Ulster Score Five Unanswered Tries at HAC

As referenced in my last article, Ulster put forward a very different team for this match and boy did it show. 33-3, five unanswered tries and kept their opponents from crossing the whitewash for the full 80 minutes. About as strong a performance as we could hope against a top tier team such a Saracens. Nick Timoney opened early with a strong team try moving Saracens back and forth until Timoney only had a sole soft shoulder to contend with. Gilroy, the serial finisher and one of the team seniors, showed fantastic feet to touch down twice. Marcus Rae and Angus Curtis join the score sheet, both scoring one each to make it 5 unanswered tries.

As always, a big difference came from the number 9 shirt. Nathan Doak and Dave Shanahan are both fantastic number nines although, given his age, Doak does lack minutes at that level. However, John Cooney directs the team and adds an edge that is pivotal to Ulster’s playstyle. I wish I could pin it down to a concise change that he brings but honestly I think it’s a bit of everything. From speed of ball to kicking, Cooney just brings that edge that other nines seem to have trouble replicating. I will say, though, that Cooney had much more experience to work with across the pitch this week so I’m by no means counting out the Ulster faithful Shanahan. The addition of Balacoune made a big difference in the back line as well. Even though he didn’t get over the whitewash, Balacoune consistently finds space and stretches the defence, causing all sorts of problems for opposition defence.

Whilst the pack struggled once or twice in the scrum battle, they hunkered down and it couldn’t have been more solid for the rest of the game. Bradley Roberts stole the ball twice in a row at opponent line outs and repeatedly bulldozed through the Sarries defence. I wouldn’t have wanted to tackle him, and I’m sure many of the Saracens didn’t want to either. Roberts ran with purpose and aggression repeatedly taking more than one man to put him down.

All around fantastic performance and a much better idea of the coming season, as they seem to be perfecting the balance of experience and young, exciting players. Players like Gilroy, O’Connor, and the new Mick Kearney will be invaluable to the younger players with such raw talent who could benefit from the direction of such experienced teammates