Edinburgh condemn Ulster to second successive URC loss

Stewart scored two tries of Ulster against Edinburgh

Ulster fell to a second successive United Rugby Championship defeat as they were edged out 27-24 by Edinburgh at Kingspan Stadium.

Ben Vellacott, Pierre Schoeman and Robin Hislop crossed as Edinburgh held on despite a late Ulster fightback.

Ulster have now lost three of their opening seven URC games.

Dan McFarland's side showed five changes from the side that lost 33-20 against Glasgow last weekend.

Two-time Rugby World Cup winner Steven Kitshoff made his first start after coming off the bench in Scotstoun, with Billy Burns also fit to start at fly-half after coming off last week.

Captain Iain Henderson was missing with a hip injury and was replaced by Alan O'Connor.

Stuart McCloskey returned at centre, with Matty Rea and Nick Timoney also recalled in the back row.

Ulster won 28-14 when the sides met in Belfast in April but this game was a much tougher affair for the hosts.

It was a nervy start to the game from Edinburgh on a bitterly cold evening in Belfast, with a number of handling issues which Ulster capitalised as they went ahead on five minutes.

Stewart bundled over for the first try of the game after a sustained period of pressure from Ulster. John Cooney added the extras, kicking the conversion from a tight angle.

Timoney went close to adding to their lead after fine play from Burns and Robert Baloucoune, but he was unable to get over the line as Edinburgh's stubborn defence stood firm, even in the phases which followed.

It became an end-to-end encounter after Ben Healy registered Edinburgh's first points with a penalty on 17 minutes.

The returning Vellacott darted over to edge the away side in front on 25 minutes, with Healy kicking the conversion.

On 29 minutes Stewart got his and Ulster's second try of the game after they took advantage of a line-out drive. It was the 22-year old's 24th try in just 29 games.

Cooney was unable to further extend their lead as he missed the conversion.

The game fizzled out in the closing stages of the half and became scrappy, with Healy kicking a late penalty to give Edinburgh a narrow advantage at the break.

Baloucoune scored a second half try as Ulster attempted to pull off a late comeback

It was a much more open start to the second half, with Stewart and Jacob Stockdale going close to crossing for another Ulster try.

Edinburgh managed to repel Stewart's attempt to reach the tryline, while Stockdale fumbled the ball before he could cross.

Ulster thought they had regained the lead on 53 minutes when James Hume evaded a number of challenges before reaching the line, but the television match official disallowed the try.

Edinburgh extended their lead on 59 minutes when Schoeman powered over the line and Healy kicked the conversion.

James Lang then had an impressive try chalked off as Edinburgh began to take control of the contest.

They would eventually add a third try on 69 minutes with replacement Hislop touching down after collecting Viliame Mata's pass to round off a well-worked Edinburgh move.

That prompted a late response from Ulster with Baloucoune weaving his way through a number of challenges before diving over to keep the home side in the game.

Nathan Doak missed the conversion before there was a lengthily delay after an injury to Ben Moxham, with the 22-year-old carried off on a stretcher.

Hume scored a late try with Doak kicking the conversion as Edinburgh managed to hold on for their fifth URC win of the season.

Ulster's attention will now turn to European action as they host Bath in their Champions Cup opener next weekend.

Ulster: Addison, Baloucoune, Hume, McCloskey, Stockdale, Burns, Cooney; Kitshoff, Stewart, O'Toole; O'Connor (capt), Treadwell; Matty Rea, Timoney, McNabney.

Replacements: Andrew, Warwick, Moore, Izuchukwu, Ewers, Doak, Moore, Moxham.

Edinburgh: Swiel, Paterson, Currie, Lang, Goosen, Healy, Vellacott (capt); Schoeman, Ashman, Nel; Sykes, Hodgson; Crosbie, Ritchie, Mata.

Replacements: McBurney, Hislop, Sebastian, Young, Watson, Price, Scott, Bennett.