Cardiff Blues v Ulster Ulster Rugby Live

Good afternoon and welcome to Ulster rugby live. Andy Ward and Paddy

Wallace are with us for around 16 of the Guinness Pro12. After last

week's defeat to the Scarlets, Ulster under some pressure today.

There have been some games played already this week.

The table at the moment looks like this.

When you look at that table, how important is the game today in the

overall scheme of things? It is absolutely crucial given the fact

that the games we have got left after this, it is not an easy

run-in. Every point is guided potentially keepers were we need to

be because there are teams below us who have games in hand. It will be a

tricky outing. They need to make sure they come away with something.

They are scraping through games at the moment. Today is crucial. The

performance levels against the Scarlets were poor. They had been

winning ugly until then. There were probably due a loss. They will be

disappointed. Hopefully they will have a reaction today. Andy, what do

you want to see Ulster do better? Some communication, and a bit of

tackling would not go astray. That was looked -- a lacklustre. Some of

our tackles were feeble. There is a dog leg in that defensive line. The

inside defence is not coming through. It was sixes and sevens.

The body language of the players was really poor. It was disappointing. I

suppose a defeat at home can work two ways. You can be deflated or

work hard to bounce back? Nothing galvanises you more than a poor

performance. Carl Frampton had a poor performance in his last outing

and he came back and had a great win last night. Hopefully it will be

something similar for Ulster today, a sting in the detail, a reaction.

They have about seven more games left in the season. Takeaway Zebre

home and away. Our Ulster stronger paper? I think so. There is

experience. There is a good looking back row line-up. We have heard it

all before. It is not won and lost on a piece of paper. It is what you

do when you put the shirt on. We are looking to see what sort of reaction

we get this week after last week. Cardiff looked out of the mix for a

play-off place. It is difficult to play them? It is. They want to play

European rugby next year. It is a fast track over in Cardiff. The

Ulster back line potentially are very youthful, energetic. I am

getting old! A young, energetic back line. Do we have the pack to unleash

their potential? Hopefully Nick Williams coming back in today,

ironically against Cardiff where he is moving next year, will provide

some of that go forward that Ulster lacked last week. It is a hard game

when you cannot get across the gain line. Nick is provided that all

year. It is great to have him back. Thank you for the moment. Ulster

rugby one of the first to congratulate Carl Frampton last

night. Let's see if they can win on points deliver a knockout blow today

in the company of Eddie O'Sullivan and Jim Neely.

Good afternoon. It is a cold afternoon at the old Cardiff Arms

Park. Sam Arnold makes his first start at

inside centre. The Cardiff Blues, as has been

mentioned, a bit off the pace as far as a top four finish goes. They

still have their sights set on Europe. They are coming off the back

of some defeats. They need to perform well. It is a very

experienced Cardiff Blues team. They have lost a number of players to the

National side. They performed so well against France in the Six

Nations on Friday night. This is the man who recovered from major

surgery, cancer, Matthew Rees leading the Cardiff team out. A

British and Irish Lions in 2009. He played in all three tests. Matthew

Rees and Josh Turnbull the two Welsh internationals in the pack.

A couple of Welsh internationals at ten and 11. Rhys Patchell and Tom

James. The referee, who was one of the

World Cup referees and most recently did the Calcutta cup game between

Scotland and England, is John Lacey from Munster. This is his 49th game.

Paddy Jackson starts this crucial game. Dan Fish takes it. A very good

exit strategy, Eddie O'Sullivan? Yellow -- yes. A good start from

Cardiff. It is important for both teams. It should be a good game on a

good service. It is called here. But it will be a lively game, I would

say. Franco van der Merwe has played more

games in his starting position than anybody else this season.

Nicely done by Cardiff. Knocked forward, it seems, by Cardiff. A

rather suntanned John Lacey indicating it is going to be the

first scrum to Ulster. Jacob Stockdale of very quickly. On this

pitch, it is tailor-made for running rugby? Yes, it is a very fast track.

Perfect for running rugby. Tough on the joints. We should see a lively

game. Cardiff, must go round the corner. A good intervention. John

Lacey has changed his call to a scrum to Cardiff.

I hope John enjoyed his break in the sunshine, where ever it was!

Ulster conceding ?3 a man. John Lacey not altogether happy. There

was a lot of nonsense in scrummaging over the weekend. We do not want to

see it this afternoon. It is starting to ruin games a little bit.

Callum Black celebrated his 100th Ulster tap a few weeks ago. --

capped. A squeeze on from Cardiff. That was nicely done. But

unfortunately the past was too high for Tom James. He is not a small

man. That went across the ground like a

man. That went across the ground pass. But there was no need to make

that pass, Jim. An overlap on the outside was available. That is twice

that Cardiff have almost got around the corner. Ulster are getting a

little bit narrow -- narrow. As they tend to do at the start of games

this season. That was the problem against the Scarlets last week.

Craig Gilroy, who started off his Ulster career about six years ago

when he was only a baby. The first penalty against Ulster. Down the

injured already is Luke Marshall. That is not good. Port cleaning up

by Ulster. -- poor. Luke Marshall stayed down. It looks like an ankle

injury. That is not unusual on this surface. Too at one stage had an

embarrassment of riches in the middle of the park. Fortunately

Darren Cave is on the bench. Darren Cave has emerged from the tunnel

with his gear on. Luke Marshall is sitting up. The referee will just

pause for a moment. Robbie Dayak and of Nick Williams.

That will be a big blow to Ulster early in the game. He looks a little

bit ginger. Is he going to stay on? That is the question. He gives the

thumbs up to his opposite number. The referee telling Callum Black to

stand back and observe the distance between the respective lines.

Good tackling by John Andrews. Good start by the men in blue and black.

Man over so I is keen to get a contract to remain here at Cardiff.

Manoa Vosowai way. The referee has decided that once

again Ulster have knocked the ball forward and once again it is a scrum

to Cardiff. Once again Luke Marshall is in trouble.

It looked harmless enough, the way he fell, after tackling Rhys

Patchell. It is his shoulder. Ankle to shoulder. He is not a happy man.

Darren Cave had gone back into the little dugout. He may well be

required. Maybe he is just winded. I think he might just be winded. Nick

Williams is offering him some consolation. If he is winded he will

get over that. Ditty come down on the point of the shoulder? He put in

a strong tackle. Got his arms around Patchell, which is perfectly legal.

He is coming off. He landed on his elbow and jarred his shoulder. It is

very unfortunate. Darren Cave is coming on. He was stood down for

this game. The Irish international, who played

a couple of games during the World Cup, will be keen to come on and

show what he can do. He will be playing at outside centre. Not quite

six minutes played. Still no score. Advantage all the way to Cardiff

Blues. I think Darren will be called into play very quickly. He will get

to rectify his mistakes from last week. On the tight head side for the

Cardiff Blues is Ma'afu. He played 14 times for the Wallabies. A

controversial figure off the field on occasions.

Cardiff trying to force a penalty. Ulster giving ground a little bit.

John Lacey is going to give a penalty against Ulster. The Ulster

scrum in a bit of bother. They are starting with their third choice

hooker and probably their third choice prop. I think it is obvious

they feel they have the edge on Ulster in the scrum and they will

exploit that every chance they get. The scrum was square. They could

have played away from it. They just kept working the scrum and Ulster

went around the corner and they just drove through. It looks like a

really decent chance for three points. Cardiff looked like they are

in cup mode about getting a result. This game is so important to them in

terms of their position in the league.

Good work by Brad Thyer, the 23-year-old having his first start

for the Cardiff Blues. But it is all eyes on Rhys Patchell. Fast

approaching 600 points for Cardiff. That went wide. That is a bit of a

let off. It is indeed. Patchell is a good kicker. But it never left his

foot properly. It is a let off for Ulster and they will take it on a

day like today. Paddy Jackson has been a member of the Six Nations

squad to date but has not featured in any of the match date 22s.

Lee-Lo turned 30 last week, the Samoan international. He played in

all four games in the World Cup for his country. Look at the space

Cardiff Blues are creating. That pass look a bit on the foreword

side but John Lacey happy enough. Ulster have to make the first

tackles. That has been knocked forward. Ruan Pienaar is given it.

What a good kick by Ruan Pienaar. And also for the very first time

inside not just the Cardiff Half Marathon, but the Cardiff 22. -- the

Cardiff Half Marathon. Good defence by Ulster. Cardiff are trying long

passes. If Cardiff or to put the ball through the hands it might be

more difficult. Cardiff made no inroads. Ulster eventually turned

over the ball. Great tackle by Callum Black.

Is there a chance of an Ulster turnover? Not at the moment.

Williams is shaping up to kick. He has brought within field. Gilroy

knotted forward. The referee played advantage. But none came. It was not

a particularly good kick. He had plenty of time. He fumbled it in the

air. I think he turned his body at the wrong time and it went through

his hands. Craig Gilroy chasing Tommy Bowe and Andrew Trimble in

terms of try scoring. He has got five in the league this season. 40

in all four Ulster. -- for Ulster. Still no score. The only chance was

a missed penalty by Rhys Patchell. Thomas Williams playing in his sixth

league game. Out on the far wing behind him are Dan Fish and Tom

James. Pienaar has a wee look to see what

is going on. He has indicated to Craig Gilroy to watch the blindside.

Ulster trying to dig in. A better scrum.

Good driving by Turnbull. Sam Arnold was in there holding him up. Penalty

against Cardiff. Well played Ulster. Held them up, held them up, went to

ground. Good turnover. Josh Turnbull was the man who made all the ground.

Jackson gave that a nice clip. Once again Ulster and a good position and

this time it is their line-out. The wind perhaps favouring Ulster at the

moment. Peter Browne riding over the ball, holding on. -- right in. That

was untidy. Darren Cave tackled by Vosawai. The

crowd thought Ruan Pienaar had fumbled that forward but he didn't.

Now Jackson. Good work by Olding. Pienaar in so quickly to get it

away. Peter Browne came on last week as a

replacement for Alan O'Connor. Lack of concentration by Darren

Cave. Tom James may have the legs on Craig Gilroy. Play on says the

referee. Paddy Jackson came back to support. That fumble as cost Ulster

some 50 metres. But they still have the ball. They have to be patient.

Callum Black god man, ball and most of the population of Cardiff! On to

the knees by a Cardiff forward. I think it might well have been so

Lacey Ma'afu. A good phase of play. Ulster building good pressure but

then one handling error cost them. Cardiff making mistakes at the ruck.

They are mistaking -- make mistakes with ball in hand. A thunderous

tackle by Josh Turnbull on Callum Black, who felt that. To give black

a lot of credit, he held up and he managed 2% of the quite nicely.

Turnbull has been capped by Wales seven times. A good line-out by

Ulster. Chris Henry got it away. Darren Cave wren smack back into the

American, Blaine Scully. Everybody seems to be committed offences. Yes,

holding on again. It is interesting because recently referees have been

giving the attacking team more latitude on the ground to clear the

ball. Lacey has been the other way today. He is having none of it for

sure. The players have to adjust to that.

That was scruffy from Patchell. The man with two Welsh caps. He is

another of the Welsh players who would have been playing for the

British and Irish Lions. Robbie Diack has done a good job of

spoiling. It is still Cardiff's ball but it is slow ball.

There is a penalty against Cardiff. Another holding on call at the ruck.

Great turnover by Ulster. Chris Henry had something to do with it as

well. The referee is really working at the moment in favour of the

defenders. Paddy Jackson has an opportunity to put Ulster into the

lead. Paddy Jackson has a breeze behind him.

Coming up to the end of the first quarter. Rhys Patchell missed a

penalty after only seven minutes. This would do Ulster's cause no harm

whatsoever. He allowed a little bit too much for

the wind. Patchell has missed, Jackson is missed. Still no score.

This game has yet to take off. A lot of penalties at the breakdown. There

is no rhythm in the game. It is hard to see any team take the initiative.

It is therefore one team if they grab it. In terms of territory, the

opening ten minutes belonged to Cardiff. The last ten have belonged

to Ulster. Patchell put that long. Scarlets leading Edinburgh by 23-16

at the interval. Edinburgh led initially but Scarlets out of come

back. Treviso leading Munster by 7-5 at half-time, which would not be a

good result for Anthony Foley's side.

Vosawai was well taken down by his opposite number, Nick Williams.

It is all a wee bit flat. Nick Williams got across well. Likewise

Chris Henry. The referee is going to give the penalty against Ulster.

Offside in the midfield. I think it was Nick Williams who jumped the gun

a little bit. The ball was out but the referee will always watch for

somebody being out of the line. And Nick was out of the line. It is a

wee bit outside the range of Rhys Patchell. He took two three metres

out of it before he kicked the ball. I am surprised John Lacey did not

pick him up on that. He held the ball exactly where the penalty was

given and he ran three metres before he kicked it. Most tickers do that

in their sleep if they can get away with it! -- kickers.

That was a good ball once again by Cardiff. Tom James coming in off the

left wing. He has posed Ulster all sorts of problems in the past. He

had a spell of rugby in England before returning to his native

Cardiff. Rey Lee-Lo, the 30-year-old Samoan.

Here is the astray William, 30 years of age. Josh Turnbull. Cardiff press

in, looking to squeeze another penalty out of Rhys Patchell.

Spilled it forward, advantage to Ulster. I think he kicked back into

touch from just outside. I think he took a pass back in and then he

kicked the touch. I knock-on. -- a knock-on. The defence has been good.

I think we looked skinny on the outside challenge. You see Cardiff

going through the phases. Ulster are going nowhere in a hurry. All it

takes is someone to make a mistake like we saw against the left lane.

They have held the line, they have a good balance. -- Llanelli. A scrum

to Ulster. If my calculations are right, they have played almost 23

minutes and still nothing happening, a wonderful win from Connacht last

night. There are still quite a few games to go, Pat Lam doing a

wonderful job way out west as they say.

With the ball is Ruan Pienaar who seems to have recovered from the

virus bug which also affect Paul Marshall. He had to cry off. Well

away to Rey Lee-Lo. Ruan Pienaar again looking for a runner.

Turnbull, he has made it available. Thinking about the kick and puts the

kicked in, giving plenty of height, Dan Fish is well positioned and he

is quick off the mark. He just held onto it, big Peter Brown, Tomos

Williams. A bit unfortunate. Here goes Jarrad Hoeta. Williams, Rhys

Patchell. Taken by Dan Fish, Ellis Jenkins, Ulster in quickly, still

that the Josh Turnbull, a good tackle by Peter Brown once again.

Williams once again, better stuff from the Cardiff Blues. A lovely

pass, Rey Lee-Lo tries to do a hitch kick. Cardiff making life

unnecessarily difficult for themselves. They seem to have loads

of men over on the far side, Ulster throwing themselves at the tackles

with gusto. A small slip, tackled by Van der Merwe. Jarrad Hoeta again.

Rey Lee-Lo steps back inside, grabbed by the ankle. Nick Williams

has tried to turn him over, Tomos Williams. Dan Fish sells a nice

dummy and Sam Arnold, Munster by next season makes the tackle. Trying

to get through the gap. Ulster will be pretty happy about getting the

scrummage. The defence is well organised. Cardiff got caught around

the corner. You can see it coming up here, they were in trouble at this

point, but they recovered really well. The initial tackle goes in

just outside the 22 and after much toing and froing, Ulster had pretty

much control of the situation. A lot of unnecessary hard work, holding

the line further. You have to give credit where it is due, a good

recovery, Cardiff coughed up the ball and there was contact. Every

time there is a stop in play, there seem to be about half a dozen

fellows in orange bibs distributing the water. I cannot imagine why. I

doubt there is much of the risk of dehydration due to the temperature.

I don't know about you, Edward, I am freezing! I'm sure it is more about

passing on information than water. 26 minutes played, still no score

here. A to and fro game, the first ten minutes or so were Cardiff in

terms of territory, then Ulster's turn. Now it is Cardiff on the

offensive. It is an Ulster scrummage and they don't in and got the last

one away reasonably cleanly. Not poised to clear, Paddy Jackson, his

legs were way out to the side of the Ulster scrum. Down it goes and John

Lacey has accepted that is a slip. The one thing that does not happen

is you should not slip, it increases injuries. They need to keep this up.

Lacey is doing a lot of talking. One of the problems with John Lacey, he

is a very good referee, but he holds the forwards for a long time in the

same position. You have 16 men ready to spring from a coiled position, he

is very slow. Here they go again. That is very slow. A good call, Ed.

A good strike by John Andrew. They go down on one knee though. Oh! They

need to watch themselves, if you go down on a knee, it is deemed to be a

penalty. My scrummaging friends who know a lot about this thing, the one

thing about this particular surface, it is great if you can get the grip,

but if you try to readjust, you can slide. It is mainly plastic, you

can't slide. At the same time, I'm sure there was a penalty there, I

had no idea which way it was coming, Lacey was not sure. It is pretty

boring to watch, but it is not fair to guess as some referees do. Ruan

Pienaar has a look over the lifetime shoulder to see if the Cardiff

defence has advanced any. Certainly from this position, Ulster seemed

poised to attack. It is hard to see what it was from where we are, Jim.

Matthew Rees just questioning John Lacey's decision. He is not taking

any old nonsense. Matthew Rees is obliged to question the referee.

What a kick by Paddy Jackson, even allowing for the wind. He has not

just release the pressure of Ulster, but he has put them in a good

attacking position. This is a good field position for the men in white

who desperately need to win this game. It is a great opportunity. The

game has gone from penalty to scrum to penalty, no real momentum in it.

Defence has been dominant, but it is an opportunity to come forward and

score. Danty Chris Henry. Well executed technical line-out. -- down

to Chris Henry. John Andrews in there as well, Diack will try to

straighten. Across the 22, a quicker ball for Ulster. Paddy Jackson puts

a chip in. Jacob Stockdale, all 6-foot three of him could not get to

it. Ruan Pienaar covers. Craig Gilroy, here is Gilroy. An awful

pass by Gilroy. A walloping tackle by Tom James. Nick Williams in the

far side has a surge in self, back inside to Darren Cave. A good switch

by Ulster. -- himself. He straightens. He needs to release.

Dan Fish told to get away, Nick Williams again scrum. Sammy Arnold.

Jackson has a wee dance. Ulster winning the ball. Callum Black. He

made it available, Ulster get the penalty in front of the posts, the

best passage of play for the visitors so far. Some good game

lines. It really came from broken play situation. Had bad decision by

Gilroy to pass the ball. A brilliant break on the short side. A fantastic

passing side and ulcer or away. You are going back to your Munster days.

That is all right! He was the guy who started the whole thing he was

the first serious southern hemisphere import. A nice guy. Paddy

Jackson, the nice guy that he is, but it is a nice kick for Ulster. We

have played coming up to 32 minutes and we have the first points. Yes, I

suppose to be fair on Ulster it took that one. You have to think in their

heads they have to wonder what to do. The dominance they were hoping

for has not really materialise. It may be changing game plan now.

Paddy Jackson directly behind. Ulster still moving forward. Jackson

inside the 22 from the past. He has given that a big sum. -- thump. Well

taken by Rhys Patchell, he has nudged it forward. Tidied up by

Darren Cave. The initial knock forward by Pat -- Rhys Patchell. He

had the ball in his hands, he spilled the ball quite legally. Did

Patchell actually knock it forward? He had the ball on his arm. It was

tight to take the scrum. Every day of the week they will take it. Nick

Williams is shook up. He seems OK again. He would be sad if he went

off now. The Roger Wilson is on the bench, now you have got me at it!

LAUGHTER The crowd giving John Lacey the

bird. It is very hard on the players, I don't think they need

that. It is causing the problems. It was the same in his last

international, very slow, tough on the players. He is telling the front

rows just to hold their balance, on the far side of us.

Now remember Li Na, get it in! Squeezed by Cardiff. -- now Ruan

Pienaar. Off-load to Chris Henry, over the halfway line. Ruan Pienaar

running wide. Deciding to go for position and what a good kick that

is. Even Tom James could not do anything about that. Nice to see him

in the world Six Nations after a long gap. His first game against

England was nine-year ago. A very smart player, Pienaar, Tom James

came up, thinking the ball was going wide. Blades like a real

professional. He knew exactly what was needed. -- he played like a real

professional. A shortened line-out, taken and I sleep, James Down. --

taken nicely. Again unnecessary, just holding on in the tackle.

Leinster are away to Zebre and they are up five points. Treviso are

leading Munster seven points to five. That would be an upset if

Treviso can hang onto that one. We will have to wait and see. A great

penalty. Ulster would probably like Edinburgh to win their game. More

importantly they want to win this one, Paddy Jackson can help them if

he gets a second penalty and he has done. No mistake from Ulster's

outside-half. As we approach half-time, Ulster have gone from

level pegging to 6-0 up. I think they will be happy with that. They

have had two sorties into Cardiff territory.

We are being asked if we would like a cup of tea at half-time and the

answer is absolutely! We may work a bit of something into it. The

initial knock forward was Ulster's. Oh! It is not, it may be an

accidental loss involving the Cardiff fact -- flanker. This was

supposed to be the last weekend of winter and from the start of this

coming week it is supposed to be spring. It is a bit not springlike

here. It is dry fortunately. Ulster need to hang on and see out this

half and turn around six points if they can. Cardiff will put

everything into this scrum, one of the set pieces of the first half. A

bigger squeeze by Cardiff, Ruan Pienaar gets it away. Fish, that was

unfortunate for Dan Fish. A little dummy he has got outside Nick

Williams. Inside Craig Gill worried -- Craig Gilroy. Jacob Stockdale

following. Here is Patchell. Tackled by Peter Brown, the ball has gone

loose, can Darren Cave capitalise. Rey Lee-Lo scoops it up. Coming

through illegally. Salesian -- Ma'afu. That was not the smartest

play. Here is Fish. A very deceptive runner. It looks like you have got

him and then he glides away. He saw the mismatch, he knew he would have

the legs on Nick Williams, he was able to step inside Jacob Stockdale,

Chris Henry eventually brought him down. Here is the line-out and it is

the Cardiff line-out. Here is Matthew Rees. A bit of a dummy by

Matthew Rees which you are not allowed to do. He should know that,

he has been around for ever, he is 35 years of age, he has played in a

World Cup and he has been a Lion and he did a silly thing you are not

allowed to do, he did a dummy. Darts players do it all the time, they can

get away with it. There was some confusion on the left and he went

early. Paddy Jackson has put that high up in the air. It was a free

kick, he could not kick directly into touch. Paddy Jackson, as it

turned out, the right thing. Cardiff still motoring forward. We are

almost up to the first 40 minutes. Rhys Patchell moves it wide. Good

stuff from Cardiff. Rey Lee-Lo tries to get it away. Cardiff still in

possession. Now we have played 40 minutes. Men out wide, they go

close, taken on by James Down, the second row. Tomos Williams, Manoa

Vosawai again. Williams on the narrow side, here is Turnbull. John

Andrews sticks to him like a limpet. Tomos Williams, Matthew Rees. Ulster

give away the penalty and it is very kit cable -- kick able.

He is sizing this up and he is going to go for it. When you are 6-0 up

with a few minutes ago, the last thing you want is to make the

stakes, you have to play a percentage game. That is what is

required and Ulster were not able to do that. The ball went back and

nobody touched it, the decision was right. Again, the situation, it is

very simple, just play out the half. Ulster gave away two penalties on

the bounce, Cardiff did not look like they were going anywhere. Now

Cardiff have a chance to claw their way back into the game. This'll be

the last bit of play, the first half has not exactly set the world

alight. He has got three points. That was three very unnecessary

points conceded by Ulster, they will not be too displeased by trailing by

just three points. At the very end, giving away the soft penalty, I

think they will take the lead at half-time. The opportunities they

have made the most of those they have had. Not a game to inspire by

any stretch of the imagination. No sign of a try, both penalties.

Half-time at the Arms Park. STUDIO: It is certainly not a classic in

Cardiff, wake up gentleman! Ulster do lead by 6-3. It has not been

overly entertaining. No disrespect to any of my dentist friends, but I

would rather go visit them than have watched that. They need to grab the

game by the scruff of the neck, nothing has happened. 30 players on

the pitch, the only person who has done anything semi-decent would be

Nick Williams. He has gone for it, he has made a few big hits and stare

I say it, he has done that all year for Ulster. They will miss in next

year if that is the case. The breakdown has been very messy, a

slowdown ball on both sides and there has been no flow to the game

on either side. It will be disappointing, hopefully John Lacey

will stamp his authority down on the area so the game can flow a bit

more. It has not been entertaining. I was up late watching the Carl

Frampton fight, maybe that is why they are tired. This is an important

fixture of Ulster, what will they have to do to see the game out? They

have gone in front. That is a positive to take out a bit, we have

not five too many shots, we have not got some structure into it, we need

to go forward and keep attacking and we need a bit of energy in this

game. As players we need to inject something into this, hopefully the

boys can satiate your legs, what is going on here. We need to create

momentum and that means holding onto the ball, carrying it through

phases, getting over the gain line. Hopefully some gaps will appear.

They are not stressed at the moment, the Cardiff team and they will be

energised by that. Ulster gave away a silly penalty at the end of the

first half to claw back three points. That was an unnecessary

penalty. Darren will be disappointed with that, I would like to see it

again, and unnecessary penalty and shooting themselves in the foot a

bit. Littered with mistakes in the first half. Look at the body

language, watching the ball, watching the player, no urgency to

get in behind it. It is not until we spilled the ball that we show some

energy and take it deep. Darren takes his eye off the ball, he has

not had a particularly good game, he did not intend to get fully back

into the game, but he has been thrust into it. Paddy Jackson has

bought time for players to get back, but I know it is Darren again, look

at his body language on the ground, it says a lot about his state of

mind and where he is. You cannot have great days all the time, that

is a cheap penalty to give away at the death. There was no need for it.

These guys are experienced, professional men, they know right

from wrong. The coaches will not have much to pull out. Darren Cave

had a bout of sickness during the week and I think it was a long shot

to get him on the bench. He would not been expecting to come on after

ten minutes. Hopefully the injury is not too bad. -- he would not have

been expecting. It will be instinctive see how Ulster come out.

With the directorate B, you would expect him to stick a rocket

somewhere in that dressing room and tried to get them coming out firing.

-- with the director of rugby. They will want some phase play rugby.

That will on the front of it and get them a chance to play rugby and

score points. Nick Williams. He is the only one with a bit of a punch.

The guy who actually tackled him did not release him at any point. That

was harsh. There is the tackle been made, he has not released him, he

has gone to ground, you have to show your hands, but he hasn't. John

Lacey has potentially got that one wrong, but that is a big boy, a big

skill set and it is great to see him like that. We are going to miss this

fellow next year. He is putting on a show for Cardiff and the crowd are

going, yes, I cannot wait for him to don the blue shirt. Ruan Pienaar is

playing off the calf rugby well. He is finding positions in the back

field to put the ball and develop territory for us will stop that OP

can do that in the second half. We had to wait half an hour before the

first points were put on the board. The one good passage of playing.

Craig Gilroy, I don't think it was so important, but a lovely bit of

play. There is no one coming onto theirs and back play from here, this

is a slow rock. We are all queueing up here and waiting for someone else

to do something. There is no interplay, not much crossing over.

It is a mess. Whenever you make half breaks like that, you need from

football and I don't think Lacey, I don't think he is refereeing very

well. There is no flow to it as a result. It is a couple of good

angles, you can see Darren looking, where is everybody? No one is

running off my shoulder. A great switch from the big man and you can

see Darren, where is the cavalry? It was not quite there. For me, it sums

up Ulster in the last few months, they do not seem to be punching as

hard as they need to. As simple as that. We will pause and reflect on

the Six Nations championship. More disappointment for Ireland who are

still without a win after three games, they lost to England 21-10.

Here is a look back on what happened. Commentary from Andrew

Cotter. COMMENTATOR: The two second row is coming together and a penalty

to England. Side entry. Makes the adjustment and a true kick from Owen

Farrell. England lead with five minutes to go here at Twickenham in

this first half. Another advantage, a penalty coming to Ireland. Ireland

are driving towards the line and just short, Connor Murray looking

down the blindside. He reaches and he has got there! It is a try for

Ireland! What a strike that is, never deviated. It is a 7-point try,

a 4-point lead over one-man advantage, over seven minutes. The

gaps are beginning to appear, then it may still be there that England,

it will be a try! It is Anthony Watson who scores! England have the

lead again, they have their try now. Five metres from the line, here

again, real pace about England now. Once more over the head, it goes far

and wide to Farrell. Mike Brown this time, Brown is in and England have a

second try, they are moving clear at Twickenham. Curls this around, a lot

of movement of the ball and England move beyond 20 points.

Sexton into the open. Wonderful play. It is Robbie Henshaw for the

line. What a covering tackle! What a moment in this match. Henshaw racing

down into the corner. We were tested a lot defensively in

the first half. We fronted up. We were well organised, made some big

hits. The second half we had real hope. We made too many mistakes in

the opposition 22. At this level if you do not take your chances, they

are few and far between against a quality side like England.

The table does not make pretty reading Ferraro Ireland. -- for

Ireland. One of the big talks from the -- talking points was the

incident of alleged foul play. It went to the TMO. There was no

decision taken. What do you think? I think for him to be still on the

pitch after this is ludicrous. This is a guy who knows what he is about

all the time. He plays the game pretty full on. To be getting away

with that in the modern game, he knows where his head is. He knew

that foot was well behind where the ball was. How the stain on the pitch

is crazy. That was reckless. The TMO said there was no foul play. I find

it surprising. Mike Browne has a reputation of playing the game on

the edge. He has a duty of care for the player on the ground. He cannot

defend himself. He has gone in with his boot. He knows what he is doing.

He is trying to shift the ball but he has a duty of care for the player

on the ground. He makes contact with his face a few times. Have we heard

the end of that incident? I don't think so. It will be looked at again

under the microscope by the sighting committee. I am delighted for him.

It is a big arena at Twickenham. He delivered for me. I do not think

anybody else in the backline would have held that ball. He did

everything he was required to do yesterday and more. Fantastic

defence here. I am just -- delighted for Stewart. He has had a good

season. He has been awarded and he stepped up to the plate. That

backline looked well balanced. The only change I would like to see is

to put Jared Payne at full-back. He can put some magic into the

backline. Delighted to see Stewart go so well. It has been an 18 month

journey to get here. He has played so well for Ulster. I thought his

performance was excellent for a first capped in a daunting place

like Twickenham. He carries well, he is smart enough to keep the ball

away from touch. He was effective in the tackle. It frees up potential to

play in his more natural position of 13. If Jared Payne was fit, you are

spreading your resources better. Thank you very much indeed. The

teams are back on the pitch. Ulster lead by 6-3. It can only get better.

You stay with us. Do you think Ulster can see this out? I think so.

They have to get their stuff together. It is that simple. Pull

your socks up and get on with this game. Yes, I think so. We are in the

lead. A win away from home is exactly what we need and I do not

really care if it is scrappy, as long as we get those points. A great

surface for running rugby. Let's hope we see some in the second half.

Amen to that, Stephen. A couple of minor adjustments. One by each

coach. The tight head props have been changed. Taufa'ao Filise, he is

on to play tight head. Ricky Lutton is on.

Pina kicks it down the tramline. Fish did really well.

They cannot hang on to Ricky Lutton. Cardiff on the front foot, which is

where they want to be. Filise is now 38 years of age. More

than 70 caps for tongue. -- tongue. There is a penalty against Ulster.

They ended the first half with a penalty against him. These are bits

of careless action. We want to get a game of rugby. The Ulster defensive

shape is good. They are not under any pressure. There is no need for

these careless penalties. It goes 50 metres. But again, a careless

penalty. It brings Cardiff into the game. The first chance at points in

the first Havant came from Patchell. He missed. He was kicking into the

wind. This time he is further out but he has got a fairly stiff breeze

behind him. He is not wasting any time. I think he fancies this one.

That is a core king cake from Risse title. -- courting kick.

Cardiff have scored just before and after the end of. Completely

unnecessary. Patchell covered well. He looked to

bring it inside. Stockdale is off his wing. Cardiff spotted that.

Cleverley read. Blaine Scully can scamper a bit. Cardiff on the front

foot. Good covering tackle by John Andrews.

Fish dearly got through at outside-half. -- nearly got through.

Interception by van der Merwe. Penalty to Ulster. Pienaar takes it

quickly. Gilroy did well with a poor pass.

Good work by Arnold. The first try of the game! The sixth try of the

season in the league Craig Gilroy. Sam Arnold did really well to set up

the winger. Just the response this Ulster team needed. They took full

advantage of the interception. They kept their patients. Sammy Arnold

barrelled over one of the Cardiff defenders. Great ball carrying. Just

19 years old and very strong. He had the time the pass. It was perfect

rugby. He drew the full-back, got the scrum out of the way, perfect

pass to one of the best finishers in the game at the in doubt.

So it is Paddy Jackson. Delighted very nicely between the posts.

Suddenly a gap of seven points as "The Ulster leading. Sammy Arnold

showed them a clean pair of heels. What a nice crisp pass that was.

Indeed it was. That is a big blow to Cardiff. They did not see that

coming. They have been punished. Nick Williams trying to make some

ground. Pienaar gave that a lot of height. Fish was very well

positioned. He laws that little dummy. -- he loves that little

dummy. Great tackle by Gilroy. Peter Browne

is in there and he has done well. He was on his feet taking the whole

weight and Tom James did not release the ball. Great work of the

breakdown. That is his third turnover of this game. When you have

your second rows in on top of those...

Paddy Jackson has not made a lot of ground.

Callum Black has gone off for Ulster. Kyle McCall has come on.

Robbie Diack getting Cardiff a little flat-footed.

Kyle McCall has wriggled and presented the ball nicely. The first

time Stuart Olding has about had the ball in hand from open play. This is

better from Ulster. Better work by Ulster on the front foot. John Lacy

having a good look at that bake -- breakdown. He has penalised Ulster.

The ball was being played by a man on the floor. When you are on the

floor you cannot touch the ball at all. Ulster have the wind in their

sales at the moment. They are keeping the pressure on Cardiff. I

do not see Cardiff getting out of their half in this one. Keep the

pressure on. They are in the driving seat, Ulster in terms of the

momentum of the game. The ball was released. Somebody on the ground who

had not been involved actually touched the ball and that brought

the penalty. Ulster just nudged the ball forward

at the Cardiff line-out. John Lacey had played advantage to Cardiff but

because there was no advantage they will come back for the scrummage.

Ten minutes of the second half gone. Ulster were 6-0 ahead but then found

themselves pegged back to six piece. But a try from Gilroy and a

conversion from Jackson has given them the lead. The first scrum of

the second half. Ulster with two fresh props on. Ricky Lutton on the

near side for Ulster. John Lacey is very slow. I think they are binding

early because they are expected to bind. He can speed this up. It is

slowing basement. It is a very Irish thing, a slowing basement, isn't

it?! No comment! -- slow engagement. Good work by the Cardiff forwards.

That is going to bring a penalty. That Ulster scrum has got no better

with the introduction of two new props.

Ulster gave away a penalty at the breakdown. They gave away a penalty

at the set piece. Patchell will put them into a very good attacking

position. Once again errors costing Ulster in terms of possession and

territory. I know we are only 12 minutes into the second half but if

Cardiff score here, it is game on again.

Matthew Rees, the veteran Cardiff skipper. Good defence. Knocked

backwards. Well done by Tom James but Robbie Diack has him. James

squeezed it back, quite legally it would seem.

What a pass by Pienaar. Stuart Olding... Good run. Knocked to the

ground by Turnbull. Ulster still driving forward. How do they manage

to lose that? Patchell had men outside him but he went for the

kick. Lee-Lo has got right through. Or

Ulster defending. Great chance for Cardiff. The game is certainly

livening up. The skill set is not wonderful. There was a huge space.

Ricky Lutton might just have hurt himself. I think he has done

something to his left wrist. Nice little check by Jacob

Stockdale. Chip and chase by Paddy Jackson. He does not quite have the

pace. Ulster coming back. The game has livened up. Still scrappy at

times at the turnover but at least there is some entertainment.

Surprise that Paddy Jackson. He may have been better off keeping the

ball in hand. The first of -- players only getting their second

wind at this stage of the game. Sean Reidy, who has signed a two year

contract extension, is coming on for Ulster. Nice footwork by Rey Lee-Lo.

Kim off the left and right and did it again. Slipped just before Paddy

Jackson got him. I think it is going to be a blood replacement. Chris

Henry is going off the field holding his head as we look at Rey Lee-Lo's

fancy footwork. There is a lot of the old claret, as

they say in boxing parlance, coming down Chris Henry's head. Nice to see

Olding getting more involved. Not much room to move in. Ulster

trying to turn it over. Not forward by Ulster. -- knocked forward.

Nearly 17 minutes played in the second half. It is a scruffy,

scrappy game. Gilroy eventually gets himself

caught. Good presentation by Kyle McCall.

Ulster need to be patient. The referee was happy with that.

Ulster making life difficult for the Cardiff Blues.

Craig Gilroy will take its time. That is what Ulster have to do.

Almost at the end of a third quarter, a converted try between

them. Gilroy read that really well. He was open the line covering

defence. There was only one option, to kick long. He was in the right

position. Patchell got past Gilroy. Port tackle. Fisher of a corner!

What a tackle by Olding. Paddy Jackson gets carried over the line.

It has gone into touch. It will be a Cardiff line-out. What a covering

tackle that was. What a break by Rhys Patchell. It is one of those

breaks were you thought it was a 7-point. Fantastic covering tackle.

Saved the day. Timed his pass brilliantly. This has got a lot of

pace. That was a brilliant covering tackle by Stuart Olding. Paddy

Jackson tidies it up. Ulster still under the cosh. Paddy Jackson came

back infield and was dragged into touch. In the last scrum Cardiff

seemed to have the advantage in the front row. Jenkins has come on for

Cardiff. Good work by John Andrew Landry at

the breakdown. Cardiff men outside. Patchell... Great tackling by Darren

Cave, equally strong. Vosawai held up by Peter Browne. Not

the first time he has done that. Horrific bit of defending. Excellent

tackling by also. That is his fourth turnover today.

They probably went wide a bit early, Cardiff, but great defence on the

outside channels. When they came back they were met head on again by

the Ulster defence. Once again a whole raft of water carriers coming

on. We are into the last quarter of this game. It is tantalisingly

poised. Were you ever approached in charge

of Ireland asking you, Eddie, what do you think, when you are 15 points

down? Thankfully not. It is tough on the coaches. You cannot say too much

because you will probably give information away. It is the way the

game has progressed from a media point of view. It is one of those

things that coaches could probably do without if they could get away

with it. Franco van der Merwe seemed to accept a big bag of ice and put

it inside his jersey. If my Welsh is good, Edinburgh are leading the

Scarlets by 24-23, which may not be a bad result for Ulster. 21 minutes

played in the second half. The Ulster scrum... The last one did not

go so well. Williams gave it away. Catastrophe for Ulster. Again a

great tackle, this time from Craig Gilroy. What was Nick Williams

doing? Ulster have got the ball into touch. What an escape. That was

living dangerously. Nick Williams did really well to pick the ball

going backwards in the scrum. He probably should have held on and

just drove on. He off-loaded straight to a Cardiff player. They

have survived again. Another chance to exit. Josh Navidi, another Welsh

international, is on Philly home side. He may well play number eight

macro. The man he is replacing, Vosawai, has been playing at number

eighth. The Ulster scrummaging not going

according to plan. All full tackling once again. Nick

Williams in very slow. Pienaar has to make the tackle. Ulster not

closing their men down at all. Very slipshod. A dummy by Evans, the

replacement. Looked like a high tackle from Ulster. The referee is

happy enough. Matthew Rees going for glory. Picked up by Blaine Scully.

Cardiff within touching distance of the Ulster line. This could change

the whole complexion of this game. Cardiff on the front foot. Matthew

Rees has another go himself. Not much in the way of options. The

referee says play on. Ulster have turned it over.

The touch has got to be found. Pienaar does not really care, but he

has found touch. Not his most effective kick, Ulster living very

dangerously, a lot of rugby to be played here. Ulster were given a

turnover, they were very lucky. Just missed tackling here. -- Miss

tackled. Taken at the front by Jarrad Hoeta

for the Cardiff Blues, now they are turning forward yet again. He is

still motoring forward, he has done well and still Cardiff lay siege to

the Ulster line. Jarrad Hoeta looking for another runner. Tomos

Williams is looking, the enormous Tongan moves forward. How can Ulster

hold this out? Surely now Rey Lee-Lo, tackled by Sammy Arnold. It

is scooped up a legally. Now decision time for Cardiff. Lots of

time on the clock, do they go for the three to close the gap or do

they go for the scrummage where they have the advantage. I would not be

surprised if they go for the scrum. Maybe not, it is a big-time in the

game, Ulster can hold them out here. They have taken the kick.

Psychologically the Ulster, it is a big statement for the rest of the

game. They are happy to take the points go back for more. Darren Cave

got in there and a bit of a hint of a headlock. Darren Cave realised he

did something not necessarily wrong, but a bit controversial and he

released. I am not sure why John Andrew was penalised, maybe he was

offside from that angle. Rhys Patchell, taking his third penalty

of this afternoon, he does exactly that and now we are back to a

4-point game. Now we are getting the scrum-half

Lewis Jones. Cardiff are coming back. It is really a one scored game

here. It looks like Cardiff may need a try, at the moment you would not

bet against that. Roger Wilson will be coming on for Ulster. Van der

Merwe has had a bit of trouble with his ribs. Roger Wilson who has

passed 200 caps for Ulster is on. Taken by Patchell again, brave as

well as skilful. Ulster get the penalty straightaway. Ulster will be

hoping that this will re-establish that 7-point gap. Patchell took a

great catch, sloppy at a ruck. Ulster got in and a soft three

points. You could put your house on this one, the front of the post.

Don't say that, Eddie, don't say that! I don't think you would put

that lovely house of yours in the West of Ireland on the line to

anything, would you? No. But I would be very surprised if he does not put

this one through. Good work at the restart by Ulster, a really serious

challenge there. Stuart Olding looks on. Hopes to take Ulster to 17

points. Well, so much for the house in the

West of Ireland. You will have two by a tent. Paddy Jackson has missed

that one, that looks to be regulation, that was a wee lapse of

concentration. Matthew Rees is going off and on comes Christian

Dacey -- Kristian. A clever kick. A trap by Jacob Stockdale. Where is he

going? A lot of blue and black jerseys. Pienaar, Jackson, Henry, a

nice flat pass to Arnold. Here he goes again. Nice feet by Sammy

Arnold. At., -- at., he will be missed. He has done something to

himself. Peter Brown clears out, Pienaar on the outside. A lot of

tackling by the Cardiff Blues, Pienaar, Jackson. Roger Wilson

tidies it up. Ulster cannot afford to make silly mistakes like that.

Taken on by Chris Henry. Cardiff battling. A silly mistake from silly

mistake. That has given Patchell a chance to close the gap to one

single point. John Lacey has been consistent in his interpretation of

the breakdown. He is giving the opposing team a chance to win the

ball and giving them a call if they get their hands on it. Ulster, a

sloppy pass that went to ground. A lack of accuracy over the ball and

Cardiff cannot get their hands on it. Sammy Arnold is down again, I

think that is the problem hamstring that got him out for quite a while.

He is only 19 years old, if he is getting consistent hamstring

problems, he needs to take a rest from the game. He is in a bit of

trouble, but we are concentrating on outside-half for the Cardiff Blues,

Rhys Patchell, he has kicked three, can he make it four? He has given

that a fair wallop, Ulster will be breathing a huge sigh of relief.

Rory Scholes has come on for the unfortunate Sam Arnold. Sam Arnold

looks in a lot of distress with his hamstring, looks like a serious

hamstring tear unfortunately. Jackson, not a bad distance, taken

in by Jarrad Hoeta. The Cardiff Blues are in Ulster's half. Lewis

Jones to the replacement Kristian Dacey. This is Rey Lee-Lo, a bit of

acceleration and upper body strength. Really making life

difficult for Ulster's defence, taken on buying the loosehead prop.

Back in the Ulster side, here is Scholes, did the right thing, a good

kick by Scholes. Patchell recovers well. Scholes puts in a very good

tackle. Lewis Jones looking for a wee gap. Runs into Kyle McCall. Very

aggressive across the halfway line. Less than ten minutes to go. Ulster

still hanging on by their fingertips. Cardiff making progress,

Lewis Jones, Ellis Jenkins with the float, well tackled by the massive

Tongan. Here is Dacey. Steps inside. The flailing arms of Ruan Pienaar.

Jones, Williams up quickly, too quickly. Jarrad Hoeta gets it away.

Ulster have to move. A penalty against Cardiff. Hanging onto the

tackle. This time it is Nick Williams, he made a mistake coming

off his line, he recovered really well and got back to the ruck. He is

playing like a man possessed at the moment and that was a big turnover.

A good tackle thereby Diack and Ricky Lutton. Ulster have cleared

their lines, just about eight minutes remaining. Ulster are

enjoying a 4-point lead at the moment. Another Cardiff replacement,

McCauley Cook -- Macauley. An Ulster throw, a great take by Robbie Diack.

Ulster keeping it tight and going forward. Trying to keep Cardiff

offside. Up very quickly. That was a dreadful pass. Cardiff have got the

ball back. Here come the Blues, a bit of zip, get it away to Rey

Lee-Lo. Rey Lee-Lo has got away. Temporary work -- Patchell is going

to win it for Cardiff! Rhys Patchell who has been outstanding in just

about everything has been as did for Cardiff I am pretty sure. A sloppy

play again off the line-out. No reason to turn it over. Cardiff have

taken full advantage. They had long way to go, but Rhys Patchell had a

fantastic finish. He was involved in the movement twice. A poor attempt

at a tackle by Stockdale, he bamboozled everybody. Patchell kept

his line and the support play was quite superb. There was the dummy.

Stockdale and somebody else inside him missed, it may have been Darren

Cave and away went Patchell. What a finish here at Arms Park. Rey Lee-Lo

did well, but the tackling was sloppy. Patchell adds points

himself. Cardiff in the lead for the very first time in this game. This

has happened Ulster far too many times this season. The defence was

very poor, too many first half tackles, what actually gave it away

was the mistake in the middle of the part when possession was lost from a

fairly straightforward line-out and also tried to over elaborate. 16-13

to Cardiff. Well taken at the restart by the Blues. Six minutes

remaining. Patchell. Paddy Jackson, Ulster's captain. Lost at home last

week. May well be losing again at home this week, straight into the

arms of the grateful Patchell. Lewis Jones may give it a week kick. He

changes his mind, Josh Turnbull who has been excellent. This is going to

be a serious blow to Ulster's never mind semifinal hopes but top six

hopes. Lewis Jones gets it away, Cardiff playing with confidence, Rey

Lee-Lo, a lovely pastor Tom James. An attempt at a tackle by the Ulster

forwards. Jones waiting for Jarrod Evans who takes it. Cardiff play

with increased confidence. Again he gets it away! It is Rey Lee-Lo, if

anyone deserves to score it is him. A good tackle by Rory Scholes.

Ulster have turned that over, can they break from here. Here goes

Darren Cave. He gives it a chip by the full-back. The cross comes

Patchell and he gathers and get it away again. Wonderful stuff by

Cardiff. Dacey. Into Lewis Jones, the replacement scrum-half. The

Blues in full flow yet again. The loosehead prop, Thomas Davis. --

Davies. Patchell steps back inside. Dacey adds the pounds to help. -- 20

odd pounds to help. Into Jackson and away from Jackson and away from

Wilson and away from Lutton. Rey Lee-Lo has scattered Ulster's

defenders, Tom James, straight and hard. Cardiff looking for one

conclusive score, perhaps even to deny Ulster the losing bonus point

which would be doubly catastrophic for the men in white. Cardiff

pressing as well as they can. Josh Turnbull, support from Ellis Jenkins

and from the replacement prop Jones again. McCauley Cook saying give it

to me and I will go forward. -- Macauley. Just over three minutes

remaining. The one Ulster the stake has cost them the game and god knows

what this season. -- mistake. Here they come again, Turnbull has got it

away nicely, a lovely touch. It is Summerhill for Cardiff's second try

and that will make it a dreadful afternoon in the capital of the

principality for this Ulster side. The build-up, soft tackling, Cardiff

were let deep into the heart of the Ulster territory. Cardiff have shown

great patience and they had a little past behind at the back and around

the corner. Smart play on the short side. Lovely stuff, a lovely

transfer by Turnbull and beautifully moved the near side. There is

Turnbull and Ellis caught the ball as you are taught to when you are a

little fella. Playing down the centre. He has managed to pick up

his fifth try for Cardiff. Here is the man who has been outstanding all

afternoon, he will try to convert this. The second Cardiff drive. --

he will try to convert this second Cardiff try. What a nice strike.

When you are on form, you are on form and when you are hot, you are

hot and Patchell is on fire. He has come into his own in the second

half. He is master of the game at the moment. He is the real

difference between the two teams. 13 points the Patchell. -- for

Patchell. Our colleagues have made Rey Lee-Lo the man of the match. Is

there a chance for Ulster to come back? We need something to try to

squeeze back a bonus point, even a penalty, that may do them well to

get a losing bonus point. Ulster have not scored for over half an

hour. Unfortunately they have lost momentum in the game, but there is

still an important bonus point if they can sneak it come the end of

the season when it comes to the play-offs. Dave Shanahan has come on

for Ruan Pienaar at scrum-half. I am not sure what the point is bringing

someone on for one minute of the game, but never mind. So, can

Ulster's often times believe good scrum stand up well enough to get

the ball away to the backs? Sam Arnold, that looks like a serious

hamstring problem again, unfortunately for him. Shanahan

popped it in. Shanahan has got it away well. It went backwards.

Stockdale picks it up. Unless Ulster produced something quite

spectacular, they will come away without a single point from this

game. The referee says play on and Cardiff are trying to turn it over,

but Jackson has got away with it. Ulster lobbed it out wide to see who

is out there and Stockdale is out there. A step-by-step Dale. Still in

Ulster's hands. -- a step by Stockdale. He is well contained, no

one at scrum-half for Ulster. Stuart Golding, no way through. In goes

Lutton to help Wilson again at scrum-half and it is Jackson back to

Gilroy. Well, Gilroy, no room to use those flashing foetuses. Again it is

a slow ball, Shanahan does get it away, Wilson, Jackson. Brought

forward by Rey Lee-Lo. Ulster still go forward, Shanahan less than the

aside. Here goes Rory Scholes, a nice run, he is well tackles, into

touch and that will be game over. John Lacey blows and look at the

grin on the face of Rhys Patchell, as wide as the River tap itself

which runs just past this famous old ground and Cardiff have put together

a very good little sequence and they have pounced on the all too many

Ulster mistakes and they have punished the Ulster side. Having

lost at home to the starters last week, now to Cardiff. Ulster's

season may well be unravelling. You have to say it is very

disappointing. In control of everything, turnover of the ball,

and then the second try which took the bonus point, very frustrating.

It looked good for Ulster, but that was it as far as they were concerned

and they have come out of the wrong end of the scoreline which reads

Cardiff Blues 23, Ulster 13. STUDIO: Not a good afternoon for Ulster

Rugby, we have been watching. There is the current Pro12 table. Ulster

are in fourth position, but a lot of rugby to be played. A couple of

weeks ago he may have said Ulster were hoping to get a home semifinal,

now they actually look as though they are under pressure to qualify

for Europe. Coming out on a poor run of form, resulting in these losses

on the trot. That Champions Cup place is looking like what as you

say a foregone conclusion, now Munster will creep up and they have

an easier run-in to the end of the season and they have a game in hand.

It will be very tight now. As you say we were hoping for a home

semifinal in the Pro12. We just want to qualify now. Ulster's challenge

wilted. How costly war that defeat the in the context of the season? It

is what it is. Jim alluded to it in the commentary, it is starting to

unravel a bit here. We have been plastering over cracks for the last

three or four months, there have not been any out and out stand-up

performances as individuals or as a team and it has started to go here

and now we are getting to the nitty-gritty end of the season.

Things are starting to really come on done. You can only plaster over

the cracks were so long. Ulster will be particular disappointed with the

way they threw the game away today. They were in control. They were in a

winning position, maybe some complacency because Cardiff really

did not threaten them. The Jackson missed penalty may come back to

haunt us as well, because that would have given us a bit of a buffer. We

turn this one over massively and Patchell has had a good game. He has

had a brilliant second-half and he puts an injection into the game

between out half and him, they have set the thing alight. The defence

going backwards is not great at all. That. Did from the mistake from us

60 minutes down the park. -- that all started from the mistake from us

60 minutes down the park. There seems to be a lack of communication

as to who is taking the ball carrier there, people assuming that they're

inside guy will get there, drifting off, leaving gaps. Also, Ulster will

be very worried about their defence. They are leaking tries to easily.

When you look at the team sheet and so forth, we said that earlier on as

well, it does not happen on paper, we should have had the stronger

side, if you look at the sheet there is a bit of inexperience. A lot of

youngsters, brilliant for moving forward, Stuart Golding is still a

young guy. Stockdale is in there. It starts to unravel somewhat, then you

need the experience to say let's put this together, let's hold its

together for the next ten minutes, let's focus on this. That helps to

build the young guy's conference up. If someone is not prepared to do

that, then the whole thing. Are. The correlation that is the Six Nations.

When you take those leaders out of the team, it has a big effect.

Likewise Cardiff have probably decimated the Six Nations as well.

Ulster from a winning position, then they let another score to concede

the bonus point, that could be key come the end of the season. This

position towards the start of the second half even was very good. But

a bit of communication here, that should never have got to that point,

it was all fairly static, there were numbers to deal with that situation.

Was there enough communication? Again it comes down to

communication. Rory Scholes commits to quickly to the ball carrier when

he has Stuart Golding inside him, he could have drifted out and not let

the man go free. It was a well executed try by Cardiff, but down to

disappointing defence from Ulster, bad communication again. They lot of

line breaks against Ulster last week and Cardiff had been threatening to

do that. That all needed to be ten rows back in the stand, Cardiff

looked at their best in broken play. He is fantastic, but this was a

tremendous try saving tackle. We did exceptionally well to get out of

jail in this position. A great tackle by Stuart Golding there,

Craig will be very disappointed. He set the league alight with his try

scoring ability and maybe these other small issues that probably

stop him progressing to the international stage, a missed tackle

like that will not be something that Joe Schmidt would be happy to have

in his team. -- Smit. It was lots of missed tackles that cause us to leak

tries and black momentum. We are sitting waiting for the game to come

to ask, we do not push hard, we take two steps forward and then do not

plant the feet. It was a good bit of scrambling defence. It was Richard

Loftin at that point. It was not a great clearance. Ruan Pienaar is

normally phenomenal at clearing the lines, a massive, big boot, just a

few cracks. Craig Gilroy, the one thing he does do well is scored

tries and on the scoresheet again today. A great scorer and Ulster's

best passage of play, created by Sam Arnold with a great switch. Great

outside to inside line, he ran right out through the scrum-half and

Ulster played their best rugby up to Christmas when they were doing the

likes of that against Toulouse. You were screaming for the likes of Ruan

Pienaar to take the penalty and both a post. A bit of momentum, some

phases, a well taken try by Craig. For a young guy, 19-year-old, he

showed some really good strength. The Cardiff scrum-half will not be

looking forward to their bit of a video nasty in terms of the fence.

For 19 to take it on, it was fantastic. He did not give the

full-back any chance to get out to Craig. All done. I hope his

hamstring will be OK, he was stretchered off. Can Ulster still

make the play-offs when you look at their remaining fixtures? Are you

still confident? It is a bit of an optimistic thing really. We see some

of those games, Leinster and the Ospreys, those players will be

dealing with all their international players as well. It will be a tough

run. They certainly need to create some amends in the Zebre game. You

would expect them to put in a good game, but hopefully it will lead to

additional confidence that the team need to go across to Glasgow and get

results. There are winnable games, but it will be a tough result, all

hands to the pump. Thank you very much indeed. As Paddy says, Ulster

are in action next weekend when they take on Zebre.

Let's hope for much better, this afternoon it has been a bit of a

horror show in Cardiff. From all of us here, it is goodbye.

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