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BBC News
28-03-2025
- Sport
- BBC News
Ulster recover from big early deficit to beat Stormers
Ulster (17) 38Tries: Baloucoune, Warwick, Murphy, Stockdale, Ward, Moore Cons: Cooney 2, Murphy, Doak Stormers (17) 34Tries: Roos 2, Loader, Engelbrecht Cons: Feinberg-Mngomezulu 2 Pens: Drop goals: Feinberg-Mngomezulu 2 Ulster recovered from a 17-0 deficit after just eight minutes to run in six tries in recording a battling 38-34 win over the Stormers in Friday's United Rugby Championship encounter at Kingspan from Evan Roos and Ben Loader helped the visitors to their sizeable early lead but Robert Baloucoune, Andrew Warwick and Jack Murphy's scores ensured the sides went in level at the try-fest continued after the break, Stockdale crossing for the bonus-point try before the South African side had skipper Neethling Fouche sent-off for a dangerous challenge on Ben Ward and Stewart Moore also touched down for the Irish province while Willie Engelbrecht and Roos scored tries for the Stormers to keep themselves within touching Ulster it was the first time this season they have recorded three wins in a row and they move up to fifth position in the table to improve their chances of clinching the top eight-place which would guarantee a place in the end-of-season knockout stages and qualification for the Champions Stormers remain in contention too with four home games to come to complete their regular league campaign. See-saw first half The Stormers took a second-minute lead when back-rower Roos raced away to score after the hosts had been turned over on their own 22 and Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu played him through a gaping hole in the Ulster visiting fly-half added the extras and soon after executed a drop goal from long range to increase the lead to South African's side superb start continued when Loader broke away to score after Dave McCann's pass in the tackle on halfway fell loose and was latched onto by the wing. Feinberg-Mngomezulu kicked the conversion from the right-hand responded on 11 minutes as Baloucoune marked his return to action after an 11-month absence by going over in the corner after collecting Murphy's 20-yard spin home side enjoyed the better of the possession and pressure thereafter in the first half and were rewarded when prop Warwick barged over from close range, Cooney adding the additional two then steered a penalty from 35 metres wide after the ball fell off the tee - a let -off for Richie Murphy's Stormers number 10 was at the centre of the action again as he received a yellow card for taking out Baloucoune in full flight after the wing had kicked the ball forward into after Murphy crossed when the ball was spun to him on the left after Ulster rucked up close to the Stormers' line and he finished the move superbly. High scoring continues After the sides went in level at the break, Ulster got off to a storming start on the resumption by touching down for his side's bonus-point opted for a tap and go at a penalty and worked the ball to the left where Mike Lowry unselfishly passed to Stockdale who cantered over. Cooney was successful with his kick to put two between the Stormers suffered a further setback when they had captain Fouche sent-off by referee Andrea Pairdi after he consulted with the Television Match Official [TMO].The prop was adjudged to have committed a dangerous challenge to the head of centre Ben Carson, who left the field reduced his team's arrears when he returned to the field after his 10 minutes in the bin, notching a second drop goal, this time firing between the sticks from 40 proved to be only a brief respite however as Ulster scored try number five. Stockdale burst through the midfield before offloading to the right flank to flying replacement Ward, who sprinted over the line. Murphy had the simple task of adding the conversion from in front of the Stormers were not finished though as substitute Willie Engelbrecht darted in beside the posts, Feinberg-Mngomezulu adding the two points to put just four between the sixth try came on the counter-attack, Lowry scorching down the right flank and passing to Nick Timoney, then Doak and then Moore who dashed over adjacent to the uprights. Doak's kick extended his side's advantage to 11 the Stormers came back strongly as Roos barged over from close range for his second of the night, the conversion bringing their side to within hung on for a crucial win however, the victory ensuring that the record of no South African side having ever won at the Kingspan Stadium continues. Team line-ups Ulster: Michael Lowry, Rob Baloucoune, James Hume, Stuart McCloskey, Jacob Stockdale, Jack Murphy, John Cooney, Andrew Warwick, Rob Herring, Tom O'Toole, Alan O'Connor (capt), Kieran Treadwell, Matty Rea, Nick Timoney, David McCannReplacements: Tom Stewart, Callum Reid, Scott Wilson, Harry Sheridan, James McNabney, Nathan Doak, Ben Carson, Zac WardDHL Stormers: Damian Willemse, Ben Loader, Suleiman Hartzenberg, Dan du Plessis, Leolin Zas, Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu, Dewaldt Duvenage, Ali Vermaak, Joseph Dweba, Neethling Fouche (capt), Connor Evans, Ruben van Heerden, Dave Ewers, Marcel Theunissen, Evan RoosReplacements: Andre-Hugo Venter, Brok Harris, Sazi Sandi, Gary Porter, Willie Engelbrecht, Paul de Wet, Jurie Matthee, Wandisile Simelane
BBC News
28-03-2025
- Business
- BBC News
Ospreys and Scarlets post financial losses
Ospreys and Scarlets have both recorded financial losses of more than £2m for the second year in a of the United Rugby Championship derby between the sides, the Welsh rugby regional rivals have each published their latest accounts, taking in the 2023-24 results for the year end June 2024 saw the Scarlets post a loss of £2.59m, down from £2.91m the previous recorded a £2.18m loss, slightly up on the previous year's figures of £ described the year as challenging. Ospreys look to ground move for revenue boost Ospreys used the accounts to underline the need to move to a redeveloped St Helens as a means of achieving financial Swansea-based side – who reached the play-offs of the United Rugby Championship and the quarter-finals of the European Challenge Cup in a successful 23-24 campaign on the field – saw turnover dropping 15% from £11.59m to £ was also a 20% drop in direct funding from the Welsh Rugby Union from £6.99m to £5.54m, as well as a reduction in competition income to £1.93m compared to the £2.3m earned in the 22/23 season where they competed in the Champions loss came despite the wage bill for coaching staff and playing squad being reduced by £2m to £6.75mChief Executive Lance Bradley revealed in the year plans to leave the Stadium, with St Helen's later chosen as the preferred site with pledges of investment from the local council."The move to our own stadium will significantly increase our revenue opportunities, especially in the areas of sponsorship, ticketing hospitality and non-match day activities. This will drive us closer to our aim of financial stability," Ospreys stated in the the time of the accounts, Ospreys had £3.3m owed in loans – although the majority of that is a long-term financing from the WRU repayable over 19 years. Scarlets grateful of financial support The repayment and structure of loans to all four regions have been included in discussions of a new five-year Professional Rugby Agreement that has been agreed in the Scarlets' accounts, chairman Simon Muderack said: "We have worked the with the WRU on a new funding agreement that will relieve the regional clubs of a substantial portion of the Covid-related debt that has previously burdened us, alongside a more sustainable funding model that provides greater long-term financial certainty."The Scarlets' borrowings stood at more than £10m in their accounts for year ending June 2024, including £7.955m owed to the WRU and £2.6m to Carmarthenshire County Council – the latter having been granted a 15-year extension last region described the season – where they finished 13th in the URC and did not reach the knock-out stages of Europe – as one that "fell short of our objectives and ambitions".Turnover dropped from £12.79m to £11.34m while competition income and ticketing also Parc y Scarlets wage bill was cut 15% from £9.69m to £8.24m with the WRU funding also cut – a figure that was reduced again for the current season to £ did manage to cut the size of the losses by 11%, but Muderack added the continued support of benefactors and directors "have provided stability without which the club simply could not continue to operate".Scarlets host the Ospreys in the URC on Saturday with five points separating the sides with five rounds meet again next weekend on Sunday 6 April in Swansea in the last-16 of the Challenge Cup.
