Leicester were swept away by a tide of Ulster power and passion in their
Heineken Cup clash at a windswept Ravenhill.
Ulster took the Tigers apart from the outset and never relinquished their grip
on the game as they scored four tries, two coming from skipper Andy Ward while
outside-half David Humphreys kicked 13 points.
The home side's dominance was complete, with the pack never allowing their
counterparts any comfort zone while in the backs they carved the visitors open
time and again.
It was Leicester's first-ever blank scoresheet in this competition and the
result leaves them in danger of an early exit.
Ulster made the perfect start when Tyrone Howe got on the end of an excellent
Humphreys chip after seven minutes following some sustained Ulster attacking.
Humphreys narrowly missed the conversion and then a 13th-minute penalty but he
made amends two minutes later with a penalty to make it 8-0 to the home side.
Ulster struck again on 20 minutes when a lineout move saw Neil Best break
clear and put Ward over under the posts. Tigers' Luke Myring, on for centre
Daryl Gibson, claimed to have held Ward up but referee Joel Jutge ignored his
pleas.
Humphreys added the conversion and though Leicester did put some pressure on
Ulster's line the home side were back on the scoreboard with Ward's second score
on the half-hour.
A mix-up in an increasingly-bewildered Tigers defence led to an Ulster scrum
and after several phases Ward stepped inside Austin Healey. Humphreys added the
points and the home side were 22-0 in front.
Ulster's dominance continued until the break with two further Humphreys
penalties making it 28-0 at the turnaround.
Leicester needed to hit the ground running with the wind now with them, but
again, they were unable to impose any pattern in the game and after two minutes
Ulster stretched their lead even further.
Paddy Wallace attacked the blindside and carved the Tigers open before
supplying Shane Stewart with a run in to score. Humphreys was wide with the
conversion but Ulster now had their bonus point.
Not even the arrival of Martin Johnson could rescue the bedraggled Tigers and
Ulster held firm for a memorable and thoroughly-deserved victory ahead of
Saturday's return game at Welford Road.
Teams:
Ulster: Wallace, Topping, Stewart, Steinmetz, Howe, Humphreys,
Doak, Kempson, Sexton, S. Best, Mustchin, Frost, Ward, N. Best,
Wilson.
Replacements: Shields, Moore, McCullough, Brosnihan, Campbell,
Larkin, Cunningham.
Tries: Stewart, Howe, Ward 2.
Cons: Humphreys 2.
Pens: Humphreys 3.
Leicester: van der Westhuyzen, Baxter, Smith, Gibson, Lloyd,
Pez, Healey, Rowntree, West, Morris, L. Deacon, Kay,
W. Johnson, Back, H. Tuilagi.
Replacements: W. Skinner, Richards, Nebbett, M. Johnson, Vesty,
Myring, Gelderbloom.
Att: 12,300
Ref: Joel Jutge (France).
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