Richie Murphy: 'I gave them a bit of a rocket at half-time, and we got what we wanted in the end'

With 10 points still to play for it promises to be a nervy final few rounds with no fewer than seven teams split by 10 points from fifth to 11th. Every point will be priceless.

Mon, 13 May, 2024 - 06:25

Rob Cole

URC: Scarlets 20 Ulster 31

Alan O’Connor wants Ulster to follow the Munster example and squeeze into the top eight before going on to win the United Rugby Championship.

Having turned a 6-3 interval deficit into a bonus-point 31-20 win at Parc Y Scarlets the acting Ulster skipper “Munster showed last year that you can finish eighth, win three games and go on and win the title,” said O’Connor, who saw his side move up from eighth to sixth as they notched their first away win since beating Leinster in Dublin on 1 January.

“We play Leinster, Munster and then we’ll see where we are at. In my head it’s play-off games all the way from here on.”

With 10 points still to play for it promises to be a nervy final few rounds with no fewer than seven teams split by 10 points from fifth to 11th. Every point will be priceless.

A full-house of five points in Llanelli was the target and it certainly wasn’t a given at half-time with the Scartlets leading by two penalties to one and Italian referee Gianluca Gnecchi denying the highly impressive Cormac Izuchukwu a possible hat-trick of tries by ruling he had been held up three times over the home line.

But Scarlets went into the break with Taine Plumtree and Gareth Davies both in the sin-bin and against 13 men Ulster finally broke free. Tries from player of the match Stuart McCloskey and Nick Timoney put them ahead before the Scarlets came back to full strength.

“I gave them a bit of a rocket at half-time, and we got what we wanted in the end. With them down to 13 with two yellow cards at the start of the second half, I thought we managed the next 20 minutes really well,” said interim head coach Richie Murphy.

“Its’ incredibly tight in the table and the fact is nobody really knows what it’s going to take to make the top eight. You just have to go into every game and try to win.

“We’ll be home at the Kingspan next week against Leinster. Ulster beat them earlier in the season so there is a lot of play for and it will be a big day.

“It will be rocking at the Kingspan and the Ulster supporters are very strong. I’ve been in the Leinster changing room in Ulster a few times and it is a difficult place to go for anyone.

“Leinster will come up with loads of confidence, but we’ll go into it knowing that a win will put us into a really good place in relation to getting into the last eight.

“Knock out rugby is all about getting in there first to give yourselves a chance. You never know what can happen when you go away from home, and we know we will definitely have to go away - it’s just a matter of getting in there and giving it a crack.”

Murphy wouldn’t be drawn on whether or not he will extend his stay in Belfast. Since taking over the coaching reins from Dan McFarland he has kept the side on course for a top eight finish.

“I think we are working quite well, and the players’ understanding of what we are trying to do over the last few weeks is improving,” added Murphy.

“I see decent improvements in training standards and some of that is coming onto the pitch. I’m definitely enjoying it, although a little bit frustrated at times.

“When we get closer to the end of the season we will see what happens next year. I’ve made no secret of the fact that it is something I’d be interested in.”

After those two early tries in the second half from McCloskey and Timoney, Dave McCann and the back in form Jacob Stockdale added two more to secure the bonus-points. John Cooney’s boot provided the rest of the points to complete the job.

Scorers for Scarlets: Tries: C Tuipulotu, T Lewis; Cons: S Costelow 2; Pens: S Costelow 2.

Scorers for Ulster: Tries: S McCloskey, N Timoney, D McCann, J Stockdale; Cons: J Cooney 4; Pen: J Cooney

SCARLETS: I Nicholas; T Lewis, J Williams, E James (I Lloyd 52), R Conbeer; S Costelow, G Davies (K Hardy 56); K Mathias (W Jones 56), R Elias (captain, S Evans 56)), H O’Connor (S Wainwright 56), M Jones (B Williams 63), J Price (D Davis74), T Plumtree, D Davis (J Taylor 52), C Tuipulotu (S Williams 68)

YC: T Plumtree 37, G Davies 40+2

ULSTER: M Lowry; E McIlroy, W Addison, S McCloskey (S Moore 65), J Stockdale; B Burns, J Cooney (N Doak 65); E O’Sullivan (A Warwick 67), R Herring (T Stewart 70), S Wilson (J French 21), K Treadwell (H Sheridan 59), A O’Connor (captain), C Izuchukwu (D Ewers 56), D McCann, N Timoney (R Crothers 59)

Referee: G Gnecchi (Italy)