Madigan the last-gasp hero as Ulster make PRO14 final
Ian Madigan’s last-gasp penalty left Edinburgh heartbroken as Ulster hit back to clinch a 22-19 win at Murrayfield and a place in the Guinness PRO14 final.
Richard Cockerill’s team were the odds-on favourites to join Leinster in the Dublin final next Saturday and looked to be on course as they scored three times through Stuart McInally, Darcy Graham and Chris Dean.
But Dan McFarland’s Belfast outfit refused to relent and responded with tries from Rob Lyttle, Rob Herring and John Andrew.
The last touchdown left Madigan with a tricky conversion out wide which he nailed to level the scores going into the final minute.
But a Mike Willemse fumble handed Madigan another kick at glory, which he took to fire Ulster into their first final in seven years.
Cockerill had insisted his side were the underdogs – but they were firmly in control for 40 minutes.
Duhan Van Der Merwe had been urged by Cockerill pre-match to get himself involved more in the action after a series of lacklustre displays.
The message was taken on board by the former South Africa schoolboy international, who charged at the visitors at every opportunity.
It took a brave last-man tackle from John Cooney to prevent him scoring the opener after some quick hands from Hamish Watson and Blair Kinghorn released the 17 stone flyer down the touchline.
But there was no-one there from Ulster to plug a big gap on the short side two minutes later as Edinburgh skipper McInally peeled off the back of a line-out ruck before flopping over for the opening points.
Jaco Van Der Walt’s conversion skewed wide before Ulster mounted three swift counter surges as they looked to hit back immediately.
They were repelled on each occasion by a dark blue wall – a pattern that would be repeated more than once before the break.
Ian Madigan doing @Ian_madigan things #EDIvULS #PRO14pic.twitter.com/cceW2dmQFb
— RugbyPass (@RugbyPass) September 5, 2020
But the first half was just as much about Edinburgh’s dominance in defence – with McInally, Watson, Magnus Bradbury and even Graham producing big interventions – as it was about Ulster’s inability to capitalise at the vital moment in attack.
The second half got off to another sloppy start for the Belfast outfit as Billy Burns’ up-and-under sliced off the outside of his boot to put his side under pressure again.
And Edinburgh took advantage to score again after 47 minutes. The forwards did the grunt work before Chris Dean fed Van Der Walt, with the stand-off shrugging away Burns’ tackle to put in Graham to the score.
Van Der Walt added the extras but the deficit was cut back to five within seven minutes as the hosts’ resistance was finally broken when Lyttle danced in off his line to dot down under the posts for a try converted by Burns.
By this point, the game was resembling a basketball match.
Dean crossed over after Watson had bulldozed into the red zone – but this was the last time Edinburgh would have any control over matters.
Again Ulster hit back just past the hour mark, with hooker Herring barging over from close range.
With their lead cut to seven, Edinburgh were now wobbling. A defence that had been rock solid before the break was creaking and McFarland’s men took advantage as Andrew squeezed over from a mighty line-out drive.
Madigan had it all to do with the conversion out wide but slotted over to square things up.
But with extra-time looming, Edinburgh substitute prop Willemse knocked-on to hand Madigan his shot at glory.
Comments on RugbyPass
In the 70s and 80s my club ran 5 Senior sides plus a Vets. Now it is 2 sides with an occasional 3rd team. Players have difficulty getitng to training now, not sure why and the commitment is not there. It seems to me more a problem of people applying themselves and not expecting to turn up and play whenever they want to.
5 Go to commentsROG’s contract is until 2027. The conversation about a successor to Galthie after RWC 2027 may be starting now. We can infer that Galthie’s reign stops then. He is throwing the Irish Coaching Job angle in because he is Irish. The next Irish coach MUST be Leo Cullen. As well as being the best coach available, coaching the vast majority of Irish Internationals week in week out, he has shown incredible skill at recruiting the best coaching staff for the job in hand. That was a failing in France. Cullen is a shrewd guy and if there is a need for foreign coaches underneath him he won’t hesitate. Rightly so. Ireland does need to start to bring Irish coaches through. Not just at the professional level but we need to train coaches to man new pathways for developing kids from schools/clubs up through the divisions.
7 Go to commentsNo Islam says it must rule where it stands Thus it is to be deleted from this planet Earth
18 Go to commentsThis team probably does not beat the ABs sadly Not sure if BPA will be available given his signing for Force but has to enter consideration. Very strong possibility of getting schooled by the AB props. Advantage AB. Rodda/Skelton would be a tasty locking combination - would love to see how they get on. Advantage Wallabies. Backrow a risk of getting out hustled and outmuscled by ABs. Will be interesting to see if the Blues feast on the Reds this weekend the way they did the Brumbies we are in big trouble at the breakdown. Great energy, running and defence but goalkicking/general kicking/passing quality in the halves bothers me enormously. SA may have won the World Cup for a lot of the tournament without a recognised goalkicker but Pollard in the final made a difference IMO. Injuries and retirements leave AB stocks a bit lighter but still stronger. 12 and 13 ABs shade it (Barret > Paisami, Ione = Ikitau, arguably) Interesting clash of styles on the wings - Corey Toole running around Caleb Clark and Caleb running over the top of Toole. Reece vs Koro probably the reverse. Pretty even IMO. 15s Kelleway = Love See advantage to ABs man for man, but we are not obviously getting slaughtered anywhere which makes a nice change. Think talent wise we are pretty even and if our cohesion and teamwork is better than the ABs then its just about doable.
11 Go to commentsCompletely agree. More friday night games would be a hit. RFU to make sure every club has a floodlit pitch. Club opens again Saturday to welcome touch / tag. Minis and youths on Sunday
5 Go to comments1.97m and 105Kg? Proportionately, probably skinnier than me at 1.82 and 82kilos. He won’t survive against the big guys at that weight.
55 Go to commentsThe value he brought to the crusaders as an assistant was equal to what he got out of being there. He reflected not only on the team culture but also the credit he attributed to the rugby community. Such experience shouldn’t be overlooked.
7 Go to commentsGood luck Aussie
11 Go to commentssmith at 9 / mounga 10 / laumape 12 / fainganuku 14
54 Go to commentsBar the injuries, it’s pretty much their top team …
2 Go to commentsDon’t disagree with much of this but it appears you forgot Rodda and Beale, who started at the Force on the weekend.
11 Go to commentsExcept for the injured Zach Gallagher this would be Saders best forward pack for the season. Blackadder needs to stay at 7, for all of Christies tackling he is not dominant and offers very little else. McNicholfullback is maybe a good option, Fihaki not really upto it, there was a reason Burke played there last year. Maybe Havilli to 2nd five McLeod to wing. Need a strong winger on 1 side to compliment Reece
1 Go to commentsTo me TJ is clearly the best 9 in the competition right now but he's also a proven player off the bench, there's few playmaking players who can come off the bench as calm and settled as he is, Beauden can, TJ can and I doubt any of the scrumhalves in contention can, if they want to experiment with new 9s I want him on the bench ready to step in if they crumble under the pressure. The Boks put their best front row on the bench, I'd like to see us take a similar approach, the Hurricanes have been doing similar things with players like Kirifi.
54 Go to commentsROG has better chance to win a WC if he starts training and make himself eligible as a player. He won’t make the Ireland squad but I reckon he may get close with Namibia (needs to improve his Afrikaans) or Portugal. Both sides had 1000:1 odds to win the RWC in 2023 which is an improvement on ROG’s odds of winning a RWC as a coach. Unlike Top 14 teams, national teams can’t go shopping and buy the best players - you work with the available talent pool and turn them into world beaters.
7 Go to commentsthat backline nope that backline is terrible why would you have sevu Reece when he’s not even top 5 wingers in the comp why have Blackadder when there’s better players no Scott barret isn’t an automatic the guy is more of a liability than anything why have him there when you have samipeni who’s far far better
54 Go to commentsAh, good to find you Nick. Agree with everything about Cale. So much to like about his game
55 Go to commentsNot too bad. Questions at 6, lock and HB for me. The ABs will be a lot stronger once Jordan and Roigard return. Also, work needs to be made to secure Frizzell back for next season and maybe also Mo’unga; they’re just wasting time playing in japan
54 Go to commentsOn the title, i wonder for many of those people it is a case something like a belief in working smarter, not harder?
1 Go to commentsForget Sotutu. One of those whose top level is Super Rugby. Id take a punt on Wallace Sititi Finau ahead of Glass body Blackadder.
54 Go to commentsI’m a pensioner so I've been around a bit. My opinion of SBW is he is an elite athlete and a great New Zealander and roll model. He has been to the top and knows what he's talking about. To all the negative comments regarding SBW the typical New Zealand way, cut that tall poppy down.
18 Go to comments