Rugby: Nail-biting climax sees Ulster triumph

Published on 25/02/2012 12:10

Ulster kept their RaboDirect PRO12 League play-off hopes alive – but only just with their fourth win in their last five games, 15-14 against the Ospreys, taking them to fourth in the table with six regulation games still to play.

The game ended in high drama when the Ospreys’ Eli Walker snatched a late try and then nearly got in again right at the end, which would have won it for the weakened visitors and done huge damage to Ulster’s play-off hopes.

Ospreys punished Ulster early on with a try from Joe Bearman but the visitors were penalised for dragging down a driving Ulster maul and two minutes later after several scrums and close-in drives referee Neil Hennessy awarded Ulster a penalty try. They then pressed home that advantage when Paddy Wallace was put in at the left corner.

With two minutes to go Walker beat three Ulster tackles to make the line after a great run with referee Henessey going upstairs to the TMO before it was awarded. Biggar’s conversion cut Ulster’s lead to a solitary point.

Then with the final play of the game a cross-kick to Walker nearly made the line only for John Afoa to kick it dead and save the day for Ulster.