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Seven-try Lions end Ulster's unbeaten run

rugby25 October 2025 14:42
By:Brenden Nel
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The Lions used the altitude and a warm Johannesburg spring afternoon to outpace and outlast Irish side Ulster, ending the visitors' unbeaten run in this season’s Vodacom United Rugby Championship with a morale-boosting 49-31 win at Ellis Park on Saturday.

The early start, the heat and the altitude were always going to be a test for Ulster, who lost five players in the week, including four to the Irish national side, but the game was a straight slugfest right until the final 15 minutes where the Lions pulled away and their opponents faded in the heat.

That was always going to be the plan for the home side, but it will be seen as a massive morale-boosting win, especially against a side that has accounted for the Sharks and Bulls this season already.

After three opening losses, the Lions now have back-to-back wins and will be looking forward to their Jukskei derby in three weeks' time when they face the Bulls.

But while their plan came together in the end, there were some harrowing moments in a shootout game that saw plenty of tries, not much defence and a lot to talk about for the small crowd that turned up to watch the early fixture.

A DOZEN TRIES

In the end there were 12 tries scored - three in the first seven minutes of the game - with the Lions shading Ulster seven tries to five, as the crowd got full value for their money.

The Lions’ game management in the second half was the difference, and when their opposition started to tire, they put their foot down and roared away on the scoreboard.

Not even a hat-trick to Ulster winger Robert Baloucoune could stop the Lions from getting the victory and ending the unbeaten run of the Belfast side.

Still, Ulster will be happy with their haul of six points from two games, while the Lions are very much on the front foot again after starting off the season pretty dismally, although even the two victories won’t erase the concerns about their long-term form.

The gutsy performance will ease some of that pressure, but the Lions still face questions long term after using a number of their URC players for the Currie Cup and that might well catch up with them in the new year.

To put their second-half performance in perspective, Ulster led 19-17 at the break, but the Lions scored four tries in the final stanza - three in the final 10 minutes to pull away from Ulster.

FAST START

The lightning start was not unexpected, but three tries in the opening seven minutes, and a disallowed Lions try thereafter certainly set the pace for the competition.

It didn’t take long for the players to trouble the scorers, as on the first attack, Asenathi Ntlabakanye fed SJ Kotze into a hole and the prop went over for the opening try in the first minute.

Ulster replied through a turnover ball being sent wide and Baloucoune was put into space to run 60 metres downfield and score.

That didn’t stop the Lions attacking, and their multiple phases stretched Ulster to the breaking point two minutes later where Quan Horn could let Eduan Keyter burst over the line with a short pass to restore the lead.

The slugfest continued, and it was James Hume to score next to level matters, this time through a sustained attack that ended with a chip that he took under the posts to dot down after TMO confirmation.

Chris Smith added a penalty, but Ulster’s attacking ambitions weren’t done yet, and they answered with Baloucoune going over in the corner by the slimmest of margins to get his second try.

DOMINANT SCRUM

The Lions found some significant advantage with their scrum dominating almost every set, and punching up the middle made some impressive metres for them.

So much so that it wasn’t a surprise that Ruan Venter ran onto a perfect pass to barge over the line and open the scoring for the second half.

Six minutes later Baloucoune got his hat-trick through another corner effort that was exceptionally on brand for the winger.

But then the Lions took over. Renzo du Plessis injected a lot of pace into the loose trio and went over on the hour mark after wiggling out of a tackle and not being held, standing up and surging over to score.

Ulster were still counter-punching and Dave McCann pulled them back into losing bonus point territory a few minutes later.

Two late tries by Conraad van Vuuren ended matters as the Lions' power and pace combined to flood the tired Belfast side and make the scoreline look a lot more flattering than it was.

Scorers

Lions - tries: SJ Kotze, Eduan Keyter, Ruan Venter, Henco van Wyk, Renzo du Plessis, Conraad van Vuuren (2). Conversions: Chris Smith (4). Penalties: Smith (2).

Ulster - tries: Robert Baloucounne (3), James Hume, Dave McCann. Conversions: Nathan Doak (2), Jake Flannery

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