Craig Gilroy seals bonus-point victory for Ulster against Northampton Saints

Ulster's Craig Gilroy celebrates scoring their fourth try. Picture: INPHO/Laszlo Geczo

ULSTER 27 NORTHAMPTON SAINTS 22

Nobody knows if, how, or when this European Champions Cup campaign might be completed but Ulster tried to focus on the only thing in their control and ran in a bonus-point win over Northampton Saints in Belfast.

Amidst the back-drop of a raft of postponements and the Irish Government’s announcement on limited capacity for outdoor sporting fixtures which will hit rugby hard over the festive period, Ulster backed up last week’s superb win away to Clermont with a four-try win in front of a raucous home crowd.

With three inter-pros to come, two at home, Ulster will hope the Northern Ireland executive do not follow in introducing reduced capacity at sporting fixtures.

Either way, this win will at least provide them with some joy over Christmas – even if the loss of Ireland internationals Iain Henderson and Stuart McCloskey due to injury during the game will be of some concern. As yet it’s not known if those injuries are serious.

Ulster got off to a brilliant start with hooker Rob Herring scoring a third-minute try after a lovely fade by Billy Burns to put him away.

Ulster capitalised on Northampton scrum-half Alex Mitchell’s sin-binning with a penalty try and a solo try from Ethan McIlroy, who picked the ball up, sold a dummy, and made it to the corner on the counter-attack.

Four George Furbank penalties kept the Saints in touch and they trailed 19-12 at half time.

Ulster’s indiscipline was keeping Northampton, third in the English Premiership but well beaten by Racing in their European opener a week ago, in the game.

But the all-important fourth try by Craig Gilroy, on his 201st appearance for Ulster, settled any nerves and stretched the lead out to 10 points again.

Even though winger Skosan added a late consolation try for the visitors, Ulster never looked in serious trouble of blowing the lead they’d held from the start.

With nine points from their first two European games, backing up a superb away win in France with a five-point haul at home, Ulster have to be happy heading into the festive inter-pro period. They did all they can do. How the next chapter of this European season pans out will be up to others.

Scorers for Ulster: Tries: Herring, penalty try, McIlroy, Gilroy; Pen: Cooney; Cons: Cooney 2. 

Scorers for Northampton Saints: Tries: Mitchell, Skosan; Pens: Furbank 4. 

Ulster: M Lowry; C Gilroy, J Hume, S McCloskey, E McIlroy; B Burns, J Cooney; A Warwick, R Herring, M Moore; A O’Connor, I Henderson (capt); M Rea, N Timoney, D Vermeulen.

Replacements: J Andrew, J McGrath, T O’Toole, K Treadwell, S Carter, G Jones, N Doak, S Moore.

Northampton Saints: Tuala; Sleightholme, Proctor, Dingwal, Skosan; Furbank, Mitchell; Waller, Haywood, Painter; Ribbans, Ratuniyawara; Lawes, Ludlam, Wood.

Replacements: Fish, Iyogun, Carey, Coles, Augustus, James, Grayson, Hutchinson