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Ulster Rugby have a 14th straight victory as their target when the tournament's only unbeaten club in all tournaments bid to make it four from four with a quick-fire double over Northampton Saints at Ravenhill. - 14/12/2012 09:25
Ulster Rugby have a 14th straight victory as their target when the tournament’s only unbeaten club in all tournaments bid to make it four from four with a quick-fire double over Northampton Saints at Ravenhill.
The Belfast side recorded an emphatic 25-6 victory over the English Premiership outfit in the first meeting between the two sides at Franklin’s Gardens – banking a bonus point in the process with Tommy Bowe among the scorers and now with a record of 23 tries in 50 Heineken Cup appearances.
Ulster, who have won all 10 of their PRO12 contests, now lead the Pool by six points and will have serious ambitions of doing the double over the Saints to make sure they get a home draw in the last eight of the tournament.
The Belfastmen won this tournament in 1999 and for a number of campaigns had failed to come close to a quarter-final place since they lifted the trophy, but they are now on the verge of a third quarter-final in the last three years.
The Irish province will relish the prospect of playing in front of their fervent home support at Ravenhill but will be wary of a Northampton side which is still capable of producing big performances.
The Saints, who win this competition in 2000 and reached the final in 2011, know they have to get all the points they can against Ulster to keep their slim chances of a quarter-final place alive.
A defeat for Northampton would mean the end of any ambitions in Europe and a failure to reach the last eight of European rugby’s biggest tournament for a second successive season.
Match Facts
• Ken Pisi is the top metre-maker (317) in the Heineken Cup this season; he has also made the most clean breaks (7), but is yet to score a try.
• Ulster back rower Chris Henry has completed all 39 tackles he has attempted this season, only Jamie Heaslip (40) has made more.
• Ulster have completed 94% of their attempted tackles this season, the best success rate in the competition.
• Ulster have won the most turnovers (37) this season, conversely Northampton have turned over the most ball (58).
Northampton Saints kept their Heineken Cup quarter-final ambitions alive when they ended Ulster's four-year unbeaten record in the tournament - and their 13-match winning run in all tournaments this season - with a tense 10-9 win. - 15/12/2012 20:05
Northampton Saints kept their Heineken Cup quarter-final ambitions alive when they ended Ulster’s four-year unbeaten record in the tournament – and their 13-match winning run in all tournaments this season – with a tense 10-9 win.
Ulster surrendered their winning streak this season to the Saints and the English side became the first team to beat the Irish province in the Heineken Cup at Ravenhill since Stade Francais Paris managed that four years ago.
The Belfast side had enjoyed a perfect start to this Pool – recording three bonus point wins over their rivals – but had to watch Ruan Pienaar miss a late penalty and wing Tommy Bowe stretchered off the field with a knee-injury.
Phil Dowson, the Saints captain, had delivered an impassioned call to his arms to his team in the centre of the pitch of Ravenhill before kick-off to underline how important this game was to the 2011 finalists.
Ulster had rampaged to 25-6 one sided demolition, let alone victory, over a Saints side that was second best on every facet of play in front of their home faithful at Franklin’s Gardens.
Fly-half Stephen Myler took full-advantage of the Saints early dominance to give his side an early lead before South African No 8 GJ Van Velze swatted Ulster’s Andrew Trimble aside to cross for a try in the corner.
Myler added the conversion to make it 10-0 to the Saints midway through the first-half before his opposite, Paddy Jackson, replied with a penalty of his own to cut the margin to seven points.
Ulster’s New Zealander Nick Williams did use his huge frame to break the visitors line twice but he lacked the pace and Ulster the patience or accuracy to really take full advantage.
Jackson landed his second penalty for Ulster but the Saints would have been happy with a performance unrecognisable from the one in the first meeting between the sides and a 10-6 lead at half-time.
The Ulster fly-half’s third penalty drew the home side to within a point but the Saints USA Eagles lock, Samu Manoa, and centre Tom May both blew try-scoring chances with Ulster’s line at their mercy, but it didn’t matter as they came away with the win.
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