Glasgow v Ulster: Five takeaways as second-half ‘card thriller’ ends with ‘Springbok hopeful’ securing a draw
Ulster's Juarno Augustus and Glasgow's Kyle Rowe
Following a rollicking 33-33 draw in Saturday evening’s URC fixture at Scotstoun, Planet Rugby selects five takeaways from the round two action featuring Glasgow and Ulster.
The top line
A draw was a fair outcome following a riveting 10-try encounter in Scotland that featured thrilling second-half spells with the sides reduced to 13 players due to overlapping yellow cards.
Having been horribly lethargic when falling 34-5 behind at home to Edinburgh last weekend before rallying for two bonus points, a fast start was a non-negotiable for Ulster and they got it with Bryn Ward borrowing over the line following a tapped penalty with little over three minutes played.
Glasgow’s response was beautifully executed. Ulster can have gripes that the manhandling of George Horne into touch was deemed to be a penalty and they defensively paid the price, the Warriors fashioning a first phase move off the lineout finished by Josh McKay for the score-levelling 10th minute converted try.
A 19th minute deliberate knock-on yellow card for Dan Lancaster followed, offering Ulster a prime invitation to strike, and they do so with Ethan McIlroy getting the 21st minute score after multiple phases. However, a wild pass when attempting to run the restart kick back from inside their 22 invited pressure that ended with a converted 26th-minute try for Kyle Rowe off a Stafford McDowell pass.
It left Ulster losing the 10-minute sin-bin 5-7, and they were dealt another blow with the leg injury sustained by back-rower Ward.
Penalty-winning breakdown steals from Rowe and Gregor Hiddleston on Jamie Benson and Zac Ward were examples of further Ulster frustration in a half where they dominated possession, but they took the lead in the third minute of added time through Jack Murphy’s converted try.
It soon got even better for the visitors, with Chay Mullins grabbing the four-try bonus point after a lovely McIlroy break less than seven minutes into the second half and Murphy added the conversion for 26-14.
Glasgow, who already had five of their sub forwards on, needed a galvanising response and yellow cards for the high-tackling Ben Carson and the deliberately knocking-on McIlroy in 112 seconds resulted in a 15-on-13 contest.
It was pivotal. Within 88 seconds of that second card, Jamie Dobie ran in at the corner off a Sione Tuipulotu pass for a converted try, and the 28-26 lead was confirmed with Sam Talakai’s converted 60th-minute try.
Ulster got one man back from the bin but the continuing numerical imbalance was exposed by Rowe’s solo unconverted try on 63 minutes, the winger accelerating from just inside his own half and leaving a slew of defenders beaten, including Benson, who couldn’t handle a fend to the face.
Having seen a 12-point advantage turned into a seven-point deficit, the question now was: could Ulster produce a rousing response when restored to 15? They could. Pressure resulted in Rory Darge and Talakai getting yellow-carded within 91 seconds of each other and Springbok hopeful Juarno Augustus’ 73rd-minute converted try levelled the match.
Horne had the chance to win it for 13-man Glasgow, but he hit the post with a 76th-minute penalty kick, and the frantic finish concluded with Ward knocking on when tackled while trying to race for the corner.
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13 versus 15… twice
South Africa referee Christopher Allison is a novice at URC level. Saturday’s fixture was his 12th appearance and he was heavily involved, blowing up for 21 penalties and five yellow cards. Glasgow conceded fewer penalties – nine to Ulster’s 12 – but they suffered more cards, three to the visitors’ two.
There were no quibbles about Lancaster’s temporary first-half exit. His deliberate knock-on stopped Ulster exploiting an overlap outside, but the cards in the second half had massive bearing on the fluctuating scoreboard.
Ulster lost two players in 112 seconds, Carson for going high on McDowell and McIlroy for knocking on a Lancaster pass, and they conceded two tries while down to 13 and another when the overlap ended and they had 14 players on.
Then it was Glasgow’s turn to suffer, losing two players in 91 seconds for illegal play when defending their under-pressure line, and it allowed Ulster to level the scores with the game’s second 15-on-13 period.
It wasn’t quite the 15-on-11 situation that materialised in last weekend’s Australia versus South Africa Test in Perth, but it was enough to create ample space and for points to follow.
Ulster will need a stern review for not profiting enough when advantaged by the cards. They lost the 15-versus-14 spell in the first half 5-7, and then only won the second 15-13 spell 7-0.
It was Glasgow’s bench which deservedly secured the spoils at Munster last weekend, the Warriors coming from behind to sweep to victory in Limerick, but there was no repeat at Scotstoun against a more energetic Ulster.
Bench press
The hoists trailed 14-19 when Franco Smith opted to make five changes to his pack in one go in the 44th minute, including the arrival of Darge and Scott Cummings, but the alterations took a while to get up to speed. A poor pass from Talakai was an example, and they soon conceded a try before hitting the straps.
Turning the screw and transforming a 12-point deficit into a seven-point lead was no mean feat, even if their tries came with the opposition numerically challenged, but not closing out the victory when it became 15-on-15 again should annoy them.
Ulster were there to be killed off after seeing their lead evaporate, but Glasgow didn’t exert the control or the discipline necessary to see out the win despite massive shifts from the likes of tackle king Matt Fagerson and top ball carrier McKay.
Devine intervention
It’s been nine years since the IRFU generated negative headlines for blocking Ulster’s wish to hand crowd favourite Ruan Pienaar a contract extension. The Dublin HQ argument was that his presence would cause a blockage in bringing through Irish talent in a key position, and they were ultimately proven right.
Pienaar’s exit allowed John Cooney, the former Leinster and Connacht player, to shine as the Ulster nine. His face didn’t fit for Ireland, but Irish head coach Andy Farrell could now have a second Ulster scrum-half to run the rule over on top of the already capped Nathan Doak.
Doak came through the pathway system, but Ulster boss Richie Murphy seems to have done good business recruiting the Connacht-developed Matthew Devine. His hurry-up off the bench was just what the doctor ordered last week in Ulster’s revival from an embarrassing situation versus Edinburgh, and he laid a terrific platform this weekend as the starter.
His 39th-minute break was the pick of his threat running the ball, but his kicking and passing were also solid before his replacement by the equally capable Doak in the 44th minute.
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Fits and starts
Glasgow’s wide-wide attack accounted for four of their five tries, scores that were pretty in the eye, but they can’t shy away from the fact that they have begun this season playing in only fits and starts.
It was only in the 68th minute in Limerick when they finally took the lead in round one last weekend, and their round two sluggishness was reflected in having just 33 per cent territory and 46 per cent possession in a home match where they were expected to be the more dominant side.
When they are on their game, they are excellent. But their struggle to assert pressure wasn’t helped by an inconsistent lineout and stats such as making only 120 ball carries to Ulster’s 187 and 236 tackles to Ulster’s 160. They’re the type of stats expected on a URC away day, not at home in front of expectant fans.