The Danske Bank Ulster Schools’ team opened up their season with a trip to Glamorgan Wanderer’s RFC where they were hosted by the Cardiff Blues Academy team. The standard of opposition, who won the entertaining game by 36-19, proved to be a significant improvement on what the team had experienced in recent seasons.
The Danske Bank Ulster Schools’ team kicked off but had to endure a torrid opening ten minutes of defending inside their own 22m area. During this time they resiliently managed to repel the strong drives emanating from the home pack. This resilience was epitomised by the Ballymena Academy No 8, Duncan Maguire, who stopped a flying Cardiff Academy centre dead in his tracks with a bone shuddering tackle.
Despite being penalised on three occasions for different offences, the Ulster Schools’ team clawed their way back into the game with a great break from Royal Belfast Academical Institution full back, Robert Lyttle. Despite losing the ball in contact close to the Cardiff Blues line, further concerted effort saw the Ulster boys regain quality possession which presented Methodist College player, Conor Kelly, with the opportunity to run in for a well-deserved try. Robert Lyttle added the extras to give the Danske Bank Ulster Schools’ team a 7-0 lead.
The game was played in particularly hot conditions both teams agreed to play with rolling subs. Following an unfortunate chargedown close to the Ulster line, Cardiff Blues scored a fortuitous try. The try was not converted but the arrears had been reduced to 7-5 in favour of the Ulster Schools’ team, a lead they held until the interval.
Shortly after the restart, the Cardiff Blues team took a 10-7 lead when their left winger took advantage of a series of unforced Ulster Schools’ errors to run in for an unconverted try.
A raft of Cardiff Blues substitutions significantly strengthened the home side. This coincided with a period of poor Ulster Schools’ defence and Cardiff Blues scored two converted tries from sixty metres out to give them a 24-7 lead.
The Ulster boys may have been looking down the barrel of a heavy defeat but they did manage to make four telling breaks only to see the final try scoring pass not go to hand. However, from a stolen Cardiff Blues lineout, great support play led by Duncan Maguire, resulted in a try for Portora Royal prop, John Clarke. Robert Lyttle converted the try and the Ulster Schools’ team was back in the game with the score reading 24-14 in favour of the Cardiff Blues team.
From a lazy kick chase, Ulster conceded another try which the Cardiff team converted to increase their lead to 31-14.
The game continued to “see saw” backwards and forwards but it was the Ulster team that scored the next try when prop forward, Conor McIlmurray, touched down following good work from the Ulster Schools’ pack. The try was unconverted but the Ulster team had reduced the arrears to 31-19.
In the final minute of the game a tiring Ulster scrum conceded possession in their 22m area. The Cardiff pack took advantage and scored an unconverted try to seal a 36-19 victory at the end of this entertaining game.
The Danske Bank Ulster Schools’ Management team will have learned a lot from this fixture. Indeed, it was agreed by the hosts that the final score probably somewhat flattered the Cardiff Blues Academy team. The players will be fully aware of what it takes to compete at this level and can take a lot of positives from their performances as well as realising the areas of their game that require attention.
The players will continue to work hard in preparation for their trip to play Sale Sharks Academy on Wednesday 28th August, another game seen as vital prior to the Ireland Schools’ Inter Provincial which starts on the 7th September with a home game against the Connacht Schools’ team.
