PRO14 RUGBY: Ulster's Les Kiss happy with late response
Director of rugby Les Kiss admitted winning against Munster last night did not lift the pressure Ulster had been feeling recently over the festive period.
Ulster produced a huge second half comeback to snatch a dramatic bonus-point 24-17 win over Irish provincial rivals Munster in Belfast.
Kiss’ side - under pressure after their previous 44-16 slump at Connacht - trailed 17-0 at half-time of the Guinness PRO14 encounter and looked out of the game before two tries from Craig Gilroy and a score apiece from Darren Cave and Rob Lyttle secured the game.
John Cooney’s touchline conversion of Gilroy’s second put the home team ahead for the first time in the match in the 75th minute, with Lyttle’s try clinching the bonus point in the last minute.
Ulster’s cause was helped in the second half by Munster having Sam Arnold red-carded and lock Fineen Wycherley yellow-carded.
Securing five match points from a game when they looked beaten will have been a huge relief to Kiss and his coaching team.
“I was happy to see the guys respond to the previous game, although it does not take away the hurt we felt as a squad from the Galway loss.
“(The pressure) is never off. I don’t think winning here will take the pressure off but that’s good, we’ll keep winning.
“It was disappointing in the first half. The set-piece just couldn’t get a platform. To have two mauled tries and a penalty try from the scrum certainly shortened us up but we didn’t have to say a lot.
“But they put their hands up and delivered in the second half. We stay in the hunt and keep fighting away.”
“It gives us a chance with the bonus point, we stay in the hunt. We have Leinster next week and it’s just move on week by week and keep improving. Last week was wrong and we responded today.”