Simply not good enough
You could be forgiven for thinking that watching paint dry was more fun than watching this encounter between Saracens and Ulster. In every department the Saracens team beat Ulster and look poised to challenge Biarritz for the lead in this tight group. Ulster almost salvaged the bonus point but it would have been an injustice to Saracens had they. You can talk all you like about commitment, bravery and courage under fire but there was no attacking response from Ulster this afternoon in a game they never ever really looked like winning. There were moments of brilliance from Tommy Bowe and Andrew Trimble but they were very few and very far between as Ulster never got any good forward ball because Saracens slowing choked Ulster to death and totally controlled the game throughout. You can analyse the poor kicking display by Humphries or the again poor line out, add in a hugely courageous commitment and you just about have a handle on the Ulster performance. The backs never really got any decent ball until well into the second half and indeed Ulster only really threatened Saracens from their own mistakes and did not manage to create anything of any substance for 80 minutes.
It started off with tempo from the almighty with 2 tries in the first few minutes. Initially Scriving went over for Saracens very early on after the ball squirted out of a maul Ulster should have won, and it was Saracens 7:Ulster 0. Ulster struck back almost immediately when McMillan who was superb all afternoon, charged down a kick, fed on to Steinmetz, to Wilson and finally the ball reached Tommy Bowe via Paul Steinmetz for the former to show his opposite number a clean pair of heels to score. Humphries converted to leave the scores level and the crowd reeling in disbelief. That laid down the script for the rest of the game with Saracens controlling and Ulster living on scraps, save that Ulster’s ability to counter from these scraps diminished dramatically as the game wore on and the stranglehold of Saracens increased as it progressed. Scarborough was causing the Ulster defence all sorts of problems with his clever lines of running and Saracens could count themselves unlucky not to have scored ties on at least 2 other occasions. Scarborough and the deft kicking of Jackson and
Castaignede was a thorn in the side for Ulster to deal with.
A fumble by the Saracens right wing crossing the line looked to be
enough for Ulster to go in at half time on level terms. But in the
remaining seconds Saracens managed to rumble in a very controlled maul
for Yates to dive over. You just felt the writing was on the wall, as
the whistle went for half time and that bravery would not be enough.
It was ominous; as Saracens had missed a few kickable penalties and Ulster were very lucky not to be further down going in.
In the second half Ulster delicately put together the first attacking sequence but it was too delicate and patience was not a virtue. Humphries ran ball that should not have been run allowing Saracens to put pressure on the ailing and withering attack forcing McMillan uncharacteristically to throw away a pass gifting Saracens a break out which was fortunately knocked on. The same thing happened as well in another rare foray into enemy territory when Bowe did his best to send Johnston away but the guts, luck and determination of Ulster players saved the day along with the shrewd eye of Joel Jutge the French referee. Saracens stated their intent mid way through the half by kicking for touch instead of landing a killer blow to Ulster and then proceeded to give away the penalty allowing a grateful and hapless Ulster to clear their lines and there was still no sign of the paint drying. The crowd was also treated to a bizarre Jackson (although not a rare) penalty miss as the ball struck both posts for Ferris to eagerly get his mitts on the ball and save Ulster blushes. However, by this time the pattern had been very well established. Ulster defended like demons while Saracens' controlled the ball with huge amounts of possession and not a clue how to score. And the paint was still damp.
Eventually Jackson managed to kick a goal to give Saracens a commanding lead in the final quarter after a typical rumble by Saracens to put his team in the lead. Saracens 15 Ulster 7. It looked as if it would be enough to do the job for Saracens and the writing seemed to be on the wall but there was a period of unusual Ulster pressure which saw David Humphries drop a good pass from Boss gifting Saracens the scrum and was indicative of the stop start lacklustre performance and indeed the off day at the office that David Humphries was having. However form the ensuing mêlée a penalty was awarded which put Ulster within 5 points after Humphries converted and a few minutes left of normal playing time before the most exiting play from the visitors of the match. And it ended in Tommy Bowe putting a foot in touch after tormenting the home defence as he off loaded to Maggs to cross the line. It would have been the smash and grab of the century and larceny on the grandest scale imaginable. The blushes of Saracens were spared and from being potentially behind they steadied their ship forcing Ulster to transgress and deny them the bonus point by kicking a penalty leaving the final score Saracens 18 Ulster 10.
That was the difference between the sides apart from of course the huge possessional and territorial advantage the home side enjoyed. They were prepared to be patient while Ulster snatched at their chances such as they were. Ulster seemed to be at 6s and 7s and uncoordinated in the way they played with even the simplest of plays going skewiff. The indecision at key moments proved crucial and the lack of any sort of attacking platform was fatal. Play was not allowed to build and passes were forced when more patience was required in the heat of battle as General Humphries lost his nerve and his golden touch deserted him and when he did get it right one of his lieutenants then let him down. It was a hangover of a game and one in which Ulster created and were gifted luck as is bestowed to those who show immense courage and bravery but it was not to be enough as possession was lost easily and clumsy uncoordinated play let Ulster down badly in what could have been a day to slay the away bogey in the HEC.
It was always going to be difficult and Ulster were always going to have to live on scraps and from those morsels put the exciting Trimble and Bowe into play ably abetted by Maggs and Steinmetz while Humphries pulled the strings. But it was a seemingly lack of familiarity between these dynamics that poured the fuel onto the fire that was ravaging Ulster. Russell and Scriving for Saracens were immense and ever present in the Saracens attack and defence. The former narrowly and rightly winning the Man of The Match award. More worryingly though for Ulster are the injuries to Rory Best and Justin Harrison not to mention the disappearance of Neil Best early on.
Finally Seasonal Greetings to you and yours over the festive season and see you at Ravenhill on Boxing Day.
Ulster: Cunningham, Bowe, Maggs, Trimble, Steinmetz, Humphreys, Campbell, B Young, R Best, S Best, Harrison, McCullough, N Best, McMillan, Wilson.
Replacements: Brady, J. Fitzpatrick, Caldwell, Ferris, Boss, Larkin, Topping.
Saracens: Scarbrough; Bailey, Castaignede, Johnston, Vaikona; Jackson, Bracken; Yates, Byrne, Visagie; Raiwalui, Chesney; Vyvyan, B. Russell, Skirving.
Replacements: Cairns, Broster, Seymour, Randell, Dickens, Bartholomeusz, B Russell.
Referee: Joel Jutge (France)
18 - 10 
