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The future looked bright for the QR Reds despite Phil Mooney’s side kicking off their four game development tour of Ireland and France with a 24-0 loss to a strong Ulster side in Belfast.

Queensland matched Ulster for the majority of the game despite their youth and lack of experience compared to the Magner’s League side, however were given a harsh lesson in life at the top end of professional rugby.

The young Reds side was valiant in defeat with a majority of players making their debut at senior level, while a near full-strength Ulster are less than a week away from the start of their regular season.

A vocal crowd ensured the home side started the game quickly, but the Reds forward pack matched their experienced counterparts, with 21-year old Scott Higginbotham having a standout opening 40-minutes.

It may have taken 20-minutes and some desperate defence in the face of strong running from the Ulster back-line, but the QR Reds built their way into the contest and were unlucky not to get more from some good phase play, which ended one metre from the line.

Impressively, Queensland forced Ulster to kick clear and despite building another strong phase of play, they could not make the breakthrough.

Sloppiness in the tackle at the wrong end of the field from the Reds gifted the home side a penalty attempt and an opportunity to opening the scoring.

Ironically it was Ulster’s recently signed former QR Reds player Clinton Schifcofske who slotted the penalty between the posts to give his side the lead.

Schifcofske’s opposite number Aidan Toua was beginning to pop up everywhere on the pitch and a set-play with Ben Gollings almost carved a hole in the Ulster defence.

Ulster looked certain to strike next after a break down the right side of the field, but was narrowly avoided when Digby Ioane followed up Scott Higginbotham’s original challenge on the attacking player.

Minutes later Toua came out of nowhere to intercept a certain try clinching pass just metres from line.

Fittingly the half ended with Higginbotham again denying Ulster’s Fijian winger Timoci Nagusa a certain try with a ferocious tackle on the line.

Small details and concentration make all the difference at this level and a formation changing substitution at half time from the home side stung the Reds just three minutes into the second period.

Substitute Rob Dewey touched down on the left after a quick Ulster move and Schifcofske put away the resulting conversion.

Tuoa again put himself in the limelight with another dazzling run as the Reds looked to fight their way back into the contest, but Ulster struck again with Chris Cochrane scoring unchallenged after some enterprising play by outside-centre Darren Cave.

While the result was beyond doubt midway through the second period, the young Red's debutants continued to impress with a slick backline movement with substitute Rod Davis almost making a name for himself with a chip and chase down the right side.

The chance was snuffed out by Ulster however and with substitutions and injuries coming quicker than scoring opportunities at this stage of the contest, the game fell away into a scrappy affair.

Both Davis and Van Humphries were impressive with try saving tackles on separate occasions in the final minutes, however Ulster were not to be denied a third try and Nagusa made it third time lucky in the corner to flatter the home side with a score-line that did not reflect the effort put in by visitors.

Ulster 24 (Rob Dewey, Chris Cochrane, Timoci Nagusa tries, Clinton Schifcofske pen, 2 con, Paddy Wallace con) d QR Reds 0.

Gavin Earley