Ulster 20-19 Glasgow Warriors

An 87th minute try from Dave Shanahan denied Glasgow Warriors an opening weekend victory in Belfast this evening, as Ulster edged to a 20-19 victory in round one of the 2024/25 BKT United Rugby Championship.

Tries from Johnny Matthews, Henco Venter and Kyle Steyn ultimately proved in vain for Franco Smith’s squad, who have to content themselves with a losing bonus-point after a highly physical encounter.

Having set a club record for tries in a single campaign last time out, it was perhaps no surprise that the first score of the new season would go to Matthews with just five minutes on the clock. Powerful carrying in the midfield from Sione Tuipulotu and Venter would force the concession of a penalty by the hosts, and when Tom Jordan dispatched the penalty to the corner there was a sense of inevitability about the outcome. Sure enough, over would go Matthews from the resulting maul, Jordan pulling the conversion just wide to leave the score at 5-0 to those in black.

The home side would slowly go about asserting themselves on proceedings in response, building to a barrage of pressure in the shadow of Glasgow’s posts as the opening quarter wore on. Yet the Warriors pack produced phase upon phase of defensive resilience, before a sublime try-saving effort from Josh McKay and Sebastian Cancelliere denied Mike Lowry out wide. An earlier penalty advantage saw Nathan Doak strike for three points, but the visitors held firm.

Despite their efforts, however, the Warriors would concede on 20 minutes as turnover ball proved their undoing. A charged down kick in midfield saw Aidan Morgan hack downfield, and whilst the Glasgow scramble defence once again denied Lowry, there was no denying Morgan from the following phase as the fly-half dived over on his Ulster debut. Doak added the extras, and Ulster had the lead.

It was a lead that lasted all of five minutes, though, as the Warriors hit back in the perfect fashion. Relentless pressure inside the Ulster 22 saw the forwards wear away the home side’s defence, before Steyn’s snipe for the whitewash came up a metre short. Venter was on hand to apply the finishing touch, the back-rower’s score converted by Jordan for a 12-10 advantage.

That was to be the final score of the opening stanza, although not for the want of trying on Glasgow’s part. Solid defence at another close-range maul would see Ulster earn a turnover on their own try-line, whilst Stafford McDowall’s pinpoint kick from turnover ball almost resulted in a try for Cancelliere.

Franco Smith’s side thought they had extended their lead just nine minutes into the second half, as McDowall’s charge through midfield sent Rory Darge racing over the line for the score. The officials had other ideas, though, spotting a forward pass earlier in the play and chalking off the try.

Still all the pressure was from the men in black, yet Ulster would serve a reminder of their own capabilities as James McNabney put Lowry through a gap. McKay and Cancelliere again denied the winger, but when presented with the opportunity to put his team in front, Morgan turned down the opportunity and instead directed his team to attack.

Once again, however, the Glasgow defence was resolute. Time and again the home side were turned away by the black wall, one final charge for the line held up by the Fagerson brothers to a roar of approval from the travelling support.

Ulster were in the ascendency though, and the pressure would tell with seven minutes to play. David McCann was the man to eventually find his way over to put the hosts in front, but Morgan’s mis-hit conversion meant it was a three-point ball-game in the closing stages.

Glasgow’s response was as swift and as immediate as one could hope for. McKay’s counter attack and slick handling freed Darge out wide, and two perfect offloads later Steyn was racing over the whitewash for his side’s third try and restoring the Glasgow lead. Adam Hastings was ice-cool from the touchline with the conversion, nervelessly slotting the kick to take the score to 19-15 in favour of the Warriors.

Yet there was to be one final twist in the tail to deny Smith’s men an opening day triumph, as the Belfast faithful roared on their team. With seven minutes of injury time on the clock, Shanahan was the man to ground the ball for a score eventually confirmed by the TMO, the missed conversion hardly noticed by the home crowd.

A cruel ending for those in black, but one that will be swiftly put to one side – a home opener against Benetton next weekend now awaits, as the Warrior Nation prepare to welcome home their champions for the first time in 2024/25.

Your champions return home 🤩

Be there as your Warriors run out for the first time at Scotstoun as defending #BKTURC champions when we take on Benetton on Friday 27 September!

🎟️ https://t.co/2QkIzRRnKh #WhateverItTakes pic.twitter.com/mHOPmtkoCK

— Glasgow Warriors (@GlasgowWarriors) September 13, 2024