Four-Try Ulster Back On Top

Ulster seized the opportunity to move back to the top of the RaboDirect PRO12 table, as they emerged as bonus point winners over the Dragons on a night when former leaders Glasgow Warriors were well beaten by the Scarlets.

Mark Anscombe’s men ecovered from a tentative start to run in three converted tries during the closing 16 minutes of the first half, with Tommy Bowe and centre duo Stuart Olding and Darren Cave all crossing the Dragons’ whitewash.

24-0 ahead at the break, Ulster chalked up the bonus point just five minutes into the second half when scrum half Paul Marshall’s blindside burst led to try number four.

His half-back partner Ruan Pienaar had an excellent night with the boot, landing four conversions – three of them from close to the touchline – and a single penalty.

The Dragons, who had lost their previous three games, got on the scoreboard late on with a well-crafted try from young full-back Tom Prydie.

Prydie, the Dragons’ top points scorer in the league, missed an early penalty with their Toby Faletau-led back row settling quickly to the task.

Apart from a smart kick to touch from Peter Nelson, the visitors controlled possession in the opening minutes and captain Andrew Coombs’ diagonal run took them menacingly into the Ulster 22.

But Ulster soon got into their stride with Marshall lifting the tempo and Dan Tuohy popped up on a purposeful run through midfield.

Turnovers thwarted both sides’ progress downfield though and it took a lineout steal and a subsequent strong charge from Iain Henderson to raise the decibel level around Ravenhill.

Ulster used the quick ball to put Craig Gilroy into space on the left and his kick through was chased hard by full-back Nelson, however his opposite number Prydie got back to dot down for a dropout.

Olding was next to threaten, linking with Gilroy, and with 24 minutes on the clock Ulster finally made the breakthrough as Bowe scored in the right corner.

Number 8 Nick Williams broke off the base of a scrum and sent Marshall scurrying through a gap, with the recent Ireland cap showing impressive pace and vision to put Bowe over out wide.

Pienaar managed to add the extras and Ulster’s confidence was visibly lifted by the try. The South African then landed a penalty after Dragons out-half Dan Evans was sin-binned for back chat.

Ulster maintained the momentum as Olding pounced on a turnover to unleash Gilroy on a long range break, Henderson and Robbie Diack adding their weight to the attack as the Dragons scrambled back toward their try-line.

Ireland Under-20 international Olding duly claimed the hosts’ second try five minutes before the break. Pienaar’s flat pass released Bowe on an angled run, the ball went to ground but Olding gobbled it up to dart over in the left corner.

Another touchline conversion followed from Pienaar and sensing more scores, Ulster did not stop to take a breath.

Nelson, benefiting from a Diack turnover, forced Prydie into a hurried clearance and with the Welsh region caught out of position, the ball was spread to the right for Cave to break past Aaron Choundley and score.

Pienaar supplied the additional two points, moving Anscombe’s charges into a very healthy 24-point lead at the interval.

Another evident positive was the performance of prop Ricky Lutton in the scrum, with the Belfast Harlequins clubman looking very comfortable at this level – building on his recent outing against Leinster in Dublin.

Ulster had the bonus point secured before the Dragons could build any pressure on the resumption. Scrum half Marshall sniped around the blindside of a close-in ruck to score a trademark effort which Pienaar converted.

With the game as good as won, multiple Ulster changes ensued but it did little to impair the province’s fluency as they continued to cause problems for the second-from-bottom Dragons.

Another exhilarating long distance run from Gilroy, past the hour mark, almost brought about the try of the match. However, the Dragons cornered him metres from the line, and Ulster eventually knocked on in their attempts to quickly recycle.

To their credit, the Dragons put together a clever collective attack with 10 minutes to go, Prydie finishing off a break perfectly orchestrated from half a dozen pinpoint passes after strong ball-carrying from Faletau and replacement Andy Tuilagi.

It was symptomatic of the men of Gwent’s evening, however, that the conversion attempt spiralled just wide of the left hand post and their tally was to remain at a meagre five points.

Ulster closed out the encounter deep in Dragons territory, almost snatching try number five at the death after an alert interception on the right wing.

It was not to be, but the Ulster management will be more than satisfied with much of the team’s performance and the five points which moves them closer to a possible home semi-final.