It was a thunderous performance from the Ulstermen especially to bounce back from not their best outing to Edinburgh. That which had been wrong would have appeared to have been put right as Ulster carried out what could only be described as the complete demolition job. The crux of the victory and the bedrock upon which it was built was team Ulster or to be more precise Squad Ulster. Ospreys may have been a side bristling with Internationals including the famed Justin Marshall capped several dozen times for New Zealand but as many sides have found out before there is more to a team than a collection of highly skilled individuals. The Lions in ‘71 and ‘74 discovered this and the modern day Ulster side demonstrated that the sum of the constituent parts is far greater than the individual. By the time the referee blew his whistle it was very much to the relief of the Ospreys who knew they had been beaten by a far better side wondering what they had to do to score something they had not done since the 14th minute. It was that comprehensive.

Justin Marshal narrated in the press that he was looking forward to playing in front of the Ravenhill crowd but it will only be nightmares he will be having. Lyn Jones tried to play mind games by naming his side late and then changing it just before kick off and made Ulster the favourites. At least he got the last bit correct. Justin Marshall exchanged a difference of views with the large crowd and being unable to deal with the Ulster humour promptly lost his and descended into an unbecoming tirade of bad temper. He now knows what it is like to play at Ravenhill. The bearpit of world rugby is open for business. But the sight that will stay with the fans, well one of them was the unfortunate Gavin Henson kicking the ball straight into touch from the kick off. Dismayed he put his hands on his hips with his leg cocked wishing the ground to swallow him up.

The Ulster side seemed to put the poor performance of Edinburgh to the back of their minds and were determined to do better. It started very brightly with Ulster maintaining possession while keeping the Ospreys on the back put putting the ball behind them and attacking the space cleverly moving it away from the breakdown. But there was a much greater sense of urgency and the early pressure was rewarded when Humphries put the home side ahead with a well-struck penalty. However the Ospreys stuck back almost immediately after Ulster has failed yet again, ad nauseum to deal effectively with the kick off and clear their lines. However this one a major aspect of the game that improved dramatically as the confidence and the practice continued. From a line out on the half Ospreys took it off the top and moved it to Henson who charged at Humphries. The Ospreys cleverly blocked the covering Dawson at the tail to leave Ulster vulnerable as the tackles fell off the advancing Ospreys attack before Byrne linked up to score in the corner and Hook easily kicked the conversion to leave Ravenhill reeling against the run off play and Ospreys cut Ulster ominously to pieces with their first attack and with consummate ease into the bargain.

Ulster bounced back showing all the character that made them champions in Swansea keeping faith with their percentages and the tactical boot of David Humphries and although he soon missed an easy chance only to kick a much more difficult opportunity after Ospreys infringements to put Ulster back in touch. Humphries by this time was beginning to relish of the quality of ball his forwards were giving him and the precision passing of Boss who outshone Marshall not only keeping his cool and taking the heat from the senior statesman of world rugby. The comparative lack of preseason training and the constant match time have obviously done Humphries the power of good now relieved of the continuous training imposed from Dublin. The Ulster screw was been turned to put Rory Best over in the corner. Ulster had been working very clever lineout moves to create some space for drive close in to the catcher based on Harrison the Ulster man. The ball was switched to Boss who cleverly changed angles to flip to Dawson on the peel to again switch to Rory Best now only 2 yards out. Best with a lot of work to do twisted and turned to crash over the line and put Ulster in the ascendancy. Humphries converted and the home side were beginning to just quietly slip into a higher gear and increase the tempo of the game to a menacing crescendo.

The perhaps the final nail was put into the Ospreys as there were two yellow cards. The first can be argued about until the cows come home but the second saw the Ospreys captain walk for a professional foul on Boss as he followed up his own kick and cause merry hell amongst the visitors. Humphries then slotted a penalty just before half time from well within his own half to put Ulster confidently in front.

The second half improved on the first with the 2-man advantage Ulster powered their way forwards moving the ball to the hounds with an electrifying pace that thrilled the fans into ecstasy. Steinmetz was back to his best with Wallace providing the power and the guile to compliment Steinmetz’s steadfastness. Humphries pulled the strings in a display that showed he was back at the top. Roger Wilson must surely have played himself back into contention playing like a powerful polar bear closing in on his prey while Hugo Boss proved he is the best scrum half on this island. The points kept raining down on Ravenhill. Ospreys, although defiant did not have the answer as a ruthless home side pressed home the point. The game was played in Ospreys half thanks to the boots of Humphries and Steinmetz. It was the classic example of a team against a bunch of highly talented individuals. And it was the highly talented individuals that bore the brunt of the onslaught. The pressure bore fruit with further tries from Bowe, Steimetz and McMillan to earn the bonus point and put the Ulstermen back to the top of the league. With the final score Ulster 43 Ospreys 7 it was a happy Justin Harrison that led his team out to applaud the fans that turned out despite that lack lustre performance at Murrayfield.

Rather than it being a case of the Ospreys folding it was a display of rugby that had the name Mark McCall stamped all over it. It was a statement of intent that Ulster intends to defend their championship crown. The dog has had its day in the sun and is now back a lot stronger and wiser for it. Although back at the top of the table there are still 5 or 6 sides that have the capability of winning the Magners league and it is a league that is growing in stature and quality as the weeks progress. A league that includes the current European champions and a lot of ambitious teams with aspirations just as great. It is of to the home of the champions that Ulster travel to next week when a full strength Ulster side takes on the mighty Munster at full strength for a titanic struggle of real grit.

 

Ulster: B Cunningham, M Bartholemeusz, P Steinmetz, P Wallace, A Maxwell, D Humphreys, I Boss; J Fitzpatrick, R Best (capt), B Young, J Harrison, capt, T Barker, S Ferris, K Dawson, R Wilson. Replacements: P Shields for Best (66), D Fitzpatrick for J Fitzpatrick (70), M McCullough for Barker (42), N McMillan for Ferris (62), K Campbell for Boss (69), K Maggs for Wallace (59), T Bowe for Maxwell (42).

Ospreys: L Byrne; N Walker, S Parker, J Hook, R Mustoe; G Henson, J Marshall; D Jones (capt), B Williams, A Jones, A Wyn Jones, I Evans, J Thomas, R Pugh, R Jones.
Replacements: E Shervington for Williams (62), P James for A Jones (69), B Cockbain for Wyn Jones (62), L Beach for Pugh (75), J Spice for Marshall (79), A Bishop for Byrne (73), S Terblanche for Mustoe (79).

Referee: Peter Allan (SRU).