Lions punished after nail-biter

morgan.bolton@inl.co.za

Lions (18) 37

Tries: F Horn (2), Tshituka, Coetzee, Q Horn; Conversions: Lombard, Hendrikse (2); Penalties: Lombard (2)

Yellow Card: Van Wyk

Ulster (15) 39

Tries: Baloucoune; Burns, Lyttle, Mccloskey, Herring; Conversions: Cooney (4); Penalties: Cooney, Doak

THE Emirates Lions were brought back to earth by a determined and street-smart Ulster in their United Rugby Championship encounter at Emirates Airline Park yesterday.

A 10-minute blitz, which started in the 38th minute and which netted Ulster 19 points, swung the encounter the way of the Irish giants. It was during this period that Henco van Wyk served 10 minutes in the sin-bin for a failed intercept attempt, and Ulster used that numerical advantage.

Ulster also started off the better of the two sides. They scored in the second minute, an easy run in-for wing Robert Baloucoune. He looked up to see two Lions’ front-rowers in front of him. He split them open, leaving the Lions’ defence chasing grass cuttings in his wake.

The visitors would take an early 10-3 lead thereafter, as Gianni Lombard and scrum-half John Cooney traded penalties. The Lions hit back through Francke Horn, due to the quick-thinking Emmanuel Tshituka. The flank snaffled up a loose ball at the breakdown in the Lions’ half, releasing Horn and Co to gallop in.

Tshituka was involved again moments later, after a spell of pressure in the Ulster 22, smashing his way over the whitewash. The visitors, however, struck back in the last five minutes, finishing the half with Billy Burns taking advantage of that 14-man defence.

With Van Wyk sitting in the bleachers, Ulster continued that momentum with a brisk, early score in the second half, wing Robert Lyttle scoring for a 22-18 lead.

A brilliant 50-22 by full-back Michael Lowry put the Ulstermen in a prime position to score their second try of the half, and although the resulting line-out was sloppy, centre Stuart Mccloskey collected the ball and crashed over.

Five minutes later Ulster utilised their powerful maul, hooker Rob Herring registering their fifth try. Now 36-18 down, the Joburgers saw Andries Coetzee, scoring his second try in as many games; and then a brilliant team effort that went through slick hands, with Quan Horn finishing.

Ulster seemed to have stitched up the game with five minutes remaining with a penalty, but a line-break by the Joburgers saw Francke Horn scoring his second try.

A nervy two minutes for Ulster followed, but with the help of some sloppy game management from Coetzee and then a poor line-out from the Lions, they held out for the win.