The high-flying Llanelli Scarlets had it far too easy at Stradey Park on Friday night as poor defending in another below-par performance from Ulster saw Mark McCall’s side suffer a 32-8 defeat.
Llanelli v Ulster Match Photos
The Scarlets certainly like playing the provinces. Phil Davies’ men played all four of the Irish sides over the past month, securing three victories over Connacht, Leinster and now Ulster.
Munster’s 26-16 win at Musgrave Park last month was the Scarlets’ only blip, apart from their surprise opening day defeat at home to the Newport Gwent Dragons.
Since then, the Scarlets have become one of the form teams in the league, with back-to-back bonus point wins over Leinster and Ulster sending them into the EDF Energy Cup with renewed optimism.
For Ulster, a dark cloud is currently hanging over them and the sooner they can get all of their players back fit, including experienced backs David Humphreys and Paul Steinmetz, and their Irish internationals performing at their peak the better.
McCall’s charges have slipped to three successive league defeats, something they have not done since the 2004/05 season and their next game – the October 26 Interprovincial tussle with Leinster at Ravenhill – has taken on added importance.
They were dominated by the Scarlets in all facets of play. Returning half-backs Paddy Wallace and Isaac Boss, the latter captaining the province for the first time, could do little to inspire the visitors with their pack playing second fiddle and their makeshift midfield exposed by the likes of Regan King and Matthew Watkins.
Ulster began the game quite purposefully. They turned a third-minute scrum and forced the Scarlets to kill the ball at the subsequent ruck, allowing Wallace an early shot at goal but he missed the right-sided effort.
The hosts gradually got on top but took their time to make the best use of possession, with early breaks from Watkins and Gavin Evans coming to nothing. Then a 13th-minute lineout, won by Justin Harrison, led to the Scarlets infringing at the resulting maul and Wallace, from a similar position on the right, booted the visitors in front.
Having missed out on an overlap opportunity on the left flank, the Scarlets looked to be clicking into gear when full-back Morgan Stoddart sliced through the Ulster midfield and only a heavy shoulder charge from returning number eight Stephen Ferris halted the attack.
Referee Malcolm Changleng penalised Ferris for the challenge, allowing young out-half Priestland to level the score-line with an easy place kick.
On 22 minutes, King sent late call-up Nathan Brew through a gap on the right flank and a string of passes out to the left ended with the Ulster defence ruthlessly exposed.
In truth, the visitors contributed to their own downfall as Tommy Bowe stepped out of the defensive line to try and pick off an interception, but Priestland’s looping pass sailed over the Irish international’s head and into the grateful arms of Watkins who had the pace to make the try line from 35 metres out.
Watkins’ effort, his 29th try in league history, made him the competition’s record try scorer as he edged ahead of the retired Denis Hickie’s mark of 28. Priestland converted the try for a 10-3 lead.
The Scarlets continued to press with flanker Jonathan Edwards, one of the players to catch the eye during the league’s early run of the games, stepping past three would-be tacklers near his own 22 to set the home side up for another free-running attack.
Bryn Cunningham had to be alert to touch down a Priestland kick to the right corner that bounced over the whitewash, and Ulster breathed a sigh of relief seven minutes before the break when Bowe raced over for a breakaway try.
It was a soft score for the Scarlets to concede as from a lineout just outside the Ulster 22, hooker Ken Owens fired his throw way over the top and Seamus Mallon gathered possession, making ten yards before offloading for the supporting Bowe, who ran a superb angle from the left, and the Ireland winger enjoyed his 60-metre dash to the line.
Wallace missed the conversion attempt to the right and Ulster’s joy was short-lived. Owens redeemed himself as he sent out a looping pass to the left for Edwards to have an easy run-in in the 36th-minute for his third try in two games.
A harsh sin-binning for flanker Neil McMillan who saw yellow for repeatedly infringing at the breakdown left Ulster down a man and they were made to pay in injury-time when the Scarlets broke through for their third try.
Ulster’s defence was all at sea as prop Deacon Manu broke off a static maul to canter over for the try, which Priestland converted for a 22-8 buffer for the Scarlets.
Ulster sprung their skipper for the 2007/08 season, Ireland World Cup hooker Rory Best, from the bench for the second half but it was a case of more of the same from the Welsh region as it took them just twelve minutes before replacement winger Mark Jones broke past a tackle from Bryan Young to dart over under the posts for the bonus point try.
Priestland, who claimed the man of the match award, made it a seven-pointer and although Ulster came more into the game in the final quarter, with a Wallace chip being collected by replacement Mark McCrea and almost leading to a try for Best, they just could not add to their tally.
A Priestland penalty in the 71st-minute, awarded as McMillan was pinged for not rolling away, was the final score of a one-sided affair that leaves Ulster still chasing their first win at Stradey Park after seven trips across the Irish sea.
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