As had been expected, Ulster found the going far too tough against a Springbok-loaded Bulls in Pretoria’s altitude as the hosts ran in seven tries to just fall short of the half century.
An Ulster side with a cadre of inexperienced players were severely outmuscled by their powerful opponents but trailing 40-7 following the sharp-looking Jacob Stockdale’s first half try, managed to also score through Ben Carson and Stewart Moore to put themselves in range of a try bonus point even though they fell short of getting anything from the game.
However, Ulster now leave South Africa with one point from their two games at altitude and a total of 82 points conceded in what has been a difficult mini-tour for the squad.
Two minutes had gone when Ulster were pinged at the first scrum – hardly a surprise – with the Bulls putting the ball to the corner and though Sean Reffell managed to get in on the ball, another penalty meant the hosts went again for touch.
This time the Bulls flashed the ball across the field, Stewart Moore’s cover tackle preventing a try for Sebastian de Klerk.
However, a penalty advantage brought play back and this time the Bulls opted for a scrum, with another penalty advantage the moved right and worked Kurt-Lee Arendse over the line after he had broken a tackle.
Boeta Chamberlain converted, but the expected narrative didn’t then materialise as Jacob Stockdale then scored a terrific try from long range.
With Michael Lowry at first receiver, Aidan Morgan, in midfield, hit a cross kick straight into Stockdale’s breadbasket. He then skinned Arendse and chipped Willie le Roux to collect on the bounce and reach the line.
Nathan Doak tied the scores with a well-struck conversion.
Five minutes later though the Bulls repeated the dose on their visitors, Le Roux’s cross-field kick hitting Chamberlain in full stride, and he drew the cover to put David Kriel over. Chamberlain’s conversion made it 14-7.
The Bulls then turned on the power in the scrums again but with yet another penalty near the Ulster line, opted to go for the corner and then Johan Grobbelaar’s throw sailed over Ruan Nortje and the visitors lifted the siege.
Again, Stockdale made a gut-busting break just to remind the Bulls that they were in a game and another threatening run only led to Morgan knocking on.
On the fifth scrum penalty it was hardly a surprise that Ben Whitehouse showed Corrie Barrett a yellow card on 31 minutes bringing Tom O’Toole on for Sean Reffell for the subsequent scrum which also led to a penalty.
This time, the Bulls went for the corner and after Nortje’s take the Bulls rumbled over for Grobbelaar to score and Chamberlain to again convert against 14-man Ulster.
The half ended, though, with Ulster piling on the pressure but from a tap and go, Morgan knocked on from a Stewart Moore pass after Ulster went wide following a series of pick and drives on the Bulls’ line leaving the scoreline at 21-7 to the South Africans.
The new half wasn’t even a minute old when the Bulls struck for their bonus point, Canan Moodie charging away off an assist by Kriel when then converted just as Ulster came back to full strength again.
Again, when Ulster managed to get some territory, an overthrow was costly after a penalty and then once more, they lost the ball at the base of a breakdown after having driven up to the Bulls’ line.
Unfortunately for Ulster a reasonably promising attack was penalised at the breakdown, Chamberlain put a terrific kick to the corner and a low throw to Nortje sparked a maul from which Cameron Hanekom snatched try number five for the hosts which went unconverted.
Just prior to the 60th minute, Moodie once more surged over the Ulster line off a pass from Le Roux though it was ruled out for obstruction against the Bulls’ full-back.
Still, the Bulls hit back almost immediately when Chamberlain slalomed over from an Ulster error, Kriel converting to bring up the 40-point mark.
But Ulster kept ticking over and with 12 minutes remaining, James Humphreys marked his debut with a long pass to Ben Carson who used his strength to beat two and make the corner the creator Humphreys adding the two.
Three minutes later Ulster had a third try when a lovely inside offload from Werner Kok allowed Lowry to interchange with David Shanahan and Moore made the line, Humphreys converted, and the visitors were in sight of a try bonus.
But with three minutes on the clock, Elrigh Louw scored, Keagan Johannes converting and Ulster fell short of that fourth try.
Bulls: W le Roux, S de Klerk, C Moodie, D Kriel, K-L Arendse, B Chamberlain, E Papier, G Steenekamp, J Grobbelaar, W Louw, C Wiese, R Nortje (capt), M van Staden, E Louw, C Hanekom.
Replacements: A van der Merwe for Grobbelaar 56mins, J-H Wessels for Steenkamp 60mins, F Klopper for W Louw 59mins, S Manjezi for Wiese 64mins, C Gumede for Hanekom 55-68mins, K Johannes for Papier 60mins, S Gans for Kriel 68mins, A Dyantyi for Arendse 70mins.
Ulster: M Lowry, W Kok, S Moore, B Carson, J Stockdale, A Morgan, N Doak, A Warwick, J McCormick, C Barrett, I Henderson (capt), C Irvine, J McNabney, S Reffell, D McCann
Replacements: T McElroy for McCormick 51mins, E O’Sullivan for Warwick 49mins, T O’Toole for Raffell 31-41 mins then for Barrett 49mins, A O’Connor for Henderson 51mins, N Timoney for McCann 58mins, D Shanahan for Doak 59mins, J Humphreys for Morgan 61mins, B Moxham for Stockdale 58mins.
Yellow card: Barrett 31mins
Referee: B Whitehouse (WRU).
Premiership
Ballymena United 4 Loughgall 1
Carrick Rangers 2 Cliftonville 0
Crusaders 2 Coleraine 1
Glenavon 2 Portadown 1
Championship
Annagh United 1 Ballinamallard United 0
Armagh City 0 Newington 1
Ballyclare Comrades 0 Dundela 3
Bangor 3 Institute 1
HW Welders 0 Limavady United 5
Premiership
Ballymena United 4 Loughgall 1
Carrick Rangers 2 Cliftonville 0
Crusaders 2 Coleraine 1
Glenavon 2 Portadown 1
Championship
Annagh United 1 Ballinamallard United 0
Armagh City 0 Newington 1
Ballyclare Comrades 0 Dundela 3
Bangor 3 Institute 1
HW Welders 0 Limavady United 5
Ulster scored three try and had their moments during the game, but the Bulls dominated the scrum and scored tries at ease. The South Africans were just a cut above Ulster
Two down, 1583 to go.
A fantastic bit on interplay between Kok, Shanahan and Lowry set up Moore to score a try.
Ulster need just one more try for a bonus point
Carson scores in the corner.
Humphreys misses the conversion
Chamberlain confuses the Ulster defence with a dummy before running in from 10 metres
A lucky escape for Ulster