Ulster Rugby

Ulster take on Sharks in their final regular season game in the United Rugby Championship at the Kingspan Stadium in Belfast this evening.

"It’ll take time, I suppose, similar to playing at 15. I hadn’t started in a year at 10. “I’ve played international level now at 15 and I really enjoy 15. The conversion is nailed. Cooney makes no mistake with the kick. Grant Williams with the try to make it a nervy finale.

Ulster are back in United Rugby Championship action on Friday night. Dan McFarland's men host South African side Sharks in their latest fixture (7.35pm ...

Fans can stream the game on the BBC iPlayer or BBC Sport NI website, and Premier Sports subscribers can watch it on the Premier Player. Yes, the game is being shown on various platforms including BBC Northern Ireland, Premier Sports, TG4 and on URC TV. When and where is the game?

19:35 · Ulster: Mike Lowry; Rob Baloucoune, James Hume, Stuart McCloskey, Ethan McIlroy; Billy Burns, John Cooney; Andrew Warwick, Rob Herring, Tom O'Toole; Alan ...

Tom O'Toole and Vermeulen were among those who made multiple big tackles, before Timoney ended the passage with a jackal turnover to end the half, Ulster 10 in front at the whistle. From there it was simple hands, Baloucoune popping inside to Cooney, before the scrum-half played in Hume who coasted in under the posts. Both sides will now sit back and watch the weekend unfold. First, they forced a penalty at the scrum, which Bosh kicked wide. The first blow for Ulster came on the half-hour mark, when Lowry saw his night ended. Duane Vermeulen tackled relentlessly, while Nick Timoney came up with two huge turnovers at the start and end of the first half. The squad they brought to Kingspan Stadium was unrecognisable from the group in Limerick though. On a showery night, handling proved difficult for both sides, but Ulster showed just enough in flashes. The handling errors were plentiful, but both sides had positive intentions. Henderson was playing some inspired stuff, and two minutes later he came up with the goods again, stealing a lineout in his own 22 after the Sharks had kicked a penalty to the corner. Dan McFarland's side weren't at their best this evening, but they won this game through their physicality. For Ulster, it would be mission complete.

Tries from Michael Lowry, Stuart McCloskey and James Hume enabled Ulster to claim a home URC quarter-final after they defeated the Sharks.

However, the Sharks came back with five minutes left through a Marius Louw try and Boeta Chamberlain conversion which closed it to 24-14, and Chamberlain converted again after Grant Williams surged through with two minutes remaining. Though the Sharks continued to give the ball air, they were unable to score and came the nearest to breaking their duck when Curwin Bosch attempted a long-range penalty which went wide, preserving Ulster’s 10-point lead at the break. They moved the ball off the maul and though McCloskey was stifled in the midfield, the ball came back to the busy Billy Burns, who shifted it long and wide to Ethan McIlroy, giving the winger the chance to attack the try line, draw the cover and throw an inside pass to the supporting Lowry, who touched down.

Adam McKendry reports from Kingspan Stadium. IT NEARLY ALL went pear-shaped in the dying few minutes of the game but Ulster did enough and no more to secure ...

Ulster will be back here in two weeks’ time. Even when Marius Louw was sent over the line from a fantastic Williams break off the back of a lineout it seemed like it was nothing more than consolation for the South Africans, and when Burns pinned them back at their five-metre line with just over a minute to play it seemed dead and buried. It looked like that was game over, and even more so when Ulster bravely held out on their own line for a solid seven-minute stretch before Kieran Treadwell forced a knock-on from Hendrikse at the base of a ruck to keep the visitors scoreless as the clock ticked over to the hour mark. But it was McCloskey doing all the damage for Ulster and it was he who won the penalty that put them ahead for the first time, the centre catching Hendrikse being too slow at the base of a ruck and when the ball squirted loose it was a Shark who played it from an offside position and Cooney slotted the penalty. And having threatened a few times with attempted cross-field kicks, it was through the boot that Billy Burns finally set up Lowry for the opening try as the fly-half found Ethan McIlroy with the angled kick and the winger danced inside and off-loaded for the full-back to crash over. It had been the visitors who started the brighter, with returning centre Lukhanyo Am looking threatening early on as he set up a chance for Aphelele Fassi and Werner Kok down the wing that was quelled by a Nick Timoney turnover, one of several in a man of the match performance, while Robert Baloucoune had a nervy moment as he spilled a Jaden Hendrikse box kick but survived as the visitors knocked on, too.

Tries from Michael Lowry, Stuart McCloskey and James Hume edge province to crucial result.

It was a sensational score. It could be against another South African side and it will be another brutal, physical test, but we’ll relish that challenge." Hume blew a kiss to the crowd in celebration before Cooney stepped up to add a further two points to edge the scoreline up to 24-7. Ulster were 10 points to the good at the break thanks to a penalty from John Cooney and a well-worked try from Lowry. Two late tries from Marius Louw and the electrifying Grant Williams teed up a grandstand finish but Ulster held on for a vital win in the final game of the regular league season. Ulster secured a home quarter-final in the United Rugby Championship thanks to a bruising and breathless 24-21 win over the Sharks at the Kingspan Stadium.

Dan McFarland has praised the determination of his players after they secured a top four finish in the URC regular season.

"They offer a big physical threat but also on a speed, and the ability to beat people sense. "I suppose I'll have to, we'll be playing one of them. They showed a little bit of brilliance at the end, got back within touching distance, which wasn't very comfortable for a few minutes.

Hosts cruising with 20 minutes to go on to see 24-7 lead cut to 24-21 but tense finale assures comfort of home for URC quarter-final.

His strong arm and pace got him over to give Ulster real breathing space for the first time and a 17-0 lead. Sharks were on top in the opening 10 minutes but didn’t score and from there, Ulster dominated. Ulster held on and the win takes them into second place, for now.

Tries from Michael Lowry, Stuart McCloskey and James Hume enabled Ulster to claim a home URC quarter-final after they defeated the Sharks 24-21 at the ...

However, the Sharks came back with five minutes left through a Marius Louw try and Boeta Chamberlain conversion which closed it to 24-14, and Chamberlain converted again after Grant Williams surged through with two minutes remaining. Ten minutes later and with Ulster beginning to get some momentum in the contest - in tandem with the Sharks beginning to make too many errors - the Irish province began to win a series of penalties and put one into the corner. Ulster led 24-7 with just over 10 minutes to go before two converted tries from the South Africans, who also needed to win the game to guarantee a home quarter-final, brought the Sharks a losing bonus point.

There were victories for Ulster, Benetton and the Bulls over the Sharks, Cardiff and the Ospreys in Friday's United Rugby Championship action.

Smith also contributed eight points from the kicking tee. 10 minutes later and with Ulster beginning to get some momentum in the contest – in tandem with the Sharks beginning to make too many errors – the Irish province began to win a series of penalties and put one into the corner. Ulster put in an impressive showing to defeat the Sharks 24-21 in a result that seals a home quarter-final in the United Rugby Championship.