URC: Ulster make it back-to-back wins to see off Italians...just about

Ulster ran in a five-try bonus point victory over Benetton Treviso to keep up their chance of making the URC play-offs - but it wasn't without a bit of drama.

The Italian visitors ran in five tries of their own as Ulster's defence left gaps time and time again, and only for some wayward first half kicking from Jacob Umaga, they could have well have left Belfast with a win of their own.

The visitors took the lead inside six minutes and it was no more than they deserved for their early pressure.

They had Ulster pinned back inside their ’22 for the majority of that time before Tomasso Menoncello dived over in the right corner. Jacob Umaga missed the conversion from a tight angle and after that, Ulster seemed to find their groove, gradually at least.

They edged in front when the irrepressible Cooney broke the line and managed to offload to Tom Stewart, who had the simplest of tasks to walk it over the line in the 16th minute, before Cooney duly converted,

The Italians almost regained the lead just six minutes later when another overload down the right – very similar to the opening try - saw Leonardo Marin almost get in. However, as he stretched for the line, John Cooney came up with a timely intervention to pull him into touch.

But, they did edge ahead with a 25th minute penalty knocked over from close range by Jacob Umaga. However, the final 15 minutes of the half were all the home side.

They got their second try two minutes after the half hour when another break from Cooney saw him held up right on the line. In the ensuing mass of bodies, it was Reuben Crothers who managed to get the ball down, with Cooney again converting.

Then right on the half-time whistle, Ulster grabbed their third try of the half as Stockdale benefitted from the bounce from a Sturt McCloskey kick to race over. Cooney made it three from three from the conversion to give the hosts a 21-8 half-time advantage.

They did suffer a blow early in the second period as Stockdale went off injured, replaced by Ethan McIlroy four minutes into the half and then Benetton hit back two minutes later as Umaga picked up a loose ball to race over.

But five minutes later, Ulster moved 15 points clear as Will Addison was picked out on the right in acres of space by Mike Lowry to get over in the corner. The ever-reliable Cooney split the posts from the touchline to make it 28-13.

But rather than put their foot down and take control, Ulster allowed Benetton back in – and back in down the right again.

This time it was replacement Toa Halafihi who went over and Tomas Albornoz who was entrusted with the conversion, which he duly made to close the gap to 28-20. They then brought it back within a point 17 minutes from time as Ivan Nemer went over and Albornoz converted.

Ulster did stem the Benetton tide and manage some daylight between themselves and the Italians on 66 minutes though as replacement Cormac Uzuchukwu forced the ball over despite protestations from the visitors. Cooney converted to make it 35-27.

With just over six minutes left on the clock, the boot of Cooney made it an 11-point game – this time from a penalty.

Cooney rightly got a huge ovation from the home crowd when he departed the scene with just over three minutes of the 80 remaining following another sterling display.

That was just second before Rob Baloucoune made a superb try-saving tackle to prevent Umaga going over in that right corner again, focring the knock-on in the process.

But Benetton did get their fifth try right at the death through Albornoz, which he converted, but Ulster had done enough to get over the line in a frantic encounter - but with a win that will do their chance of a top 8 finish no harm at all.

MATCH STATS

Ulster: Eric O'Sullivan, Tom Stewart, Scott Wilson; Harry Sheridan, Alan O'Connor (C); Dave Ewers, Reuben Crothers, Dave McCann, John Cooney, Billy Burns, Jacob Stockdale, Stuart McCloskey, Will Addison, Rob Baloucoune, Mike Lowry

Replacements: John Andrew, Andrew Warwick, James French, Cormac Izuchuwku, Greg Jones, Dave Shanahan, Luke Marshall, Ethan McIlroy

Tries: Stewart, Crothers, Stockdale, Addison, Uzuchukwu

Conversions: Cooney (5)

Penalties: Cooney

Benetton Treviso: Thomas Gallo, Giacomo Nicotera, Simone Ferrari, Scott Scrafton, Edoardo iachizzi, Alessandro Izekor, Michele Lamaro (C), Lorenzo Cannone, Andy Uren, Tomas Albornoz, Rhyno Smith, Marco Zanon, Tomasso Menoncello, Leonardo Marin, Jacob Umaga

Replacements: Gianmarco Lucchesi, Ivan Nemer, Tiziano Pasquali, Niccolo Cannone, Toa Halafihi, Alessandro Garbisi, Filippo Drago

Tries: Menoncello, Umaga, Halafihi, Nemer, Albornoz

Conversions: Albornoz (3)

Penalties: Umaga

Referee: Sam Grove-White