[tag=image]http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/e ... _badge.png[/tag][tag=content]Ulster booked a home quarter-final against Saracens at Ravenhill and made sure they are still the only undefeated side left in the Heineken Cup with an impressive 22-19 win over Leicester Tigers at Welford Road, spearheaded by Ruan Pienaar.
The Springbok scrum-half scored all of Ulster’s points, including a try of his own, while a Niall Morris try and fourteen points from the boot of Toby Flood were only good enough for a losing bonus point for the Tigers.
The win also ends Leicester’s 26-match unbeaten run at Welford Road in Europe and condemns them to an away trip in April, more than likely to French opposition.
The game began with the home side dominating the early exchanges and possession, and using a dominant scrum to their advantage allowed Toby Flood to open the scoring with his first penalty of the evening, then extend their lead to 6-0 with a further penalty a few minutes later.
The visitors got back into the game with a dominant forward drive off a line-out and Pienaar was on hand to get his side on the board with a penalty of his own.
Leicester were gaining the upper hand in the game though, and but for a last ditch tackle from Jared Payne, returning lock Graham Kitchener would have gone over for an early first half try following a 40 metre run.
Instead the hosts had to settle for another penalty from Flood, who had resumed goal kicking duties after fully recovering from injury, to give them a 9-3 lead midway through the first half.
Back came Ulster however, who were greatly benefiting from a strong driving maul which Leicester were struggling to get to grips with, and Pienaar was gifted another three points thirty minutes in to reduce the gap back to three.
And the international half-back ensured that the two sides went in level at half-time with another superbly struck penalty, this time from just inside his own half after Leicester did not release the ball at a ruck.
Paddy Jackson attempted a drop goal on the stroke of half-time to try and give the visitors a half-time lead, however his effort sailed wide of the uprights, and the score remained at 9-9.
It was a very tight match, and the atmosphere was tense, but only ten minutes into the second half, Leicester found themselves ten points to the good, following a fourth Flood penalty, and then a brilliantly taken try by Irish winger Niall Morris.
Flood slotted over his fourth penalty, and then backed it up with a clever grubber kick along the touchline, with Morris making his speed advantage over Paddy Jackson pay, muscling the fly-half off the ball and dotting down in the corner. Flood converted making the score 19-9.
Ulster nearly struck back immediately with a prolonged attack in the Leicester 22 only a few minutes later, but they were met by a brick wall of defence from the home side who were desperate to maintain their new found lead, and Paddy Jackson knocked on to end the attack.
Nevertheless, the Irish side kept plugging away, cheered on by 5,000 travelling fans, and Pienaar brought the gap back to seven with another penalty from just inside his own half.
Then came the game changing moment: an attempted Flood clearance in his 22 was charged down by Pienaar who chased down the bouncing ball and managed to dive on it to bring the scores level with just under twenty minutes to play, following his equally impressive touchline conversion.
Buoyed by the noisy away fans on the terrace, the Ulstermen set about defending their line from a Tigers siege, and after managing to drive back the Leicester offense several metres, Flood knocked the ball on to groans from the frustrated home faithful.
And those groans turned to howls of dismay as Pienaar landed his fifth penalty of the evening, again from inside his own half, to push the Belfast men into a 22-19 lead with just ten minutes left on the clock.
Despite their best efforts, the Tigers could not find their way through the Ulster defensive line, and the resilience of the Ulstermen was reflected in a scrum won against the head late on, despite the set piece being dominated by Leicester all evening.
And the result was confirmed when a last ditch attack from the home side was bundled into touch by Andrew Trimble, with the final whistle greeted with cheers of jubilation from the travelling Ulster fans who now have a home quarter-final against Saracens in April to look forward to, which is likely be held at Ravenhill following the completion of the grandstand, bringing capacity up to 18,000.
The scorers
For Leicester
Try: Morris
Con: Flood
Pens: Flood (4)
For Ulster
Try: Pienaar
Con: Pienaar
Pens: Pienaar (5)
LEICESTER TIGERS
(15-9) Mathew Tait (Scott Hamilton 38), Niall Morris, Matt Smith (Owen Williams 80), Anthony Allen, Vereniki Goneva, Toby Flood, Ben Youngs (David Mele 69); (1-8) Marcos Ayerza, Tom Youngs (Rob Hawkins 69), Dan Cole, Ed Slater, Graham Kitchener (Louis Deacon 46), Jamie Gibson, Julian Salvi, Jordan Crane (Steve Mafi 19).
Subs not used: Boris Stankovich, Fraser Balmain.
ULSTER RUGBY
(15-9) Jared Payne, Andrew Trimble, Darren Cave, Luke Marshall, Craig Gilroy, Paddy Jackson, Ruan Pienaar; (1-8) Callum Black (Tom Court 55), Rory Best, John Afoa, Johann Muller, Dan Tuohy (Iain Henderson 64), Roger Wilson, Chris Henry, Nick Williams (Robbie Diack 55).
Subs not used: Rob Herring, Ricky Lutton, David McIlwaine, Paul Marshall, Michael Allen.
Man of the Match: Ruan Pienaar (Ulster)
Referee: Nigel Owens (WRU)
Capacity: 24,000[/tag]
Match Report: Leicester Tigers 19-22 Ulster Rugby
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