Ulster came agonizingly close to a famous comeback in Pretoria, but the Bulls held on for a 34-26 win in their United Rugby Championship clash at Loftus Versfeld Stadium. Head coach Richie Murphy praised his side for “sticking in the fight” after battling back from a 21-point deficit.
Ulster in action against the Bulls (Credits: BBC Sport)
Ulster Fight Back From 21 Points Down Against the Bulls
Ulster made life hard for themselves early, turning over their first three possessions and allowing the Bulls to dominate territory and possession, holding around 65 percent of both by half-time. But Murphy’s side refused to fold, clawing their way back into a game that looked lost.
The visitors left Pretoria with a bonus point for scoring four tries, only to be denied a second bonus point by Curwin Bosch’s penalty with the last kick of the game. Former Ulster star Marcell Coetzee led the way for the hosts, scoring two of the Bulls’ four tries despite spending 10 minutes in the sin-bin.
Murphy Proud of Ulster’s Fight, but Wants Lessons Learned
Murphy was honest about where the game slipped away, pointing to first-half indiscipline and a scrum that needs work against South African opposition. “You have to stick in the fight here. Plenty of teams come here and kind of roll over. I don’t think we did that, which I’m really proud about, the way the lads stuck to the task,” he said.
The cruelest moment came late, when a Stuart McCloskey pass looked to have sent James McKillop clear on the wing for a potential winning score, only for McCloskey to be ruled to have had part of his foot in touch. “If he gets that away earlier we’re going into the last two minutes with a lead. But that’s the breaks,” Murphy admitted.
Ulster remain winless in this season’s URC, with two draws and two defeats, but Murphy believes the tight battles will pay off later in the season. Next up is the Stormers in Cape Town, with seven squad reinforcements set to arrive, while the province’s Ireland internationals return home to join Andy Farrell’s international squad on Monday.
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Source: BBC Sport — read the full story there.
