Coetzee stars as Ulster continue winning run

Published on

Marcell Coetzee put in a Man of the Match performance to help Ulster claim an 18-13 win over Clermont in the Champions Cup in Belfast on Friday.

Ulster, who beat Bath in England last weekend, continued the winning start to their European campaign with a solid outing against Clermont.

The Irish side took an early lead through a penalty from scrumhalf John Cooney, who scored a total of 13 points in a fantastic individual outing.

However, it was the Springbok loose forward who put in another headline-grabbing performance on defence, completing all of his 10 tackle attempts and winning a turnover penalty in the first half. Coetzee was also busy throughout the game with ball in hand, making 22 metres from 13 carries.

Ulster’s dominance continued throughout the first half and a lineout on 18 minutes provided the platform for a powerful driving maul, reaching back-rower Jordi Murphy who was awarded the opening try after the TMO was consulted.

Clermont got a minor foothold in the match 15 minutes later when Greig Laidlaw swept over a three-pointer from a scrum penalty, but Cooney responded immediately, kicking a penalty of his own to put Ulster 10 points up at the interval.

Laidlaw slotted a second penalty in the second half to make it a seven-point deficit. A bit of individual genius from Cooney followed minutes later in what turned out to be the match-winning try. He picked a hole down the blind side from an attacking scrum, chipped over the final defender and collected his own kick before scoring in emphatic fashion.

Clermont were awarded a penalty try late in the match, however they couldn’t force another opportunity as Ulster successfully navigated the final nine minutes for a crucial victory.

In Friday’s Challenge Cup matches,  flyhalf Jaco van der Walt kicked three penalties and a conversion as Edinburgh were forced to settle with a 16-16 draw with Bordeaux. Toulon scored a try 10 minutes after the final hooter to beat 14-man Scarlets 17-16, Pau got off the mark with a 61-10 win over Calvisano, the Dragons beat Enisei 49-22 and the Bristol Bears hammered Brive 36-0.

Photo: Ramsey Cardy/Sportsfile via Getty Images

Post by

Dylan Jack