| Ulster Are Perfect Six |
Ulster Rugby |
32 - 7 |
Cardiff Blues |
| Ravenhill Att: 5,256 |
| Referee: Malcolm Changleng |
| Friday 31st October 2003, 19:30 |
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| Ulster's winning streak hits six as they demolish the Blues at Ravenhill. |
Ulster are the hottest team in Celtic Rugby at the moment. They recorded their sixth straight league win to extend their advantage at the top of the table.
With 27 points from seven games played, the 1999 European Champions are going great guns in being the third Irish side to collect the Celtic trophy.
Two early tries from full-back Bryn Cunningham set Ulster on the way to an easy 32-7 victory at home to Cardiff.
The visitors were already 24 points down at the break and could find no way back.
On nine minutes the hosts' first try followed a huge penalty from Robinson's opposite number Adam Larkin that set up a line-out on the Cardiff 22.
After a rolling maul made 15 metres, the ball was spun out to Cunningham who danced in under the posts to give Larkin the simplest of conversions.
On 20 minutes it was 10-0, thanks to a Larkin penalty after Cardiff had again transgressed at a ruck.
Two minutes later it was try number two for Cunningham after some outstanding work by centre Ryan Constable. Larkin again added the extra points.
Just after the half-hour and with Cardiff camped on the Ulster line, a fluffed pass allowed the hosts' British Lions winger Tyrone Howe to pick up and run the length of the pitch to touch down under the posts. Larkin kept up his 100 per cent kicking record with the conversion.
Two minutes into the second half, Ulster were penalised for holding on in the tackle on their own line. But Cardiff made a mess of the line-out from the resulting penalty, and the danger was cleared.
Cardiff were keeping up the pressure. Yet fierce Ulster tackling kept their line intact - and even three penalties taken as three scrums could not break the line.
On 55 minutes, Ulster hooker Paul Shields - who had just entered the fray as substitute for Matt Sexton - kicked through and was fast enough to outpace the Cardiff defence for a try.
The Blues finally got on the scoresheet just after the hour mark when scrum-half Ryan Powell darted over from a ruck under the posts and Robinson converted.
Cardiff were pressurising continually but could not make it tell and in the end
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