Ruthless Ulster capitalise on yellow card to tame the Lions
ULSTER piled on the points during a Lions sin-binning before holding off a home fightback to win 39-37 in Johannesburg.
Dan McFarland’s side trailed 1810 when Henco van Wyk was yellow-carded shortly before halftime, with Rob Baloucoune’s early try having been cancelled out by scores from Emmanuel Tshituka and Francke Horn.
However, Billy Burns, Rob Lyttle and Stuart McCloskey all went over in Van Wyk’s absence while Rob Herring added his own name to the scoresheet shortly after the centre’s return from the bin.
Tries from Andries Coetzee and Quan Horn plus a second for Francke Horn set up a tense finale but Ulster clung on to become the first northern hemisphere side to win in South Africa in the United Rugby Championship this season.
Baloucoune – back from Emerging Ireland duty for this fixture – scored the opening try inside two minutes after Ulster won turnover ball just inside their own half and spread it wide.
John Cooney added the extras before Gianni Lombard reduced the deficit with a long-range penalty. Cooney’s first penalty
went over off a post but the Lions were level when Ruan Dreyer’s superb offload sent Francke Horn charging over from halfway.
Lombard gave the Lions the lead for the first time from the tee after 26 minutes before Tshituka crashed over from close range.
However the sin-binning then changed everything as Ulster bagged four tries over the next 15 minutes’ play to open a commanding 36-18 lead.-18.
The Lions weren’t finished though and Coetzee brushed off Mike Lowry’s tackle to give the home side hope.
Although the conversion was missed, Quan Horn added another score soon after and Jordan Hendrikse’s extras brought the hosts within six.
Doak split the posts with a penalty before Francke Horn’s second and another Hendrikse conversion made it a two-point game with two minutes to play but Ulster held on.