
But Jackson hit back and gifted Ulster a 10-6 halftime lead.
Ulster went for the kill after halftime, and after Jackson was held up by Tadhg Furlong, Trimble touched down.
Pienaar kept his composure and dispatched the cross-field kick for the Ireland winger to score on the right.
Jackson gave Ulster a 17-6 lead in and then Cian Healy was held up over the line by a combination of Ricky Lutton and Chris Henry.
But Leinster went back to their scrum and after persistent infringements referee Andrew Brace awarded them a try.
Carbery drew them with four points with the conversion and then Pienaar made his emotional farewell in the 69th minute.