Ulster Rugby

Stephen Ferris didn't hold back in his assessment of Ulster's latest defeat, as Benetton claimed a deserved victory against the province.

“Take out their maul, they’re offering nothing in attack. 🗣️ “Really disappointing as an Ulster fan and someone that follows them week in week out, that rut is getting deeper” As an Ulster fan, and somebody who follows them week in and week out, that rut is getting deeper,” Ferris said.

Ulster are in Italy to face Benetton in the United Rugby Championship - 1pm kick-off.

Viaplay Sports subscribers can live stream the game on the Viaplay Player. The game is on Viaplay Sports 1 (former Premier Sports) with coverage starting at 12.45pm. - Ulster 1/2 The game is on Saturday, January 7 at the Stadio Comunale di Monigo in Treviso. Where and when is the game? Dan McFarland's men take on Benetton in their latest fixture in the URC.

Jacob Stockdale and Mike Lowry start in a back three with Rob Baloucoune starting at full back. James Hume and Stuart McCloskey start in the centre. Billy Burns ...

After a week of hard work, this game in Treviso is very important to us, and we need to get back to playing well again.” On the road for the first time in 2023 🛣️ James Hume and Stuart McCloskey start in the centre. Tighthead prop Jeff Toomaga-Allen comes into the front row to pack down with Eric O’Sullivan at loosehead and Rob Herring at hooker. Jacob Stockdale and Mike Lowry start in a back three with Rob Baloucoune starting at full back. ULSTER'S TEAM TO FACE BENETTON IN THE UNITED RUGBY CHAMPIONSHIP IS OUT.

Benetton continued their impressive form in the United Rugby Championship when a late Rhyno Smith penalty helped them to a 31-29 win over Ulster in Treviso.

[Benetton](https://www.planetrugby.com/team/benetton-treviso), with Ulster responding through Eric O’Sullivan, Rob Herring, Mike Lowry and a penalty try. With just five minutes left on the clock, Ulster edged themselves ahead when another penalty to the corner produced a clean lineout win before Giovanni Pettinelli was yellow-carded for pulling down the driving maul and referee Ben Whitehouse went under the posts for a penalty try. The Irish side were knocking on the door from the set piece and from a maul close to the line, Herring went low around the side to touch down. Albornoz put a straightforward penalty over shortly before the break after James Hume was penalised for offside and John Cooney’s penalty on the stroke of half-time made it 17-10 to the Italians at the interval. Their pack pushed Ulster back to within five metres of the line, and the ball was quickly shifted to fly-half Albornoz to dance over the line and convert himself to make it 7-7. [Ulster](https://www.planetrugby.com/team/ulster) enjoyed the bulk of the play during the opening stages, and they were rewarded with O’Sullivan’s second try for the province.

Benetton's Rhyno Smith scores a late penalty as they snatch a 31-29 win over Ulster in the United Rugby Championship.

Cooney missed a tricky conversion leaving the deficit at five points. But in the dying moments of the game, Benetton were awarded a penalty after Cooney was caught offside and Smyth was accurate with the boot to clinch a dramatic win in a very tight contest. Benetton stepped up in the second quarter and continued to probe and stretch the Ulster defence.