Free-scoring Ulster thump Quins to claim bonus point win

Credit: Presseye

By Ciaran Donaghy

Ulster 52 v 24 Harlequins

Ulster made it back to back wins against Harlequins in the European Champions Cup with an empathic bonus point victory at Kingspan Stadium.

Les Kiss side scored six tries in a dazzling display of attacking rugby to close the gap on Pool 1 leaders La Rochelle to two points before the French side play Wasps on Sunday.

A strong break from hooker Rob Herring earned Ulster a penalty and scrum half John Cooney landed the resulting kick on four minutes.

Cooney doubled Ulster’s lead with his second penalty after out half Christian Leali’ifano forced Quins centre Winston Stanley to hold on in the tackle.

Cooney was in fine form with the boots - kicking five conversions and four penalties Credit: Presseye

Quins got back in the game on 14 minutes, Ulster were attacking but Charles Piutau’s pass was intercepted by No8 Renaldo Bothma, he darted for the try line but Craig Gilroy dragged him down five metres short, the Londoners quickly recycled the ball and scrum half Ian Prior put Marcus Smith over in the corner but the out half couldn’t convert his own score.

Ulster responded immediately, Leali’ifano chipped over the defence, centre Stuart McCloskey was first to the loose ball, he hacked on and had enough pace to touch down before the ball went dead and Cooney converted from a tight angle.

McCloskey and Jacob Stockdale combined to put Quins winger Charlie Walker into touch just before the try line on 28 minutes.

However Walker wasn’t to be denied scoring from the next phase of play.

Walker made an initial break in midfield the forwards carried it for a couple of phases before the winger got the ball just outside the 22 and went on an arcing run to outstrip the home defence and touch down under the posts to make Smith’s conversion a formality.

Charlie Walker celebrates scoring his side's second try Credit: Presseye

Cooney gave Ulster a 16-12 half time lead when he slotted over his third penalty on 33 minutes after Quins were caught offside.

Ulster got their second try four minutes after the restart, Stockdale made a searing break carrying into the 22, the home side had to work the ball patiently before centre Louie Ludik hit the line at speed and shipped the ball wide for Gilroy to squeeze over in the corner, Cooney converted from a tight angle.

Cooney nudged Ulster further ahead with another penalty on 51 minutes.

Ulster cut the Quins defence open again on 57 minutes, from a scrum in midfield Cooney put width on the ball, Stockdale galloped into the 22 before offloading to Gilroy, the winger cut back of the angle to create space out wide and switched the ball to Piutau for an unconverted try.

Piutau finishes an exciting Ulster move for another try Credit: Presseye

Quins full back Ross Chisholm profited from a catalogue of missed tackles in the Ulster defence to go over for an unconverted try on 58 minutes.

The English side had prop Kyle Sinckler on 60 minutes for a charge on Stockdale and Ulster swiftly punished them by getting the bonus point try.

Stockdale again was the creator with another enterpr break, Iain Henderson surged for the line but was stopped short and lock Alan O’Connor picked up to go over from close range with Cooney converting.

Quins captain Dave Ward got his side’s bonus point try again profiting from some poor Ulster defending but Prior couldn’t convert.

Cooney got the try his performance deserved on 72 minutes by finishing a slick handling move which he converted.

Andrew Trimble put the icing on the cake with a try from the final play of the game which Cooney converted.

Teams

Ulster: C Piutau, C Gilroy, L Ludik, S McCloskey, J Stockdale, C Leali’ifano J Cooney, C Black, R Herring, W Herbst; A O'Connor, K Treadwell, I Henderson, C Henry, N Timoney,

Replacements: J Andrew for Herring 52 mins, A Warwick for Black 41 mins, R Kane for Herbst 41 mins, M Rea for Treadwell 67 mins, S Reidy for Timoney 55 mins, P Marshall for Cooney 75 mins, P Nelson for Stockdale 65 mins , A Trimble for Piutau 60 mins

Harlequins: R Chisholm, C Walker, W Stanley, J Roberts, A Alofa, M Smith, I Prior; L Boyce, E Elia, K Sinckler; G Merrick, C Matthews; A White, D Ward, R Bothma,

Replacements: C Piper for Elia 67 mins, M Lambert for Boyce 58 mins, P Swainston for White 67 mins, M Luamanu for Bothma 55 mins, D Lamb for Merrick 68 mins, J Lang, T Visser, M Brown for Smith 76 mins

Ref: A Ruiz (France)