Leinster staged their second consecutive dramatic comeback to defeat Ulster 24-20 at the Aviva Stadium, though head coach Leo Cullen warned his side “need to get a hell of a lot better” despite securing a crucial bonus-point victory. The reigning champions trailed 17-7 at half-time and 20-12 with just over a quarter of an hour remaining before their formidable bench contingent turned the tide in a pulsating interprovincial derby.
Key moments
14′ – TRY ULSTER: Werner Kok scores after Jack Murphy crossfield kick, Nathan Doak misses conversion (Leinster 0-5 Ulster)
27′ – TRY LEINSTER: Rieko Ioane powers over after sustained pressure, Sam Prendergast converts (Leinster 7-5 Ulster)
34′ – TRY ULSTER: Werner Kok scores second try after Nathan Doak intercept and hack through, Doak converts (Leinster 7-12 Ulster)
38′ – TRY ULSTER: Tom Stewart finishes brilliantly after Stuart McCloskey offload, Nathan Doak misses conversion (Leinster 7-17 Ulster)
Half-time: Leinster 7-17 Ulster
44′ – SUBSTITUTIONS LEINSTER: Dan Sheehan, Paddy McCarthy, Tadhg Furlong and Joe McCarthy replace Gus McCarthy, Jack Boyle, Rabah Slimani and Brian Deeny (tactical)
46′ – SUBSTITUTION LEINSTER: Harry Byrne replaces Charlie Tector (head injury assessment)
46′ – SUBSTITUTION ULSTER: Joe Hopes replaces Charlie Irvine (tactical)
48′ – SUBSTITUTION ULSTER: Ethan McIlroy replaces Robert Baloucoune (injury)
52′ – SUBSTITUTION LEINSTER: Max Deegan replaces Alex Soroka (tactical)
54′ – TRY LEINSTER: Joshua Kenny scores in corner after James Lowe wide pass, Harry Byrne hits post with conversion (Leinster 12-17 Ulster)
54′ – SUBSTITUTIONS ULSTER: Sam Crean and Scott Wilson replace Angus Bell and Tom O’Toole (tactical)
58′ – YELLOW CARD LEINSTER: James Ryan sent to sin bin for dangerous clearout
62′ – PENALTY ULSTER: Nathan Doak kicks penalty from 45 metres (Leinster 12-20 Ulster)
64′ – SUBSTITUTIONS ULSTER: John Andrew and Bryn Ward replace Tom Stewart (blood) and Juarno Augustus (tactical)
66′ – TRY LEINSTER: James Lowe crosses in corner after sustained forward pressure, Harry Byrne misses conversion (Leinster 17-20 Ulster)
71′ – YELLOW CARD ULSTER: David McCann sent to sin bin for deliberate knock-on
71′ – SUBSTITUTION LEINSTER: Fintan Gunne replaces Luke McGrath (tactical)
71′ – SUBSTITUTION ULSTER: Tom Stewart returns for John Andrew (blood replacement complete)
74′ – TRY LEINSTER: Dan Sheehan scores from rolling maul, Harry Byrne converts (Leinster 24-20 Ulster)
80′ – SUBSTITUTION ULSTER: Conor McKee replaces Nathan Doak (tactical)
Full-time: Leinster 24-20 Ulster
For the second Friday in succession, Leinster appeared destined for defeat only to rally spectacularly in the final quarter. Having overcome a nine-point deficit against Leicester Tigers the previous week, this time it was Ulster who fell victim to the depth and experience emanating from the Leinster replacements bench.
Ulster’s clinical first half
Ulster arrived at the Aviva Stadium brimming with confidence following their impressive start to the campaign, and they demonstrated precisely why they sit amongst the table’s leading contenders. Richie Murphy’s side were ruthless in capitalising on Leinster’s litany of errors, establishing a commanding position that appeared insurmountable.
The opening exchanges were scrappy, with both sides squandering opportunities in promising positions. Leinster’s early venture ended abruptly with a crooked lineout, whilst Ulster’s initial foray saw Stuart McCloskey turned over following an excellent choke tackle from Sam Prendergast and Charlie Tector.
Werner Kok opened the scoring in the 14th minute, though the foundation was laid several phases earlier when Tom Stewart forced a crucial turnover as Leinster attempted a maul. David McCann’s subsequent break down the touchline earned a penalty, and when the hosts strayed offside at the lineout, Ulster capitalised brilliantly on the advantage. Jack Murphy delivered an inch-perfect crossfield kick that sailed over Ciarán Frawley’s head, with Kok reading the bounce expertly to beat the despairing full-back to the line. Nathan Doak was unable to add the conversion.
Leinster should have levelled proceedings on 21 minutes when Prendergast’s sublime wide pass sent Frawley racing into space and Ulster territory. However, the full-back unwisely held onto possession rather than releasing Joshua Kenny on the outside, allowing Ulster to recover and snuff out the danger.
The hosts had been playing with a penalty advantage throughout that passage, and they maintained relentless pressure in the Ulster 22 as further infractions came their way. Eventually, the defensive dam burst. A bullet pass from Prendergast to Rieko Ioane allowed the All Black centre to juggle the ball momentarily before gathering and barging over Robert Baloucoune for his first try in Leinster colours. Prendergast’s conversion edged the hosts ahead 7-5 after 27 minutes.
The champions were beginning to generate quick, clean ball and were moving it wide with increasing fluency. James Lowe and Kenny both demonstrated strength to make good ground near the touchline, and Ulster’s discipline was creaking under the sustained pressure. However, Prendergast’s failure to find touch from a penalty for the second time proved costly.
Ulster struck with devastating efficiency, scoring twice in the final 12 minutes of the half to seize control. The first came completely against the run of play in the 34th minute. Nathan Doak made a perfect read on Tector’s attempted offload, intercepting before hacking the ball forward into space. Kok latched onto the bouncing ball and raced clear for his second try, with Doak adding the conversion to make it 12-7.
Four minutes later, the northern province extended their advantage in spectacular fashion. A delicate offload from McCloskey found Stewart charging down the right wing, and the hooker produced wonderful footwork to step inside Lowe and outside Tector before fending off Lowe’s second tackle attempt and racing over for a superb individual try. Doak’s conversion attempt drifted wide, but Ulster held a commanding 17-7 lead at the interval.
Leinster bench brigade
Leo Cullen’s decision to introduce Dan Sheehan, Tadhg Furlong and brothers Joe and Paddy McCarthy immediately after half-time proved transformational. This quartet of international-class forwards injected fresh physicality and technical expertise, particularly at scrum time where Leinster established complete dominance.
The second half began with another promising Ulster opportunity in the 22, but consecutive poorly executed kicks from Doak allowed momentum to swing decisively towards the hosts. Lowe then launched a magnificent 50:22 to establish field position, signalling Leinster’s intent.
Ulster remained competitive through Jacob Stockdale and David McCann, who delivered huge defensive hits on Lowe and Scott Penny respectively, but their scrum was buckling under pressure from the fresh Leinster legs. That platform enabled Leinster to reduce the deficit in the 54th minute. Following a scrum penalty, Harry Byrne kicked to the corner, and from the resulting lineout, a beautiful wide pass from Lowe released Kenny into space. The Sevens international demonstrated a delightful hitch-kick and searing acceleration to score brilliantly in the corner, making it 17-12. Byrne’s conversion attempt struck the post.
Ryan’s milestone marred
James Ryan’s 100th appearance for Leinster was tarnished when he received a yellow card in the 58th minute for a dangerous clearout on Sam Crean. Referee Andrew Brace deemed the incident avoidable, with Ryan going over the top of the ruck with his shoulder, a decision that drew protests from the Leinster camp.
The home side completely lost their composure momentarily. Lowe sent a kick out on the full, and that error was compounded when Max Deegan conceded a breakdown penalty. Deegan’s protests with Brace saw the province marched backwards 10 metres, presenting Doak with a straightforward shot between the posts. The scrum-half obliged, extending Ulster’s lead to 20-12 with 62 minutes elapsed.
Final quarter surge
Down to 14 men and trailing by two scores, Leinster showed the character that has defined their recent success. They rolled up their sleeves and took Ulster on through direct, physical forward carries, winning collision after collision. When they forced their way into the final third, a series of powerful carries from the pack earned a penalty advantage under the posts. Byrne sprayed a wide pass to Lowe, who had enough time and space to dot down in the corner for a crucial try in the 66th minute. The conversion attempt again missed, leaving Ulster clinging to a 20-17 advantage.
Back to 15 players and with momentum firmly in their favour, Leinster pressed for the decisive score. Ulster were forced to play the final nine minutes with 14 men after David McCann was sin-binned for a deliberate knock-on in the 71st minute, an infraction that proved fatal to their hopes.
With six minutes remaining, the pressure finally told. After Ethan McIlroy attempted to run the ball from his own 22, Scott Penny pounced on the breakdown to win a penalty. Leinster kicked to the corner, and their now-dominant rolling maul powered forward relentlessly. Dan Sheehan flopped over the line for the bonus-point try, with Byrne’s conversion extending the lead to 24-20.
Ulster attempted one final surge, but Sam Crean’s knock-on in the final minute confirmed Leinster’s victory and sent the home supporters into festive celebrations.
Tactical analysis
The contrast between halves was stark. Ulster’s first-half excellence was built on disciplined blitz defence, intelligent kicking and clinical finishing when opportunities arose. Kok’s pace and positioning caused Leinster constant problems, whilst Murphy’s tactical kicking consistently pressured the hosts.
Leinster’s struggles were compounded by Sam Prendergast’s inconsistent performance. The young fly-half missed touch on multiple occasions and delivered several poor kicks, though he did produce moments of sublime quality, most notably his passes for Ioane’s and Kenny’s tries.
The introduction of Leinster’s heavyweight bench proved decisive. Their scrummaging dominance established a platform for sustained pressure, whilst their ball-carrying created momentum absent in the first period. Joe McCarthy was particularly influential, making crucial interventions in both attack and defence.
Outstanding performers
Jack Conan was named player of the match, his tireless work rate and powerful ball-carrying keeping Leinster in contention during the difficult first period and driving them forward when momentum shifted.
Werner Kok was outstanding for Ulster, his two tries showcasing his clinical finishing and intelligent positioning. Tom Stewart’s individual brilliance for the third try demonstrated why he has become such a prolific scorer, taking his tally to 32 tries for the province.
Stuart McCloskey, returning from a groin injury sustained on Ireland duty, reminded everyone why he is regarded amongst the competition’s elite centres. The “Bangor Bulldozer” consistently broke the gainline with his trademark powerful carrying.
For Leinster, the McCarthy brothers made telling contributions from the bench. Joe McCarthy’s physicality helped turn the tide, whilst Paddy McCarthy’s scrummaging expertise established dominance in that critical area. Rieko Ioane’s first URC try was a positive development, though the All Black centre will demand higher overall standards.
Looking ahead
The victory maintains Leinster’s push up the table, though both sides now face crucial festive derbies. Leinster travel to Thomond Park to face Munster on 27 December, whilst Ulster visit Connacht at Dexcom Stadium on the same day before hosting Munster on 2 January.
The victory demonstrated Leinster’s ability to grind out results when not at their imperious best, a characteristic that may prove crucial as the season progresses. However, the performance also highlighted vulnerabilities that better sides will ruthlessly exploit. For Ulster, this defeat serves as a harsh lesson in the fine margins that separate victory from defeat at this level, with discipline proving costly in the crucial final quarter.
What they said
Jack Conan, Leinster’s player of the match, reflected on the contest: “It was like a Test match out there. You couldn’t ask for much more than being here this time of the year for an interpro. We showed real resilience. Ulster have been going really well and that performance will stand with us going forward. Fair play to Ulster. The boys who came off the bench were fantastic and made a real impact.”
Leo Cullen acknowledged his side’s shortcomings despite the victory: “Guys are trying a little bit too hard at times, you know, rather than just being patient. We can wear some of these teams down. So we’re trying a little bit too hard. And then suddenly we’re getting ourselves in trouble because we’re forcing things that are not necessarily on. You’re not going to get away with that week on week. So we need to be better, clearly. It’s a great outcome from the game, but performance, listen, we need to get a hell of a lot better yet.”
On the bench impact, Cullen added: “I thought the bench guys came on did well. We had guys on the bench, we had some good experience there because we know Ulster are riding high at the moment, and we knew we would need impact potentially. Ideally, we would be 10 points up and we’re able to kick on with the bench, but that’s not the way it was.”
Richie Murphy acknowledged the experience gap proved decisive: “There’s no doubt that their bench has a massive impact in the back end of the game. And from an experience point of view, we’re at very different levels of players coming onto the pitch. You know, Joe Hopes has two caps and he comes on against Joe McCarthy, who’s the Irish international. I thought we played some really good rugby in the first half and obviously get out to a lead. We went away a little bit from what we were doing in the first half and we didn’t look after the ball well enough in that second half.”
Murphy remained philosophical about the defeat: “Those guys will learn from this experience and we’ll get better. That’s what we’ve said at the start of the season, is that we improve every week. So it definitely won’t deflate us. We can’t spend too much time wallowing over this. We have to learn from it and move on.”
Scorers
Leinster: Tries: Rieko Ioane, Joshua Kenny, James Lowe, Dan Sheehan. Conversions: Sam Prendergast, Harry Byrne.
Ulster: Tries: Werner Kok (2), Tom Stewart. Conversion: Nathan Doak. Penalty: Nathan Doak.
Leinster: Ciarán Frawley; Joshua Kenny, Rieko Ioane, Charlie Tector, James Lowe; Sam Prendergast, Luke McGrath; Jack Boyle, Gus McCarthy, Rabah Slimani; Brian Deeny, James Ryan; Alex Soroka, Scott Penny, Jack Conan (capt).
Replacements: Dan Sheehan, Paddy McCarthy, Tadhg Furlong, Joe McCarthy, Max Deegan, Fintan Gunne, Harry Byrne, Ruben Moloney.
Ulster: Jacob Stockdale; Robert Baloucoune, Jude Postlethwaite, Stuart McCloskey, Werner Kok; Jack Murphy, Nathan Doak; Angus Bell, Tom Stewart, Tom O’Toole; Harry Sheridan, Charlie Irvine; David McCann, Nick Timoney (capt), Juarno Augustus. Replacements: John Andrew, Sam Crean, Scott Wilson, Joe Hopes, Bryn Ward, Conor McKee, Jake Flannery, Ethan McIlroy.
Referee: Andrew Brace (IRFU)
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