Leinster beat Ulster to continue winning start

Tries from Jordan Larmour and Jimmy O'Brien turned the game around for Leinster

United Rugby Championship

Ulster (13) 20

Tries: Carson 2 Pens: Doak 2 Cons: Doak 2

Leinster (10) 27

Tries: McGrath, Larmour, O'Brien, Culhane Pens: R Byrne Cons: R Byrne 2

Leinster won for the seventh time in seven games this season as they beat Ulster in Belfast to extend their lead at the top of the United Rugby Championship [URC].

The visitors fell behind four times at Kingspan Stadium as Ben Carson scored a try in each half for the northern province.

Leo Cullen's side came back on each occasion, however, and crossed the whitewash three times in the second half to secure the victory.

After Luke McGrath scored early, returning Irish internationals Jordan Larmour and Jimmy O'Brien swung the game in Leinster's favour before replacement back-row James Culhane bagged the bonus-point score with seven minutes remaining.

Leinster are now seven points ahead of nearest challengers nearest challengers Glasgow Warriors, who beat Scarlets at home.

Ulster edge tight first half despite scrum struggles

Both first-half tries came in the opening 10 minutes.

Taking the field for the first time since surrendering a 19-point half-time lead to Cardiff last month, Ulster had a dream start when flanker James McNabney put Carson over in the corner.

Their scrum struggled throughout the opening period, however, and it was through the set-piece that Leinster were able to draw level.

Their forwards had earned two penalties already when a dominant shove allowed scrum-half McGrath to scamper over from the base.

In what was a frantic start to the game, Ulster attacked straight from restart and Leinster lock Brian Deeny was shown a yellow card for a high hit on Aidan Morgan.

Doak kicked the resulting penalty but, after Byrne did likewise after another Ulster transgression at the scrum, Leinster ended the sin-bin period still level.

The hosts shaded possession and territory for the remainder of the first-half but, with as their set-piece struggled, only had a further Doak penalty to show for their efforts.

With both sides playing for the first time in four weeks, the remainder of the first half was a disjointed affair not helped by injuries.

Leinster lost three forwards in the first half with Jack Boyle, Max Deegan and Will Connors all having to be replaced. Only the latter was lost for the game, however, and Ulster suffered even more disruption.

They ended the half with scrum-half John Cooney on the wing after neither Werner Kok, nor his replacement Ben Moxham, were able to finish the first 40 minutes.

Centre Ben Carson scored a try in each half for Ulster

Returning internationals swing game in Leinster's favour

Both sides looked less rusty in a second half when the lead changed three times.

With only three minutes elapsed after the restart, Ulster's Nick Timoney was sent to the sin-bin for a high tackle on Leinster replacement Scott Penny.

The visitors, who took the opportunity to spring double World Cup winner RG Snyman from the bench, did what Ulster could not earlier in the game and managed a try against 14 men.

The fit-again Larmour was the man who got it. The Leinster wing sold the Ulster defence a dummy after a sustained period of pressure from his side to go over.

When Timoney returned, Leinster held a 17-13 lead but Ulster came back.

Their attack looked to be grounding to a halt thanks to slow ball at the breakdown but Jude Postlethwaite kept things alive with a sharp offload that sent his centre partner Carson over for his second.

The lead, however, would last only four minutes. Like Larmour, fellow Irish international O'Brien was making his comeback from injury and marked the occasion with a try off a well worked move from the backline.

With Ulster adjusting to losing their third left wing of the game as Cooney hobbled off, Leinster got their bonus point when replacement Culhane barged over.

The missed conversion gave the hosts hope of snatching a draw but there was to be no further scoring and Ulster lost for the fourth time in seven games this season.

Next up for Richie Murphy's men is a daunting trip to holders Toulouse in the Champions Cup.

Ulster: Stewart Moore; Werner Kok, Ben Carson, Jude Postlethwaite, Michael Lowry; Aidan Morgan, Nathan Doak; Eric O'Sullivan, James McCormick, Scott Wilson; Alan O'Connor (capt), Kieran Treadwell; James McNabney, Nick Timoney, David McCann.

Replacements: Tom Stewart, Andrew Warwick, Corrie Barrett, Harry Sheridan, Marcus Rea, John Cooney, James Humphreys, Ben Moxham.

Yellow card: Nick Timoney

Leinster: Jimmy O’Brien; Jordan Larmour, Liam Turner, Charlie Tector, Andrew Osborne; Ross Byrne, Luke McGrath; Jack Boyle, John McKee, Rabah Slimani; Diarmuid Mangan, Brian Deeny; Max Deegan, Will Connors, Jack Conan (capt).

Replacements: Lee Barron, Michael Milne, Rory McGuire, RG Snyman, James Culhane, Fintan Gunne, Harry Byrne, Scott Penny.

Yellow card: Deeny (11)

Referee: Eoghan Cross (IRFU)