Kiss’s Ulster ease to win

Kiss was brought in to knock Ulster into shape after head coach Mark Anscombe and director of rugby David Humphreys left in June.

Ulster are likely to sound out some big names to fill the gap, with South African Nick Mallet and Kiwi duo Dave Rennie and Wayne Smith on the radar.

Kiss, meanwhile, would not have been pleased at what he saw last night for the first hour, despite leading 19-10 at the break, with tries by Nick Williams, Craig Gilroy and the impressive Robbie Diack. They could have had their bonus point tucked away long before half-time, with skipper Best and Luke Marshall dropping the ball with the line gaping.

But Ulster achieved what they set out to do and that was to get five points from their opening home game. Ulster’s opening try arrived in the fifth minute when Williams barnstormed over from a scrum against the head. Gilroy’s effort was made by neat hands by Rickey Andrew while Diack’s try was conceived by man-of-the-match Andrew Trimble The bonus try arrived on the hour thanks to the energetic Trimble who was put away by the flying Paul Marshall.

In the final quarter, Ulster found their rhythm and lock Dan Tuohy got the final score. Ian Humphreys helped himself to four conversions, while Zebre did score a first-half try through Samuela Vunisa with fly-half Kelly Haimona kicking the rest of his side’s points.

Scorers for Ulster: Tries: Williams, Gilroy, Diack, Trimble, Tuohy; Cons: Humphreys 4

Scorers for Zebre: Tries: Vunisa Pens: Haimona Cons: Haimona

ULSTER: R Andrew; A Trimble, D Cave, L Marshall, C Gilroy; I Humphreys, P Marshall; A Warwick, R Best, capt, W Herbst, L Stevenson, D Tuohy, R Diack, C Henry, N Williams.

Replacements: R Herring for Best (66), R Murphy for Warwick (60), B Ross for Herbst (68), F van der Merwe for Stevenson (53), R Wilson for Henry (57), M Heaney for Marshal (68), S Olding for Marshall (68), L Ludik for Cave (11).

ZEBRE: H Daniller, D Odiete, G Bisegni, G Garcia, capt, G Toniolatti; K Haimona, B Leonard; De Marchi, O Fabiani, D Chistolini, A Ferreira, G Giagi, M Bergamasco, F Cristiano, A van Schalkwyk.

Replacements: A Manici for Fabiani (61), A Lovotti for Manici, L Leibson for Chistolini (63), V Bernabò for Giagi (59), Q Geldenhuys for Ferreir (45), S Vunisa for Schalkwyk (3), G Palazzani for Leonard (57), E Padovani for Garcia (51).

Referee: L Hodges (WRU).

Guinness PRO12: Newport Gwent D’gons 15 Ospreys 17

Aviva Premiership Rugby: Harlequins 0 Saracens 39.