Ulster - Ospreys 18.10.2024 First Half
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00:30Well, Belfast welcomes the History Boys, Wales' most successful professional region.
00:45This Ulster side, no Ian Henderson injured, but Harry Sheridan and Cormac Izetugru return
00:50from emerging Ireland duty.
00:52Cooney and Morgan are at half-back, and Stuart McCluskey returns to the midfield, and Mikey
00:58Lowry makes his second start at full-back.
01:02Jude Husslethwaite, a tri-scorer last week, is on the bench.
01:05Wholesale changes for the Ospreys, missing 40% of their squad.
01:10Wales regular Gareth Thomas starts, a first start for Will Greatbanks.
01:13Justin Timberlake, a three-time Lion, alongside captain Morgan Morris.
01:19The backline ruptured by injury and rest periods.
01:22Jack Walsh, player of the match against the Dragons, is at full-back.
01:26And there are plenty of youngsters on that bench, some drawn in from clubs in the Swansea
01:32region for this game, with the Ospreys missing 18 players.
01:36Yes, the Ospreys, they've won this championship four times in the last 12 years ago, but come
01:41here off a defeat by the Bulls, who were the last team to beat Ulster, who beat Conlon
01:46at the Kings fan last Saturday.
01:49Two home wins and two heavy defeats as the Ulster return, while the Ospreys have won
01:54just the once, putting 37 points past the stuttering Stormers.
01:59The Ospreys facing a third defeat in a row, having succumbed to Munster and the Bulls
02:04over the past fortnight.
02:05And the Ospreys just squeezed into the quarter-finals of URC last season on matches won, having
02:12finished on the same points total as the Lions, then lost to Munster and Limerick, and arrive
02:17here with a heavily depleted squad, missing 40% for a variety of reasons.
02:23The past glittered with league championship trophies, the fourth one coming at Dublin
02:27against Leinster in 2012, when a Shane Williams try was converted by Dan Biggar.
02:34Loads of notable names in Osprey shirts in those days, including star imports like Justin
02:42Marshall and Gerry Collins.
02:43Alan O'Connor leads out the Ulster team, their defeat at the Ospreys last season was the
02:48uppercut that hastened the end of the Dan McFarland era, a 79th minute Dan Edwards drop
02:55goal, pinching the win for the Welsh by 19 points to 7 in round 10 of the URC, and shortly
03:02after Dan's five-year reign as head coach was over.
03:06The referee, the Italian Andre Piardi, who handled the URC final between the Bulls and
03:11Glasgow, also the first Italian to handle a Six Nations game, he was in charge of Ireland
03:16and Wales last February.
03:20Remember the Ospreys glory days of James Hook, Gavin Henson, Lee Byrne, when instead of the
03:25captain's run, the squad all went for a collective spray tan down in Wyne Street in Swansea,
03:32when leg waxes were all part of the players' contracts, when they used the hair dryer and
03:38wax and gel before the game, not after it.
03:42Different times for the Welsh regions now, with the lower salary caps, and a lot of players
03:49rested for this game, big Welsh names, Adam Baird, Dowie Late, Jack Morgan, and Dan Edwards,
03:54who broke the Ulster hearts, and Dan McFarland's heart ultimately, with that drove goal in
04:00the late stages in this fixture, corresponding fixture last season, John Cooney, now 34 years
04:07of age, goes to the air, as he did so many times last week, well judged, well taken,
04:14Kieran Hardy, two spells at the Scarlet, starting for the first time for the Ospreys, Ospreys
04:21over 26-0 down after 22 minutes against the Bulls last week, four tries, try bonus point
04:29conceded in that first quarter, and here goes Tom O'Toole, 13 caps for Ireland, now John
04:36Cooney.
04:39The monsoon season in the Craigie estate is over, the rain has relented, the wind has
04:45died away, it's almost perfect conditions now, and that's Walsh, and that's great play
04:49by him.
04:52Jack Walsh at full-back, versatile player, can also play at ten, and the first penalty
04:57of the game goes the way of the Ospreys.
05:00Tom Shanklin.
05:01Kieran Hardy in shot there, looked like he was looking for a penalty, and the ball fumbled
05:05out the base.
05:06The ball didn't really react.
05:07He sort of gave up on it, that was the turnover, that's what came for the position and territory
05:14for Ulster.
05:17Just catches it on his own player's leg, but there's no urgency there to get down on the
05:20ball, is there?
05:25This is a guy you want to see in a bit of open space, you might not see it too much
05:28tonight but Kieran Giles, electric.
05:32He's been hampered a lot by injury, many, many injuries over the years, Kieran Giles,
05:35Sam Parry and Justin Tipperick, 93 caps for Wales, Sam Parry to Dan Edwards, and there's
05:42a hooker playing at six today, Lewis Lloyd, so that's how deep they've had to dig into
05:48resources.
05:49Dan Edwards for Justin Tipperick, and the ball is stripped away brilliantly well, and
05:53it's Jacob Stockdale for Mike Laurie, the Wiz kids on the left wing for this Ulster
05:59side, putting the pressure on this Osprey's defence and forcing them a long way downfield.
06:07Super reef there from Marcus Rea, I think it was.
06:13Just got second guy in the tackle, what a reef, well gathered by Jacob, and then a lovely
06:19wee kick through by Mike Laurie.
06:20There's a tackle on Tipperick that did that, went in low, just under the ball, just dislodged
06:25it slightly, very good aggressive hit.
06:29Hard man to reef.
06:32James McCormack, the line out throw, McCluskey makes the error, ball knocked forward, the
06:39return of McCluskey, obviously an error, first time out, but Craig Gilroy, such an important
06:44player to the way Ulster attack.
06:47He is, he's instrumental, it's glad to see him back so early from his injury over in
06:54South Africa, I thought it was going to be more long term, so I'm delighted for him.
06:59Nothing wrong here, no miscommunication or anything, everyone did their roles, it's just
07:02as simple, it's a greasy wet night and he's dropped it.
07:05He looked like he was timing slightly wrong, a little bit hesitant when he took it, you
07:08want a player like him just hitting that line and not stopping, but he looked up and saw
07:13Morgan Morris in front of him.
07:16Ospreys, 11 changes from the Bulls side, 29-19 the score, as I said four tries in the first
07:2422 minutes, they were like a clown car, the wheels came off, the doors came off, the engine
07:28blew up, two players were off injured, Kieran Williams and Tom Boda went horribly, badly
07:34wrong and it's gone badly wrong at that scrum, Ulster have conceded 13 penalties at scrum
07:39time this season, the Ospreys have conceded 12, the two worst scrummages in the URC, but
07:46Ulster in the ascendancy early on, they're here.
07:49You know that's a super confidence booster Robbo for Eric, James and Tom, having conceded
07:54so many scrum penalties to get a penalty for them this early in the game, they'll be delighted
08:01with that going forward.
08:02Free, step, stay there.
08:03This is an area that was so good last week, against Conor, just that driving line out.
08:11Ulster score so many tries from these sort of positions, Dave McCann takes that line
08:15out ball, James McCormick in possession, trying to ferry Ospreys into the crumple zone, and
08:25they do just that, it's almost unstoppable, that Ulster ball, where it gets some traction
08:32and it got a lot there.
08:34You sort of thought it was going to come anyway, as soon as they went to the corner, it was
08:41back in their drive, it's really good, initially you thought the Ospreys did a decent enough
08:46job taking it towards the touchline, but then as soon as the reinforcements come in, see
08:50McCluskey there, just adding a little bit of weight, normally you know it's serious
08:53when Werner Koch comes in to a driving line, didn't he this time?
08:57Yeah, he's the other side.
09:01That's well taken by James McCormick, just his second start for Ulster, and on his first
09:06try, it'll be a night to remember for him.
09:09Werner Koch's hair distracts the opposition.
09:13Flaps in the breeze.
09:16John Cooney's kicking success rate has been poor this season, 3 from 8, in fact Ulster's
09:21goal kicking record total, 53%, the worst in the URC, and one of those misses was from
09:29right in front of the post after he scored a try against the Lions, when he just set
09:34his hands on the hips in disbelief, and it's 3 from 9.
09:39You've scuttled him Robbo, he's such a meticulous goal kicker, he's almost obsessed with it,
09:47and it has been a bit of a shaky start for him, albeit we're early on in the season,
09:53but he's a fantastic kicker, not just off the tee.
09:59John Edwards with the restart, and a mistake by Dave McCann that he touched the ball, off
10:04goes John Cooney, and it's Aidan Morgan who goes into his strong half, the Aucklander,
10:13he's already scored two tries for Ulster.
10:21Ulster 31 kicks from hand against Connacht, Stockdale with the boomer of a left boot that
10:29he has, and Ulster will use that as often as they possibly can, and why not.
10:34I like that from Kieran Hardy, put a bit of pressure on him, but you just need a secondary
10:37chase there, did the right thing, check Stockdale back inside, then he needs someone else to
10:42pressure him.
10:43Calm though wasn't he?
10:47Yeah, such a useful two, the big left boot, you don't want to play too much in your own
10:5422 in the 10, especially when it's greasy.
10:59Especially when he's scored as well.
11:02Shot of Toby Booth there, it's his final season after five years in charge at the Ospreys,
11:07Mark Jones will take over, former Welsh winger, and Justin Tipperick will become the defence
11:12coach.
11:14And there is Justin Tipperick, looks like he's just been rescued from a couple of decades
11:17on a desert island, with that hair, when he made close friends with a volleyball called
11:23Wilson.
11:24Here's Kieran Hardy, 93 appearances for the Scarlets, Gareth Thomas, nice hands, and trying
11:32to go through the gap there is Lewis Jones, Tipperick with a tip, Sam Parry, trying to
11:40work the ball to Whidfeyer on the Ospreys, and they have, and it's Keelan Giles, poor
11:46kick though straight to Larry, and Stockdale again, trusts that left foot of his, sends
11:53it a long, long way downfield end over end, and Dan Edwards will be able to touch this
12:00down as Stockdale descends.
12:02Look where Ulster are now, after a very good attack, Gareth Thomas didn't expect it there,
12:11went backwards, but they still kept the ball alive.
12:14Watch the acceleration here, he just goes, gets on the outside of Wernicott, but goes
12:18straight to Larry, if that goes anywhere else, then Ulster are turned and there's a lot of
12:22pressure.
12:23Dan Edwards, oh nobody called for that ball, Ulster just allowing it to drop, it was Ben
12:34Carson who trapped it messy style, here's Ray, goes into Parry, in comes Tom O'Toole
12:41to attempt to clear out now, John Cooney, switching is Morgan, inside him is Mike Larry,
12:49Morgan and Larry, you'll probably see them dropping into the 10 position, first receiver
12:54position as they switch about, here is Morgan, now McCluskey, the Hollywood honey monster.
13:06Harry Sheridan in the second row today alongside the captain Alan O'Connor, Mike Larry, here's
13:11a great athlete, Cormac is at Chukwu, played in the second row and in the back row for
13:16Emerging Ireland down in Bloemfontein, and Jacob Stockdale, talking of Bloemfontein,
13:22he's already scored a try in South Africa this season, and the man who is coming right
13:27bang slap into form, Stockdale gets his second try of this campaign, a nice, gentle, easy
13:34walk-in for the Irish international.
13:41Just thought that ball was going to go a tiny bit earlier towards the Chukwu, it doesn't,
13:45Larry gets the offload through the tackle, but this is really good skill set in close
13:51quarters there, isn't it Craig?
13:52Yeah, just the simple things done well, not much room to work with here, close to the
13:56touchline but they stayed square, Aidan Morgan stayed square, Dave McCann, that's your forward,
14:00simple hands to Jacob and that's an easy walk-in for him.
14:03It's the type of drill you do in training a lot, when you come around the corner you
14:05realign, it's quick hands, you straighten, draw the man and pass, good confidence there
14:10to execute that.
14:12It is, but it's the simple things done well, Shanks, isn't it?
14:16Just staying square.
14:17There's more space in a one-man tent, they still managed to fit in two passes down that
14:24blind side.
14:25And do you know why, Robbo?
14:27Because they stayed square.
14:28I thought you were going to say because they're worth it.
14:3120 seconds.
14:32I've been in a lot of one-man tents here, and I am these days, it's a sad story of my
14:39life.
14:41Cooney having missed his first at home, another one goes wide, and John Cooney, you can see
14:48by the expression on his face, the bemusement, the metronomic Cooney has lost his form, and
14:54Stockdale recovering his.
14:57You can hear it in the crowd, or you can't hear it rather, when John kicks, whether it's
15:03going over or not, shaky start for him, but he'll recover.
15:07Little timing.
15:10Edwards goes long, Cooney's underneath it.
15:15His kicking to touch last week against Collett was absolutely exceptional.
15:21He's such a good striker of the ball, not just off the tee, not just kicking for goal,
15:28but his box kicks, whether that's to compete for the winger to chase and compete, or whether
15:32that's just to clear it and put it long, even his spiral bombs the last couple of weeks
15:35have been impressive.
15:38He launched a particularly beautiful one of those last week, here's Morris, Morgan Morris,
15:43not to be confused with the other Ospreay, Morgan Morse, Morris made his 100th appearance
15:48last week for the Ospreays and earmarked it with a try in the final minute, but it wasn't
15:54enough to secure anything from that defeat at home to the Bulls.
15:58Behind, stay behind.
16:02It's Hardy, Warren Edwards.
16:07Hardy again, to Dan Edwards.
16:14Misses out, Justin Tipperick, and sets it for Werner Koch, brilliant hands, now it's
16:19Mike Laurie, into space, was he taken out by Williams?
16:23Back goes Keelan Giles, Werner Koch is all over Giles, but the penalty goes the Ospreays
16:30way, over enthusiasm perhaps from Werner Koch.
16:36It's the same story, sorry, referee's talking there, it's the same story with the Ospreays,
16:42that's twice now, loose ball, ball not gone to hand, Ulster have pounced on it, it happened
16:48in the first 2-3 minutes last week against the Bulls, and they scored off it, they need
16:52it, they need to look after the ball better.
16:54They're trying to get a little bit wider aren't they, away from where Ulster are strong,
16:58but they haven't quite got the skill set or the alignment to do it at the moment.
17:03In the first instance, the bounce pass almost worked for them when Keelan Giles went down
17:07the left wing, but equally and on the other side, you can go the distance, someone like
17:12Mike Laurie.
17:14Justin Tipperick, 7 line out takes for him last week, 15 in total this season, from the
17:21Welsh international legend.
17:23Very good, very good.
17:29Kieran Hardy's going to launch one downfield, Keelan Giles is after Werner Koch, makes a
17:36great take, already becoming a firm favourite here in Belfast, now it's Tom O'Toole, and
17:42Cooney, here it is as a Chukwu, he really is a fine athlete, he's live, built like one,
17:51but Ulster come in from the side, and give away an unnecessary penalty there, a bit disappointed
17:57with their discipline.
18:02Soft penalty there Robbo, super carry from Cormac as a Chukwu, not sure was it Harry
18:07Sheridan coming inside, yeah number 5.
18:12It's the yards after contact which impressed me with the Chukwu, just when you think you've
18:23got him, he goes that extra 4 or 5 metres, which makes a huge difference.
18:30Harry Sheridan impressive on that emerging Ireland tour, played a full 80 minutes in
18:34the opening game against the Pumas.
18:37Sam Parry, no Dobby Lake today, who captained Wales in all three of their games in the summer
18:44against South Africa and Australia.
18:47Sam Parry a very experienced player, now in his 30s, a Welsh international himself.
18:53Come here, come here for a second, come here for a second.
18:56I set the mark, you stay on the mark.
18:58If they close, don't step, because otherwise you're chicken and an egg, ok?
19:02Let's go.
19:03Sam Parry's attire, I mean it's like rugby at 7.30, aerobics at 9.30.
19:14Told me to do that.
19:16Parry and it's taken by Lewis Jones.
19:23Sorry.
19:25Hardy for Parry and another mistake at midfield.
19:29They're just not joining the dots in there, as Tom Shanklin said before the game, making
19:33a lot of errors, unforced errors.
19:36And that's Walsh with the pass, knocked on by the Ospreys.
19:40Scrum advantage and McCann with a beautiful pass, which releases Stockdale.
19:46And he's got support from Carson, who weaved a nice little pattern on the outside there
19:52to try and create the space on the outside.
19:57Here goes Cooney, Tom O'Toole receives the ball, again just gets half a metre through
20:04contact, so important.
20:09Cooney to Morgan and McCluskey and Morgan trying to work an axis.
20:16Not quite, but again it's Laurie who goes.
20:22Cooney, nice hands.
20:25And again Izetchoukwu is on the end of it.
20:29Morgan, McCluskey, good tackle by Justin Tiferlek.
20:35And here is Cooney.
20:38And again he's got to go the other way, there's nobody to his right, there's plenty of players
20:42to his left.
20:43One of them Stockdale, puts it through.
20:47Ulster chasing hard through McCann and Mike Laurie.
20:51No, it's on the ground, no it's on the ground.
20:53Good contest.
20:54The Ospreys have done really well there to recover.
20:58Great banks.
21:01First start for the Ospreys, the 21-year-old.
21:04Signed from the Produce side, Soyeau in France, where he spent nine years, Welsh father.
21:10Hardy with the clearance.
21:13Ospreys attack at the moment has just put them under a lot of pressure.
21:15I can see what they're trying to do and that's where the space is, but just the pass and
21:20the timing isn't quite there.
21:23Same as last week with their attack.
21:29Those passes go to hand, there is space out there, but it's not at the moment.
21:35If they don't, Ulster could be up the field under the sticks.
21:38James McCormack for Dave McCann.
21:41Nine, nine, nine.
21:44Puts his arm underneath to gather the ball, now James McCormack breaks away.
21:49Took a mighty crack to the head last week from Josh Murphy, who picked up a straight red card for that.
21:55Here's Izechukwu again, heavily involved in the first quarter of this game.
22:00Kooney.
22:06And again, Ulster very tight around that ruck McCormack with the carry.
22:11Kooney to Morgan, there's an offside advantage here as Jack Walsh takes the ball.
22:17Ospreys up very quickly indeed and this puts Ulster into a very strong position.
22:21Wouldn't be at all surprised if they head for the corner.
22:25Only option, got to be the only option.
22:27Only option, got to be the only option.
22:35It's now six tries the Ospreys have conceded in the opening quarter of the last two games.
22:43See the Ospreys breaking early defensively.
22:46Guys on the line please, on the line, on the line.
22:49Pass by Jacob Stockdale in the head from Morgan there.
22:53Maybe trying to throw the long ball to Werner Koch.
22:56McCormack to McCann.
22:59And crossing.
23:01There's a player in an obstructive position in the line-out.
23:06And that's another frustrating penalty in from the side earlier on.
23:09Obstruction there, penalties that you almost don't force, ones you don't have to give.
23:17Dan Edwards with the clearance, good clearance too.
23:24McCann.
23:26Straight behind him, you can't do that.
23:31It's got to be an even contest when the player lands, can't block him.
23:37Ospreys side, stats-wise, ranked overall the worst attack in the URC.
23:41Nine tries, 56 defenders beaten.
23:44Just 20 clean breaks, nine offloads.
23:47Ulster, 17 clean breaks and 20 offloads.
23:5215 tries this season, out of the two tonight, 17.
23:55Glasgow still top of the list with 22.
23:58Hardy, in goes Koch.
24:01And he's knocked that ball forward, under pressure from Lewis Jones.
24:07Super kick there from Kieran Hardy.
24:10Keelan Charles, it's almost so fast he ran past it.
24:14Got his timing a bit wrong to get up and challenge, but Werner's knocked it on anyway.
24:19The kick before was just as good, but no-one really challenged it.
24:22At least there's probably a little bit more traffic there in the way of Werner Koch.
24:27Yeah, you need to get up in the air.
24:29Even if you're not going for the ball, even in the periphery of the player catching it,
24:34it puts you off.
24:35And when it's wet and it's greasy, it just adds to that.
24:39It's a good result for the Ospreys.
24:42Against the Bulls, when Steenkamp, Dromelar and Lowe were the front row for the Bulls,
24:48against Ulster and the Ospreys.
24:50Ulster and the Ospreys conceded 10 penalties between them.
24:55Ulster won the first scrum penalty of this game, and it's 1-1 now, 1-1 to the Ospreys.
25:00But you could argue perhaps that that Bulls front row, Steenkamp, Dromelar and Lowe,
25:05may be the most powerful one in the league.
25:08Frightening. It's frightening when you look at how powerful they are at scrum time.
25:13Thankfully we don't have to scrum against them.
25:15You were really dominant in the first one.
25:16This one, for me...
25:17They have to survive.
25:23A lot of experience on the loose-head side, in particular for the Ospreys, with Gareth Thomas.
25:32Yeah.
25:33Welsh international.
25:35Ospreys scored a try from their first attack last week, which came after 25 minutes.
25:41They had to wait.
25:43They were scored by Dowey Lake.
25:44Ulster beware, it was from a driving ball.
25:46Ulster have conceded eight tries from driving balls this season.
25:50It's been a particular weakness, Ulster.
25:52Did they get over the ball through Sheridan?
25:54Not quite.
25:55Williams.
25:59Hardy as Morris on this side.
26:01Top carrier for the Ospreys this season.
26:03Beautiful hands from Morris.
26:05And now Keelan Giles.
26:07Hardy, Ospreys trying to get on the front foot through great banks.
26:11No, White.
26:15Edwards again.
26:19Got to go back this way through Gareth Thomas.
26:24Recent big favourite of Warren Gatlin's, here's Williams, who's played out half,
26:29starting out half against England in last season's Six Nations for Wales.
26:38Good defensive set there from Ulster.
26:41Harry Sheridan has to feel hard done by.
26:43A couple of phases earlier, I thought he got on the ball really well.
26:47Came a few phases later anyway.
26:51Keep trying to come back down there.
26:52The blind side, the Ospreys.
26:56Just trying to look for lazy defenders really, there's not much space there.
26:59That's a fantastic kick.
27:03He's gone for it there.
27:06Ada Morgan, the crowd appreciating it.
27:08It's a high-risk kick because it can go up,
27:10but a perfect opportunity to try your ten points up.
27:12Someone might have a little word in his ear saying,
27:14just go for it, doesn't matter if you miss it.
27:18So important, remember the kick Joshuani missed for Connock last week,
27:21into the same corner, knocked it long right there.
27:24Ulster can back up the field, scored a penalty, won the game.
27:28So here comes this big driving ball again.
27:32And the Ospreys' defender this time, Tom O'Toole.
27:36Where's Werner?
27:37There he is.
27:38And here comes the flying pigtails of Bernard Koch.
27:42It's the grunt and groan platoon again,
27:47who get close to the line.
27:493-0-2, they get the advantage here.
27:52And Andrea Piardi wants a closer look.
27:56Yellow this.
27:57Is that Kieran Hardy?
28:00Guys, space please.
28:04OK, time-off.
28:06Your call was, guys, please step.
28:10Your call was nine, black, offside.
28:13Side entry.
28:14OK, you prevent any possible try?
28:16Do you want to check?
28:17Yes.
28:18OK, Matteo, we come to you.
28:20Time-off check, please.
28:22OK, we'd like to see the action of number nine, black.
28:26If there is a cynical side entry and preventing any possible try, please.
28:31Could be a penalty try, Tom.
28:34Still binded.
28:36It is there.
28:37Yeah, it's clearly from the side, from what I'm seeing.
28:40I don't see any clear separation, Matteo, between the players
28:43before he arrived to the ball carrier.
28:46I agree, Andrea.
28:47Yeah, Tom had left the ball there.
28:49Stop a possible try, prevent a grinding.
28:52So I'm thinking a penalty try in yellow card against number nine, Matteo.
28:55I agree, Andrea.
28:57The decision he has to make is, would a try probably have been scored,
29:01but for the infringement from Hardy.
29:04No, not for me.
29:05Not clear for me.
29:06It's a yellow card and a penalty try.
29:10And that's the result.
29:11The inevitable yellow card for Kieran Hardy
29:14and try number three for Ulster.
29:21This was the worry, really, with the Ospreys,
29:24against the power, the driving line-out,
29:28the physicality the Ulster team were going to bring.
29:31Not even 25 minutes in.
29:3317-0.
29:36Forget what you see in there, on the scoreboard.
29:41It's close, but not close enough.
29:45Don Edwards, Ulster seven home wins in a row in the URC,
29:51looking for a third home win in a row in this campaign,
29:54or a third home win in the URC.
29:58Looking for a third home win in a row in this campaign,
30:01having beaten Glasgow.
30:02And Conlon here now looking to play with a lot of confidence.
30:05Here's Jacob Stockdale, Morgan on his shoulder.
30:08Mike Laurie doesn't go forward.
30:10What a rampaging run from Adam O'Sullivan.
30:13And now it's Morgan for Mike Laurie.
30:15Don Edwards, Stockdale in support.
30:18Stockdale for a glittering try.
30:23Ulster playing legends all over this Kingsman pitch.
30:29Wow.
30:31What a drive.
30:33How many pairs of hands did that go through?
30:37What were we talking about before the game?
30:39That we might see sort of pragmatic, basic rugby.
30:42We talked about buns on seats.
30:44This is what brings buns on seats.
30:46Interlinking play like this, keeping the ball alive.
30:48Look at that.
30:49That's a great angle.
30:50The ability to offload.
30:52Such freedom to play with.
30:54We would never have seen this the first start of last season.
30:57You weren't allowed, Janks.
31:01It's amazing to see them playing without freedom.
31:04Look at that from Tom O'Toole, a one-handed offload.
31:08Mike Laurie to Jacob and then straight through.
31:10Lovely step off the left for Jacob.
31:13His confidence is going to be fly high.
31:16What a super, super score.
31:18Seems to have dried up a wee bit.
31:21The rain certainly stopped.
31:26John Cooney not front two.
31:29Almost ironic cheers.
31:32A hint of a smile from John Cooney.
31:35What's the secret to a stopgap?
31:37Why are we seeing what might seem like a different player
31:41than what we've seen maybe two years ago?
31:44It's a mentality thing, Janks, isn't it?
31:48One instance, one lucky bounce or one pass
31:53can put you on the end of something.
31:55And then that gets the ball rolling.
31:57Your confidence is a little bit higher.
31:59And then a week later, you maybe score again.
32:02And then all of a sudden, you're halfway into the season
32:05and you've nine, ten tries under your belt
32:07and you're full of confidence.
32:08He's in great form at the moment.
32:10He doesn't seem to be making little basic errors
32:13that we've seen creep into his game recently.
32:15No, he doesn't.
32:16I think that can come when you're really trying to force it.
32:20Time off for a second, guys.
32:22We are checking for something in the breakdown, OK?
32:24But we need the angle.
32:26Time off.
32:28He got off to such a good start.
32:30We're still checking something, but there's no angle available by now.
32:33So I wait. Time off.
32:36We're checking. Maybe it was a one-handed pass.
32:42If you keep, guys, there's no more time.
32:45We're checking for a forward pass here.
32:47In the build-up to the try,
32:49Erik O'Sullivan flinging it out to Morgan.
32:54OK, let's keep it, please.
32:57It's forward.
33:00Of course, the regulation has changed.
33:02It used to be you could only go and look at replays
33:05before the conversion was taken.
33:07But now it's changed.
33:09He asked for it.
33:10You put his run so fast.
33:12I understand.
33:14Good try, but he's clearly out of the angle forward.
33:16What he's talking about there is relative velocity.
33:20But that's a prop running, so I don't think it happens there.
33:23I think it's on the 10th.
33:25Valdo Connor questioning the laws of physics there to Andrea Piorti.
33:30Maybe he was right.
33:31As you say, relative velocity.
33:34I've known Erik O'Sullivan nearly 10 years.
33:36I don't think I've ever seen him through a one-handed offload.
33:40Or ever seen him use relative velocity.
33:43Well, a huge disappointment for Scott Daly and the Ulster team
33:47because it was such a well-crafted try.
33:49Absolute beauty.
33:51Inside the 50.
33:55It was.
33:56It was such a loose play.
33:58Again, I'm just glad to see them play with that freedom.
34:03The scoreboard attendants already got a migraine.
34:06They called it back just in time, mind.
34:08A second before he kicked off.
34:15Dave McCann picks it up for Cooney.
34:20Good tackle coming in there from Lloyd.
34:23Out of position.
34:24Usually a hooker.
34:25Wheels under 20.
34:26Hooker played in the World Juniors last summer in South Africa.
34:31Use that.
34:33Use that.
34:35Use that.
34:37Use that.
34:41John Cooney goes aerial yet again.
34:43Cooney, 13 kicks from hand last week.
34:46For 351 metres to be precise.
34:53OK, use it.
34:55Stan Edwards going into scrum half.
35:00Carried on by Lewis Jones.
35:0222-year-old, his first start for the Ospreys.
35:07Williams standing in the 10 position where he has played for Wales.
35:13No own walk in this week.
35:16Ball lifted, play on.
35:18Ball is lifted.
35:19Good, straggling work by McCann.
35:21Ulster getting all over the Ospreys in defence.
35:24And now trying to counter-ruck.
35:26Ospreys will do well to hold on to the ball here, which they have done.
35:29And off goes Morris, tiling his way through McCormick.
35:33Ball out.
35:34Black foot.
35:35Edwards.
35:37Oh, that's Williams.
35:38That's Ricochet.
35:39Oh, here's his...
35:41Chukwui!
35:43But it's John Cooney who gets there.
35:46Is it to score the try?
35:48Under pressure from Jack Walsh.
35:52Is it good to try or not?
35:54No, we need to check both of them.
35:56OK.
35:57Yeah, calm down, guys.
35:58Two more checks.
36:00Two things, Matteo.
36:01The first thing is possible in front of the kicker by six.
36:03And then if there is any...
36:06Guys, calm down.
36:07He's standing down there.
36:09Yeah, yeah.
36:10Lovely touch from Cormac.
36:11And then a possible try.
36:12We don't have any on-field decision.
36:15So you don't have an on-field decision.
36:18You have to check the first in front of the kicker by six wide.
36:21Anyway.
36:22And then a possible grounding.
36:23OK.
36:26Could you say knock the ball out of play intentionally there?
36:29That'd be very hard.
36:30No, no.
36:32I think it does come off Jack Walsh.
36:36I mean, it looked like Izetchuk was through,
36:38but the bounce of the ball just takes it left
36:40right at the last minute.
36:41It's a race between Kounia and Jack Walsh.
36:44When the ball...
36:45When the nine picks the ball up, he's allowed to play
36:47because he's legally in the right.
36:50Are you at the screen?
36:51Yeah, I'm in front of the screen.
36:52OK.
36:53Nothing clear and obvious for me from six.
36:56I agree.
36:57And then we need to see if there is any grounding
36:59from the first replay.
37:02OK, Andrea.
37:04He does so well to get back there, Jack Walsh,
37:06because he's actually face-on with Cormac.
37:08So he has to turn and go when John and Cormac
37:10have already got that head start on.
37:14Super effort to get back.
37:17I can see the black hand.
37:21Yes, Andrea.
37:22It was a Dutch by black hand.
37:25OK, so the restart is...
37:28He's...
37:31He pressed the ball down by black,
37:33so it's a goal-line drop-out.
37:36No, he didn't do it.
37:38You put it down.
37:39Yeah, I believe so.
37:42He's going for the ball, not to let the ball out.
37:46He's got that spot on.
37:48Thank you, Mateo.
37:49His downward pressure from Jack Walsh
37:52means it's a drop-out from under the post.
37:56OK, let's go, then.
37:57It would have been a scrum five.
38:01So Dan Edwards with the goal-line drop-out.
38:05It's taken by Stuttgall, denied a second try.
38:09After that forward pass, Dave McCann with the carry,
38:12and it's Cooney.
38:13He's really shown his athleticism so far.
38:16Mike Laurie tries to cut through
38:19the middle of the off-base defence.
38:21It's Cooney again for Alno Connor.
38:24Izetchukwu has seen a lot of the ball
38:26in this opening half an hour,
38:28and has caused the Ospreys many problems.
38:31Here's McCluskey-Stockdale.
38:35Good tackle by Williams.
38:38Cooney for Alno Connor,
38:40who's been involved in a couple of
38:42relatively heated conversations with the referee so far.
38:46Izetchukwu again, getting a lot of touches.
38:49Now, talking about the defence,
38:51getting a lot of touches.
38:52Now Tom O'Toole.
38:54The head guard is gone,
38:57as the steam builds up.
38:59Here is Ben Carson,
39:00scored that excellent try down in South Africa.
39:04Cooney, and O'Sullivan was running a really good line there.
39:09O'Sullivan in possession,
39:10his second rampaging run of the night.
39:15Cooney, Izetchukwu now at first receiver,
39:19and there's space.
39:20Is there out here for Jacob Stockdale?
39:22McCann wants it.
39:23Here's McCluskey.
39:28Ulster need quick ball here.
39:30McCluskey still in possession.
39:32Now, it's Tom O'Toole.
39:36Cooney, Sheridan.
39:43Thomas making a despairing tackle
39:46round the socks.
39:48Push back, push back.
39:49Guys, onside.
39:53Ulster's ability to retain possession in these positions
39:56in the opening games of this season
39:58has been very impressive.
39:59Yeah, I know, I know.
40:01Izetchukwu,
40:03Cooney.
40:08Stay behind, stay behind.
40:10Stay behind.
40:11Good.
40:12Ray over the ball.
40:13Ray takes it on another half a metre.
40:16Now it's Harry Sheridan.
40:19Sheridan with Izetchukwu on his shoulder.
40:22Alan O'Connor
40:24digs his shoulder into the Ospreys defence.
40:28Are Ulster going to get over this time?
40:31Well, it's touched down by Aidan Morgan.
40:34And the referee may have to go to the TMO again here.
40:38Ulster think they've scored another one.
40:41Or did it go forward?
40:44It's offside.
40:45And it's a penalty to Ulster.
40:49They worked well up the pitch, Robbo.
40:52Some lovely phases.
40:53Mike Laurie out the back.
40:55The forwards are getting organised well into their pods.
40:59I like how they're deciding whether to go front door or out the back.
41:04Looked a little bit forward from John Cooney to Erik O'Sullivan
41:07a few phases ago.
41:08It'd be too many phases now to try and score to look back.
41:14The ball slipping away from the Ulster grasp there.
41:20Ospreys one win against the Stormers.
41:23Three losses to the Dragons, Munster and the Bulls.
41:26Ospreys, remember, four league titles.
41:292005, 2007, 2010, 2012.
41:34Winning the last two in Dublin against Leinster.
41:37Their last success.
41:3831-30 thanks to a very late Shane Williams try.
41:42And a Dan Bigger conversion from the touchline.
41:44Those really were the glory days.
41:46And they really did have a fabulous rugby team.
41:54James McCormick again.
41:55It's Dave McCann.
42:00Trying to get the power drive engaged here again.
42:05And James McCormick breaks off early.
42:07Was that the right decision?
42:09The ball seemed to be rumbling forward pretty effectively there.
42:12Now it's Tom O'Toole.
42:17Sheridan looking to pave his way between a couple of Ospreys defenders there.
42:23Now it's Issa Chukwu who's scored a try for the emerging Ireland
42:26from a position similar to this.
42:34There it goes.
42:35O'Sullivan waits.
42:37Gets himself into a good position.
42:40And eventually the Ulster weight duvet of bone and muscle gets over the line.
42:49Gets really low.
42:52Drives with the legs.
42:53Trying to get under.
42:55Lewis Lloyd defended right next to that rock.
42:59It's tough, isn't it?
43:00Because you're basically head on head.
43:01Because both players are going to go low.
43:03Trying to drive for the line and defend.
43:07Chestnut Mill.
43:08Secondary shove.
43:11Gets him over.
43:13Ball's on the line.
43:14That's enough.
43:19Gets low.
43:21You see Lewis Lloyd trying to get underneath him.
43:23But just an extra bit of power gets him over.
43:29Marcus Ray eventually getting there with a try.
43:37And the Ospreys.
43:38I don't think they've been inside the Ulster 22 yet.
43:42Haven't managed to summon one meaningful attack.
43:48If they could hold on to the ball, Robbo.
43:52Made a few mistakes in midfield.
43:57Yeah, that's more like it from Cooney.
43:59Return to standard.
44:02Broad smile.
44:04That's more like you, John.
44:11Ulster have won 10 of their last 14 games against the Ospreys.
44:15Their last win in Belfast was 11 years ago when they won 16-12.
44:20Ryan Bevington with the Ospreys' only try.
44:23As Kieran Hardy returns to the field.
44:26Was Tommy Bowe playing?
44:29Was he?
44:30Oh, for up the edge.
44:31Was he?
44:32Oh, for up the Ospreys?
44:33Ah, yes, good question.
44:35I'll check it half-time.
44:39Four years, Tommy Bowe.
44:40Spent in Wales.
44:42Now here's Lloyd.
44:45In goes Ray over the ball as he secured it.
44:48Hardy says no.
44:51Jack Walsh moved into wide half there.
44:55There's a crock roll by Black 12, Owen Williams.
45:00Dangerous clean out, crock roll.
45:02Which has now been outlawed in the game.
45:04You can see the twist and turn from Williams.
45:08If he was crock rolled or someone, an Ospreys player from the side took him in.
45:13Took him over the top.
45:15Yeah, you're right.
45:16It has been banned for the safety of players.
45:18So many knees get trapped up there, cause horrific injuries.
45:24I'd like to see something here from Ulster in attack.
45:28Four's not enough.
45:30Well, you know, 24-point lead.
45:32Why not?
45:34It's dried up.
45:35You're being greedy.
45:36Stop kicking to the corner and scoring mull tries.
45:40Says Craig Gilroy has scored 69 tries for Ulster.
45:44He liked the ball reaching the rim for obvious reasons.
45:47He's play on, he's ripped by Black.
45:49Cooney for McCormack.
45:51Ripped by Black.
45:54Here is Zuniga.
45:56Here is Zamorgan.
45:57Now Izzetiuoglu.
45:58Forward pass again from Ulster.
46:01Been guilty of that a couple of times.
46:02You can certainly see that they're really trying to get Cormack Izzetiuoglu into the open play.
46:09They are.
46:10He's such a weapon.
46:11We've seen already the first 35 minutes.
46:14Anytime he's carried, he's made yards.
46:17I think those runners need to be a little more patient.
46:22Just overran that a little, causing the forward pass.
46:25You've got to put your hips forward as well.
46:27When you're running sideways like that, anything flat does look like it could go forward because it steps away from the pass.
46:33If he just squares his shoulders up a little bit, it makes it less obvious when it's flat.
46:39I'll let you tell him, Shanks.
46:42Ulster winning their last nine matches against the Ospreys in Belfast.
46:45Just two wins in Ireland in eight years for the Welsh region.
46:49Came within two months of each other against Connacht and Leinster.
46:53That's a good push from the Ospreys, eight.
46:57And now it's Walsh putting pressure at last on this Ulster defence.
47:01Werner Koch goes in, tries to clear out.
47:04He's full of industry.
47:06And now it's Lloyd.
47:08Okay, advantage five wide.
47:10Williams.
47:12And it's Boshoff.
47:13The first time that Evardy Boshoff has had the ball in attack for the Ospreys in this game.
47:19The South African.
47:20He sounds like a KGB agent.
47:23Here's Walsh.
47:24Gets away from Ben Carson's tackle.
47:27Still advantage.
47:28And sets it for Hardy.
47:29Now Williams.
47:30Werner Koch makes the tackle.
47:33Helped by Carson.
47:36And is there a fumble?
47:38Always under pressure.
47:40I'll give you the mark, wait.
47:41Give you the mark, wait.
47:42There was the referee playing advantage.
47:44He talks about, rather, about Ospreys not being in at Ulster's 22.
47:50Part of that is because the Ulster discipline is so good at the moment.
47:53They're not giving any penalties away for the Ospreys to get themselves in position like this.
48:00That was a nice scrum attack on the short side with Dan Edwards and Jack Walsh.
48:06They seem to work well together.
48:08Dan's obviously the first choice ten at the minute.
48:11But out half is Jack Walsh's preferred position as well.
48:16He's a really skillful player.
48:18He's got pace as well.
48:20He's not the biggest player, but he's got the ability to sort of ride with tackles and slip himself out of tackles and break tackles.
48:28It's a long way out for this Osprey side.
48:33The Ulster have been very weak in this area, conceding eight tries from opposition driving moles.
48:39Okay, jumping across.
48:41Jumping across.
48:43Illegally on the other side.
48:44The Ospreys way.
48:46So what have they got planned here?
48:49Some clever back line move again.
48:51Williams has moved into the first receiver position.
48:54Dan Edwards beyond him.
48:56The long flung pass for Jack Walsh trying to stand up Stockdale.
49:01Ulster staying on their feet in defence.
49:03No advantage.
49:05Number five jumping across.
49:07Lentz on the wrong side.
49:12Good bit of sustained pressure now from the Ospreys.
49:16This is why you get penalties, nil discipline from Ulster.
49:22Needs to go five metres out though.
49:25Give himself the best possible chance.
49:33Once more Leggett.
49:35We put White on the line.
49:37White on the line please.
49:38Ulster penalised there for jumping across.
49:40So we'll see here if Ulster have improved that mole defence.
49:44The Ospreys.
49:47Through.
49:49Mallet.
49:51Finds Lewis Jones.
49:55In comes Williams.
49:57In comes Boshoff.
49:59Keelan Giles joins the party.
50:02Will there be a celebration?
50:04Off goes Parry.
50:05There will be a celebration.
50:08There will be a celebration for the Ospreys.
50:11And it's come the way it so often does against Ulster.
50:15Nine tries conceded from driving moles this season.
50:19And this time it's Sam Parry on the end of the score for the Ospreys.
50:24It's given the Ospreys a little bit of hope.
50:29Nil discipline from Ulster gives the Ospreys this position.
50:33And not to ask them twice.
50:35Ulster's driving line-up is so good.
50:38But on the flip side, defensively, they do leak a lot of tries as well.
50:42It's a well-taken try from Sam Parry.
50:45Breaks off at the exact right moment.
50:48Jones experienced 32 years of age.
50:51Sam Parry has scored a hat-trick for the Ospreys in the past.
50:56Here's Dan Edwards, a 21-year-old from Port Talbot.
51:0017 appearances for the Wales under-20s.
51:02Will he go on to be a full international?
51:16Yeah, just about.
51:18Is Dan Edwards being looked at by Warren Gatlin?
51:21Yeah, definitely.
51:23Especially after the Stormers game where he marshalled and controlled it really well.
51:26But he needs a couple of big games now.
51:29Leading up to the squad announcement.
51:31Well, a try at the end of that first half from Sam Parry.
51:34Good performance in the first 40 minutes from Cormac.
51:37Is it Chukwu at Ulster?
51:39Very much in control against this much-weakened Osprey side.
51:42Missing 18 players.
51:44Ulster 24, the Ospreys 7.