I’d predicted a narrow win for Ulster in a scrappy game and that is exactly what we got but, given the prevalent, and sometimes gale force, wind it was never going to be a classic.  Ulsters scores came from a penalty try, on the 4th minute, and Rory Scholes, who raced clear on the 10th. Paddy Jackson converted both. Edinburgh hit back with a score on the 47th minute through Cornell Du Preez, which Jack Cuthbert converted, but Ulster held on reasonably comfortably to secure the much needed win.

On the down side Ulster suffered a substantial number of injuries starting with Roger Wilson being withdrawn before kick off with Nick Williams stepping up and Clive Ross joining the squad. Iain Henderson and Darren Cave departed in the first ten minutes, Peter Nelson followed later in the first half and Dan Tuohy limped off in the second. The injuries to Henderson and Nelson looked particularly serious. We wish them all a speedy recovery.

I’ve been having a gripe about the lack of on-field leadership most of this season but I must say they got most things right in this game. They kept the ball in hand more often, executed more line breaks, and when they did kick they generally made substantial gains.

This improved “game management” (I think that’s the current “in vogue” coaching term for making the right choices) was evident right from the start as Ulster set about their task with the required vim and vigour. A rare scrum against the head set the tone and Ulster were knocking at the Edinburgh try line within minutes. Nick Williams charged down a clearance attempt five meters from the line and, after a lengthy injury break for the unfortunate Henderson (replaced by Ross), Ruan Pienaar was dragged back by an offside player after a dart round the side of a ruck. Penalty try for Ulster and with Jackson converting Ulster led 7 – 0 after 5 minutes.

Cave trotted off shortly after, having suffering an early knock, but his replacement Louis Ludik had a fine game in his stead, being one of he few players who, refreshingly,  tried to avoid contact with ball in hand. Indeed, a break by Ludik was instrumental in sending Scholes clear for Ulster’s second try on the 10th minute after another fine scrum. Jackson converted to extend Ulster’s lead to 14 – 0.

Edinburgh regrouped somewhat and put a bit of pressure on Ulster in their own half but the home side’s defence looked comfortable and they looked the more dangerous with the ball in hand. Ludik notched up an impressive number of line breaks and Kyle McCall and Rob Herring put in an impressive amount of work in the set and in the loose.

Ulster suffered another injury blow as Nelson was stretchered off on the 28th minute to be replaced by Stuart McCloskey who went to outside centre with Ludik dropping back to full back. McCloskey had a good enough game, with his physical presence causing the Edinburgh defence a few problems, but he butchered a few chances that I think Ludik would have made more off and the half closed out without further score.

The question at half time was, “would fourteen points be enough of a lead?” Ulster now faced the strong, to gale force, wind and it looked as though the answer was going to be a resounding no as Edinburgh crafted a nicely worked try for captain Du Preez seven minutes after the restart. Cuthbert converted to take the score to 14 – 7.

In previous matches this season Ulster would have crumbled but on this occasion they continued to make the right decisions and continued to look the more dangerous of the two sides.

They did butcher a few more chances and were unfortunate when a try by Luke Marshall was disallowed because of an earlier infringement by Chris Henry but it was probably the right decision. An injury to Tuohy, after Franco van der Merwe had already been replaced by Alan O’Connor, saw John Andrew come on at wing forward with Ross moving into second row but the makeshift pack coped remarkably well and I can’t remember a threatening attack from Edinburgh in the final thirty minutes.

The game didn’t exactly peter out but Edinburgh were a beaten team well before the final whistle. Not a classic by any means but a solid and confident performance by Ulster. Definitely a step in the right direction.

Final Score: Ulster 14 Edinburgh 7. 

Ulster: Peter Nelson, Andrew Trimble, Darren Cave, Luke Marshall, Rory Scholes, Paddy Jackson, Ruan Pienaar, Kyle McCall, Rob Herring, Ricky Lutton, Dan Tuohy, Franco van der Merwe, Iain Henderson, Chris Henry, Nick Williams. Replacements: John Andrew, Andrew Warwick, Wiehahn Herbst, Alan O’Connor, Clive Ross, Paul Marshall, Stuart McCloskey, Louis Ludik.