2 hours ago
1
United Rugby Championship
Lions (17) 49
Tries: Kotze, Keyter, Venter, Du Plessis, Van Wyk, Van Vuuren 2 Cons: Smith 4 Pens: Smith 2
Ulster (19) 31
Tries: Baloucoune 3, Hume, McCann Cons: Doak 2, Flannery
Rob Baloucoune's superb hat-trick was not enough to stop Ulster falling to a first defeat of the season as the Lions hit seven tries to win a high-scoring United Rugby Championship encounter at Ellis Park.
Winger Baloucoune's first two tries and a fine James Hume score helped Ulster lead 19-17 at the break as they chased a fourth consecutive win.
And while Baloucoune scored his third to secure a try bonus point for the Irish province, the Lions went over five times in an impressive second-half display to romp to take the maximum five points.
Ulster end their South African tour with six points after last week's bonus-point success over the Sharks in Durban, but they go into the autumn break with their early-season momentum dashed after running out of steam in the Johannesburg heat and altitude.
Ulster went into Saturday's game without Jacob Stockdale, Stuart McCloskey, Iain Henderson and Nick Timoney, who are on Ireland duty, and they were forced into a late shuffle when Juarno Augustus failed a late fitness test.
The South African's withdrawal pushed debutant Bryn Ward into a makeshift back row alongside Tom Stewart, who made a surprising switch from hooker to open-side flanker.
In Durban, Ulster built the platform for an impressive win with early tries from Michael Lowry and Werner Kok, but they found themselves trading blows with the Lions during a chaotic opening to the game as SJ Kotze and Eduan Keyter went over for the hosts either side of Baloucoune's first.
Ulster have looked more expressive in attack this season under Mark Sexton's guidance and Hume brought the visitors level when he touched down under the posts after being teed up by Jack Murphy's deft chip.
The Lions were reduced to 14 men when Asenathi Ntlabakanye was yellow-carded for a high tackle on Jude Postlethwaite, but the hosts edged ahead through Chris Smith's 33rd-minute penalty.
Determined to make their numerical advantage count, Ulster took the lead for the first time when Baloucoune finished superbly in the corner after a sustained spell of pressure in the closing moments of the first half.
Baloucoune, who has been ravaged by injuries over the past two seasons, was not done there. After Ruan Venter re-established the Lions' lead, the Ireland international sprinted over for his third after Hume's clever chip and chase drove Ulster up the field.
Renzo du Plessis and Ulster back row Dave McCann traded tries, but the away side's hopes of completing a South African clean sweep were dashed as Henco van Wyk scored before Conrad van Vuuren's late double.
