Details

Date Time Competition Season
8 October 2021 7:35 pm United Rugby Championship 2021/22

Match Report

Four-try Ulster bag home win

Tries from Craig Gilroy and Rob Herring; and a brace by Nathan Doak; helped Ulster to a 28-8 win over Benetton, in tonight’s tie at Ravenhill in the United Rugby Championship.

Ratuva Tavuyara crossed for the Italian teams only try of the game, coming on the hour mark, but Ulster proved too strong, Doak taking the kicking duties expertly, kicking 4/4

Ulster were pressed into a change in the opening stages as Andrew Warrick was forced off as an early blood sub, with Callum Reid on to take his place in the first minute.

The visitors grabbed the initial points, when in the 8th minute, 19-year-old fly half, Leonardo Marin converted a penalty for the Italian side.

Ulster thought they had crossed for the opening try in the 15th minute, Rob Herring on his 200th appearance used the maul to his advantage, but an Ulster man caused an obstruction in the build-up.

Benetton were reduced to 14-men in the 18th minute, Ivan Nemer sent to the sin bin for an illegal tackle. 

The home sides pressure paid of in the 23rd minute, Craig Gilroy got onto the end of a Billy Burns crossfield kick, he bested Rhyno Smith in the air and crossed over for the opening try. Nathan Doak Converted the extras, to leave it 7-3.

Doak himself crossed for the second try, a great link up with David McCann in the build up, as the scrum half barreled his way over, the home side making the extra man advantage count.

Herring got his moment in the 34th minute, again the driving maul working wonders for the Ulstermen, Herring drove through and dived over for his side's third, Doak again with an impressive effort for the conversion, leaving the score 21-3.

The home side held on late in the half, to keep out the pressure of the Italian side, eventually forcing the penalty, as the side remainder 21-3 ahead at the break.

James Hume received his marching orders in the 57th minute, the Centre shown a yellow card for an illegal challenge.

Benetton crossed for their only try of the night, Ratuva Tavuyara crossed in the 60th minute, the Italian side getting space on the outside to touch down in the corner.

Ulster remained on top again piled on the pressure late on, they pushed at the Benetton defence, eventually Doak managed to squeeze his way through to pick up his second try, to early Ulster a bonus point win in the 78th minute.

 

Ulster

1Andrew Warwick 17 Prop
2Rob Herring 16 Hooker 34'
3Tom O’Toole Prop
4Alan O’Connor 18 Lock
5Sam Carter 19 Lock
6Matty Rea No. 8
7Nick Timoney Flanker
8David McCann 20 Forward
9Nathan Doak Back 27', 78'
23', 28', 35', 79'
10Billy Burns 22 Fly-Half
11Ethan McIlroy Back
12Stewart Moore Centre
13James Hume Centre
14Craig Gilroy Winger 23'
15Will Addison Centre
16Bradley Roberts 2 Hooker
17Callum Reid 1 Forward
18Ross Kane 4 Prop
19Mick Kearney 5 Lock
20Sean Reidy 8 Flanker
21Dave Shanahan Scrum-Half
22Michael Lowry 10 Fly-Half
23Ben Moxham Back

Benetton

1Federico Zani Prop
2Corniel Els 16 Forward
3Ivan Nemer Prop
4Irne Herbst 19 Lock
5Federico Ruzza Lock
6Giovanni Pettinelli No. 8
7Michelle Lamaro
8Braam Steyn 21 Flanker
9Callum Braley 22 Scrum-Half
10Leonardo Marin Fly-Half 8'
11Luca Sperandio Winger
12Tommaso Benvenuti Back
13Marco Zanon Centre
14Ratuva Tavuyara Winger 60'
15Rhyno Smith Full-Back
16Tomas Baravalle 2 Hooker
17Cherif Traorè Prop
18Tiziano Pasquali Forward
19Marco Lazzaroni 4 Forward
20Sebastian Negri Flanker
21Lorenzo Cannone 8 Flanker
22Luca Petrozzi 9 Back
23Luca Morisi Centre

Past Meetings

(Round 1)
35 - 24
PRO14
Kingspan Stadium

Ulster v Benetton

Ground

Kingspan Stadium
Kingspan Stadium, Ravenhill Park, Belfast, County Down, Northern Ireland, BT6 0BW, United Kingdom

Diarmuid Kearney is a freelance Sports Journalist based in Co Kerry. He has more than 5 years experience covering domestic and international soccer for different media organisations, while also working for local and national print and digital organisations covering GAA.