Ulster 19-9 Wasps: Stubborn hosts see off Wasps
By Rob Mulhern
Last Updated: 14/10/17 4:44pm
Two beautiful pieces of skill from Ulster winger and man of the match Jacob Stockdale sealed an opening night 19-9 win for Ulster over Wasps in Belfast.
On a wet night that dampened the contest as a spectacle in the first half, Ulster trailed 6-3 at the break.
But the contest exploded into life midway through the third quarter when Ulster's man of the moment skirted into the corner after the brilliant Charles Piutau tied up Wasps' midfield.
With just one point between the sides, and the momentum now clearly with the hosts, Stockdale then scooped up a loose kick deep in his own half before bursting clear and playing a one-two with Piutau which brought the winger to within 10 metres of the Wasps' tryline.
His looping offload was collected by centre Stuart McCloskey who touched down to leave Ulster with a narrow 13-9 lead, which they looked unlikely to surrender.
The contest was punctuated by cheap penalties born out of ill-discipline in the greasy conditions more than cynicism.
And Wasps' coach Dai Young will feel disappointed that his side failed to earn even a bonus point which looked a certainty at the interval.
Wasps had been tigerish in defence but their inability to convert good field position saw them turn over the ball to Ulster after building the kind of momentum that had the hosts beating a retreat.
But Ulster's stemming of the tide was also rooted in the fleet-footed breaks from defence by Piutau who was finding space down the narrowest of defensive alleyways.
Earlier, Stockdale and Lealiifano combined for the former to punch a clean hole through Wasps' midfield off a lineout, but up to that juncture, only Piutau was performing in a manner that defied the difficult conditions.
But if the weather was improving then the Wasps' injury woes were about to worsen.
Two penalties from Elliot Daly and Jimmy Gopperth, and a reply from Ulster scrum-half John Cooney left the visitors leading 6-3 at the break. But by then hooker Tom Cruse and centre Brendan Macken had left injured and Thomas Young - who had been prominent in the first half - failed to reappear after half-time.
Gopperth ignored these setbacks and stroked Wasps further ahead with a penalty on 46 minutes, after Christian Wade foiled an almost certain Ulster try with an intercept when the hosts about to make good on an overlap.
But the energy growing in the stands started to blow a storm behind Ulster who began stringing together series of attacking phases in try-scoring positions.
Lealiifano got within inches of the game's opening try after good work from Jean Deysal and Sean Reidy, only for the TMO to correctly rule his effort agonisingly short.
But by now Ulster were heaping agonising pressure on the hosts. Piutau used his fleet of foot to hold and then stretch Wasps midfield from a set play off a lineout, creating just enough space for Stockdale to collect his pass and skip over in the corner.
It was the winger's fifth try in as many games.
Lealiifano missed the conversion, but the flying Ulster pairing would combine again for McCloskey to score two minutes later.
Wasps Matt Mullan made a brilliant tackle on the line to prevent John Cooney adding a third try on 58 minutes and Wasps remained in the fight, despite a yellow card for a high tackle by Josh Bassett on 74 minutes and another Llealiifano penalty.
But while Wasps enjoyed territory in the final plays, there was to be no blot of a losing bonus point on Ulster's winning scorecard.