Hat-trick for Cormac Izuchukwu as eight-try Ulster trample Exeter
Cormac Izuchukwu of Ulster dives over to score his side's fourth try against Exeter in the Champions Cup. Picture: Ben McShane/Sportsfile
Ulster and Ireland player Cormac Izuchukwu scored a hat-trick of tries as produced a second half points surge to secure their place in the last 16 of the Challenge Cup and potentially also yet find a mathematical way of inclusion into the Champions Cup.
In all the province ran in eight tries as they saw off an energetic effort from the Chiefs though it tailed off as Ulster’s bench made the sufficient impact to take this game and rack up a bonus point and over 50 points.
The backdrop to this final pool game was dominated by the possibilities available from it, the win guaranteeing a last 16 place in the Challenge Cup while a long shot at sneaking through to the Champions Cup’s knockout stages was also in the ether should a bonus point victory be secured.
With the Champions Cup scenario, Ulster possessed a better shot at it but this being based on overhauling points differential and based on what might happen to the Sharks in Bordeaux on Sunday when they meet.
It certainly looked to be advantage Ulster prior to kick-off with the Chiefs bringing a much-changed side to Belfast, offering the hosts the opportunity for a first win and points – Rob Baxter’s squad also having zip from the three matches already played – from this European campaign.
Ulster made a nightmare start though, Paul Brown-Bampoe scoring after Will Haydon-Wood’s kick pass which the latter converted.
The hosts needed to settle themselves but failed in this regard as on 13 minutes and after Exeter had thrown long, number eight Ross Vintcent raced through unopposed, beating Stewart Moore and the returning Rob Lyttle for pace to make the corner.
Haydon-Wood was wide with the conversion, but Ulster were now 12 points down.
Ulster had to now respond and did so when Ireland squad member Cormac Izuchukwu drove over from close range, Nathan Doak’s conversion cutting the lead.
The momentum was now with Ulster and when penalised near their own line when Ulster-born Niall Armstrong took too long and from the scrum David McCann barrelled through with his second bite at the line.
Doak, though, up against the shot clock missed the extras.
The Chiefs then went up the pitch and scored, winning the ball on the left, spinning it right and then lock Rus Tuima smashed through a ruck on the line.
Haydon-Wood saw the ball fall from his tee and drop goaled only to miss the extras.
The helter-skelter pattern then struck again, this time Rob Lyttle running back an Armstrong kick to link with Nick Timoney and the Ulster flanker burst one tackle and raced away to the line.
Doak missed the conversion, but the scores were tied again at 17 points apiece which is how the opening half finished up.
Both sides came out for the new half determined to make an immediate mark though Ulster had an outside chance of a score only for Timoney’s pass to Lowry to go behind the winger and into touch.
But it was Ulster who did strike first, a scrum penalty fired into the corner by Jack Murphy led to a David McCann take and a driving maul resulting in Rob Herring getting the bonus point touchdown.
Doak even added the conversion as Ulster had the lead in the game for the first time, the scrum-half’s kick now putting them 24-17 ahead.
That became 31-17 on 65 minutes when Izuchuwu surged over from short range off an assist from sub John Cooney – on for the injured Nathan Doak – who then converted.
Cooney converted again when Ben Carson scored off a solo run in the 68th minute to make it 38-17.
Try number seven arrived with McCann’s second, Cooney doing the needful once more.
With three minutes to go Izuchukwu ran clear for his hat-trick, Cooney doing the needful to make it 52-17 though Zack Wimbush scored a soft try for the Chiefs to cut Ulster’s winning margin.
Tries: Izuchukwu 3, McCann 2, Timoney, Herring, Carson Cons: Doak 2, Cooney 4
Tries: Brown-Bampoe, Vintcent, Tuima, Wimbush Cons: Haydon-Wood, Skinner
S Moore; W Kok, B Carson, J Postlethwaite, M Lowry; J Murphy, N Doak; E O’Sullivan, R Herring, S Wilson; I Henderson (c), C Izuchukwu; J McNabney, N Timoney, D McCann.
T Stewart for Herring 57mins, C Reid for O’Sullivan 60mins, C Barrett for Wilson 69mins, K Treadwell for Henderson 57mins, H Sheridan, for mins, J Cooney, for Doak 57mins, J Flannery for Moore 49mins, Rob Lyttle for Kok 4mins,
H Skinner; B Hammersley, J Hawkins, W Rigg, P Brown-Bampoe; W Haydon-Wood, N Armstrong; W Goodrick-Clarke; J Innard (c), J Iosefa-Scott; R Tuima, C Tshiunza; M Moloney, R Capstick, R Vintcent.
M Norey for Innard 49mins , K Blose for Goodrick-Clarke 49mins, J Roots for Iosefa-Scott 49mins, J Dunne for Tuima 52 mins, L Pearson for Maloney 62mins, J Bailey for mins, T Cairns for Armstrong 55mins, Z Wimbush for Hawkins 68mins.
H Davidson (Scotland)
CONNECT WITH US TODAY
Be the first to know the latest news and updates
