Hat-trick: Dean Budd
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A last-minute try from Dean Budd, who scored a hat-trick, saw Treviso claim a shock 29-29 draw at Ulster on Friday.
The visitors played some enterprising rugby in the early stages, buoyed by their five-try victory over Munster last week, and they took the lead inside five minutes with a penalty in front of the posts from Alberto Di Bernardo.
The league leaders were determined to bounce back from losing two of their last three matches though and they scored the game's opening try midway through the first half thanks to a great individual effort from Andrew Trimble. The Ireland international winger crashed onto a short ball from Ruan Pienaar after an attacking lineout and sidestepped his way past a couple of defenders.
Replacement Tommaso Iannone didn't help his side's cause when he was sent to the sin-bin for pulling Trimble back with just under ten minutes remaining in the first half and Ulster had extended their lead within seconds of him leaving the field.
19-year-old Stuart Olding danced his way through the Treviso backline and sprinted around Fabio Semenzato to touch down underneath the posts.
Iain Henderson evened things up numerically moments later though by picking up a yellow card of his own and that allowed the Italians to reduce the deficit to 17-10 at the break as Budd squeezed in at the corner.
And the Italians continued to take their chances in the second half as Robert Barbieri forced his way over from a driving lineout after Lewis Stevenson had been given another yellow card for the hosts.
Budd then charged down an ill-advised kick from full-back Ricky Andrew and just made it to the loose ball in time to touch it down before it ran over the dead ball line with a little over quarter of an hour left to play.
Di Bernardo was on target with the conversion for both second half tries but four penalties from Paddy Jackson meant Ulster were still in possession of a five-point lead as the clock ticked towards the final whistle.
Poor play from the Irishmen gifted the ball to Treviso for one last chance though and they grasped it with both hands as Budd finished off an overlap in the left-hand corner to complete his hat-trick.
Di Bernardo was unable to turn the draw into a win with the conversion from the touchline but the visitors will settle for two points on the team currently sitting top of the table.
The scorers:
For Ulster:
Tries: Trimble, Olding
Con: Jackson 2
Pen: Jackson 4
For Treviso:
Tries: Budd 3, Barbieri
Con: Di Bernardo 3
Pen: Di Bernardo
Ulster: 15 Ricky Andrew, 14 Andrew Trimble, 13 Darren Cave, 12 Stuart Olding, 11 Michael Allen, 10 Paddy Jackson, 9 Ruan Pienaar, 8 Robbie Diack, 7 Mike McComish, 6 Iain Henderson, 5 Dan Tuohy, 4 Lewis Stevenson, 3 Declan Fitzpatrick, 2 Rob Herring, 1 John Afoa.
Replacements: 16 Neil Brady, 17 Calum Black, 18 Ricky Lutton, 19 Neil McComb, 20 Ali Birch, 21 Paul Marshall, 22 Niall O'Connor, 23 Chris Cochrane.
Treviso: 15 Brendan Williams, 14 Ludovico Nitoglia, 13 Andrea Pratichetti, 12 Gideon La Grange, 11 Giulio Toniolatti, 10 Alberto Di Bernardo, 9 Fabio Semenzato, 8 Christian Loamanu, 7 Filippo Giusti, 6 Dean Budd, 5 Corniel Van Zyl (c), 4 Valerio Bernaḅ, 3 Jacobus Roux, 2 Giovanni Maistri, 1 Michele Rizzo.
Replacements: 16 Franco Sbaraglini, 17 Matteo Muccignat, 18 Pedro Di Santo, 19 Marco Fuser, 20 Marco Filippucci, 21 James Ambrosini, 22 Luca Morisi, 23 Tommaso Iannone.
Referee: Andrew McMenemy (Scotland)
Assistant referees: Paul Haycock (Ireland), David Keane (Ireland)
Television match official: Peter Ferguson (Ireland)
Comments
99call says...
The ref took scottish referring to a whole new level of rubbish, there was on scrum were the Ulster pack destroyed Treviso on their own ball Afoa went straight through the tighhead and the ref gave them a penalty for Ulster driving up, never heard or a penalty for driving up, when your opposite number stands up through pressure and you walk straight through him then the penalty should go to you and as other people have mentioned on here some of the linesman decisions were rubbish as well there was one kick though that was clearly deflected of an Italian hand but they got the throw in and it was infront of the linesman, makes you wonder what these guys are doing I assume they get paid to do it but if you cant get that right then you should be sacked.
Anyway dissapointing final result but that was down to poor ball retention but there were some good perfomances from a couple of the young lads like Cochrane when he came on and I was seriously worried about Olding when he was selected as hes quite small but I didnt need to be he tackled like an animal and took his try very well
Posted 10:54 04th March 2013
Stag91 says...
Game swung by two terrible linesman decisions. Giving throw both times to Treviso when first was in touch when caught and second one carried out by Brendan Williams. Both times, in fairness to Treviso, were taken to Ulster's half and ended in a score. Should have been out of sight after Olding's wonderful try!
Posted 13:00 02nd March 2013
macte says...
Nitoglia is one of the best wings Italy has ever had. Venditti is chosen only for his size. Look at his surprised face when he has in hand that funny shaped object called ball.
FIR still thinks that rugby is like a hard-core film: the bigger the better.
Posted 11:43 02nd March 2013
NHsaints says...
I swear Treviso get better week by week.
Posted 11:24 02nd March 2013
melkdave says...
Another good result for Treviso,and if i was Brunel id seriously be thinking of playing A.Di.Bernardo at 10 for Italy ,as his obvisously in form,and getting his backline ect moving,and bringing Berbieri into the squaf.I was surprised he wasnt truth be told given his form earlier in the year.Anyway as an England fan i just hope he doesnt till after they've played against England
Posted 10:23 02nd March 2013
giomamo says...
Very brilliant collective performance by Treviso. Some pains in the first half, growing up pression put on Ulster in the second half. They also add a bonus point thanks to the 4 tries. Barbieri is coming back at autumn's level, but also Nitoglia, Van Zyl, Muccignat and Semenzato played with good intensity.
Posted 00:18 02nd March 2013
Lucasrg says...
Di Bernardo at 10 for Italy and Barbieri at 8...that's it.
Posted 21:45 01st March 2013
ArmchairGeneral says...
Wow
Posted 21:44 01st March 2013