URC result: Stormers outgunned by fired up Ulster

The Stormers second stringers had no answer against a fired up Ulster as they received a 35-5 (halftime 21-0) hiding in their United Rugby Championship (URC) match at the Kingspan Stadium in Belfast on Friday night.

Despite Stormers coach John Dobson being at pains to claim that this wasn’t a second string team that had made the trip to Ireland and that the team management believed they had every chance of pulling off an upset, they were instead brutally exposed by a rampant Ulster team still smarting from their two losses in South Africa last season.

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In the starting 15 the Stormers only had four players that you would consider regular starters and that was evident at one of the toughest grounds to play at in the URC against one of the powerhouse teams.

It was a bit of a scrappy start to the match but eventually Ulster got themselves rolling, which saw them on attack deep in the Stormers 22m, allowing scrumhalf Nathan Doak to pick up the ball at a ruck and snipe over to score, before converting his own try for a 7-0 lead after 14 minutes.

Six minutes later the hosts were back in the Stormers 22m, and after going through a few phases they earned enough space out wide for wing Ben Moxham to cruise over untouched, as they moved 14-0 ahead.

With the teams nearing the halftime break the Stormers then had a couple of chances to get on the board which they didn’t take, which cost them as Ulster went up the other end, tapped a penalty on the 5m and flank Nick Timoney powered over to score a converted try on the hooter to put them well on top.

Snuffed out

Any chance the Stormers had of fighting back in the second half was effectively snuffed out in the 46^th minute, as Ulster tore into the visitors half and this time it was prop Jeff Toomaga-Allen who was afforded plenty of space to rumble over, with Doak’s conversion giving them a 28-0 lead.

The hosts were soon in for their fifth try 10 minutes later, this time working their way through the desperate Stormers defence, for fullback Michael Lowrey to go over and score, with replacement scrumhalf John Cooney adding the extras.

The Stormers then finally managed to show some grit in the final 20 minutes of the match, putting in a much improved effort which allowed them to have the final say as from a lineout deep in the home sides 22m, the visitors set up the maul, with replacement loose forward Andre-Hugo Venter to break off and score with just three minute remaining.

Fullback Kade Wolhuter unfortunately pulled the easy conversion attempt which basically summed up the Stormers night, as they head back to SA licking their wounds.

Scorers

Ulster: Tries – Nathan Doak, Ben Moxham, Nick Timoney, Jeff Toomaga-Allen, Michael Lowrey; Conversions – Doak (4), John Cooney

Stormers: Try – Andre-Hugo Venter