Now bring on the best in Europe! – Pienaar
RUAN Pienaar reckons Ulster are primed and ready to tackle a formidable Clermont Auvergne side after getting back to winning ways against Cardiff Blues.
The Springboks scrumhalf delivered a virtuoso performance to orchestrate a 35-22 bonus-point triumph in the Welsh capital.
A first-half blitz with tries from Charles Piutau, Stuart McCloskey and Kyle McCall had the game wrapped up before the break.
Kristian Dacey kept the hosts in it, but Chris Henry bagged the bonus-point before Louis Ludik ensured his men would rise above Glasgow Warriors into fifth place in the PRO12.
Cardiff favourite Nicky Robinson led a late comeback to set up Alex Cuthbert and Willis Halaholo tries, but the damage had already been done by the Belfast side. Pienaar told The Rugby
Paper: “We’re right up for the Clermont game now. It’s always a privilege to play at the Kingspan Stadium but it adds extra spice being in Europe.
“They are a really good team and we know how tough it is, but these are the games you want to be involved in as a rugby player, it should be a great clash.”
Sam Warburton was a late withdrawal due to illness, but the hosts looked to have found the remedy as fly-half Steven Shingler landed a penalty to send his side into a 3-0 lead.
But with Pienaar playing the role of conductor, Ulster were soon ahead.
The scrum-half darted past Shingler at the side of a ruck to take his side to within 10 metres of the Cardiff line.
The pressure eventually told and Blaine Scully was sin-binned for slowing the ball at a ruck, and Les Kiss’ men showed their clinical edge to utilise an overlap and send Piuatu over.
Pienaar added the extras, before it got even better for the visitors.
This time the ball was worked into midfield and McCloskey hit a devastating angle to sear past Tau Filise and Cuthbert to dive in at the posts.
Pienaar landed the conversion, before they crossed again to all-but seal the victory before half-time.
Lloyd Williams attempted to clear his lines with a box-kick but Pienaar was there to smother, and loosehead McCall somehow smuggled the ball away from Scully to score.
However, Blues hooker Dacey burrowed over to score after Cuthbert went close to narrow the gap to 21-8 at the interval.
Ulster survived 10 minutes without Iain Henderson, who was sinbinned for a high tackle on