Ulster Blow 12-Point Lead But Fight Back For Late Draw

A 10-try thriller at Rodney Parade ended all square as late try scorer Christian Lealiifano’s conversion sailed wide to send Ulster home with three points rather than five.

Friday’s GUINNESS PRO14 encounter was a veritable 12-round slug-fest with both sides forcing their opponents onto the ropes at various junctures, but neither able to administer the knockout blow.

Two Craig Gilroy tries along with a penalty try and scores from Paul Marshall and Christian Lealiifano got Ulster within touching distance of a precious away victory, but the Dragons – with a virtuoso display from out-half Gavin Henson – refused to back down and fully deserved their share of the spoils.

The high-scoring draw saw Les Kiss’ men move temporarily up to second place in Conference B of the GUINNESS PRO14, before provincial rivals Leinster sent Ulster back to third following their 36-10 bonus point victory away to Benetton Rugby.

First full caps for prop Schalk van der Merwe and back rower Greg Jones, both of whom featured as replacements last week in the narrow home win over Benetton, were among five personnel changes to the starting XV, with Stuart McCloskey and Sean Reidy returning from Ireland duty, and Marshall starting at scrum half in place of John Cooney.

The back-line was completed by Charles Piutau at full-back, Craig Gilroy and Louis Ludik on the wings, Tommy Bowe at outside centre, and stand-in captain Lealiifano back to his regular position at out-half.

The visitors’ pack lined up with hooker John Andrew and tighthead Ross Kane alongside van der Merwe, with Alan O’Connor and Kieran Treadwell continuing their effective partnership in the second row, and number 8 Nick Timoney between flankers Jones and Reidy.

A well-matched first half brought two tries apiece and ended in deadlock at 15-all. Ulster’s first attack earned them three points and an early yellow card for Dragons centre Jack Dixon for a dangerous lift-and-dump tackle on Ludik. Lealiifano slotted home the penalty with minimum fuss.

Then lightning-quick hands from Ludik, Piutau and Andrew set Gilroy free on the right touchline, and the winger resisted one tackle and two chasers to hare into the corner for a fine score and an early 8-0 advantage.

With Dixon back in the fold, Bernard Jackman’s Dragons began to find their rhythm, aided by early Ulster engagements in the scrum and then a high tackle from Bowe on Angus O’Brien. Their first real chance culminated in a 19th minute try off the rolling maul for Matthew Screech.

Henson’s conversion cemented the hosts’ foothold in the game, before a charge from skipper Ollie Griffiths ripped Ulster down the middle and an eventual offside gifted the 35-year-old out-half a penalty for the two-point lead.

The next Dragons score was exemplary, both Griffiths and hooker Liam Belcher knocking Ulstermen aside like skittles in the build-up before Dixon’s dink to the corner brought a slip from Ludik and a simple dive over for winger Ashton Hewitt.

Ulster quickly levelled matters courtesy of a penalty try, awarded after exceptional work from Andrew at the back of a rolling maul. Indeed, they ended the first half in the ascendancy with only an overthrown McCloskey pass denying Timoney a genuine scoring opportunity late on.

Ulster’s third try came within 90 seconds of the restart, Timoney eating up the yards down the right flank off Gilroy’s pass, and Marshall fishing the ball out of the ensuing maul two metres from home to sneak over the whitewash for a typically opportunistic score.

Lealiifano’s conversion attempt fell just short as the Australian out-half slipped in his run-up, but a solid kick to touch five minutes later won Ulster another lineout, leading to over 20 phases which the Dragons gave their all to resist.

With a brand new front row of Callum Black, Rory Best and Andrew Warwick in the mix on 50 minutes – and Cooney on for Marshall at scrum half – Ulster refused to release their stranglehold on the match, and when Gilroy rode three tackles to ground the ball five minutes later for the bonus point and a 27-15 lead, it was no more than their second half performance had deserved.

Two more rolling mauls caused Ulster problems as the Dragons mounted their inevitable riposte, Belcher bundling over from the base of the second to keep things interesting with 14 minutes remaining.

Henson’s conversion attempt rebounded off the left upright to leave his side seven points adrift, but the veteran did more than make amends moments later as he rolled back the years to burst through the Ulster defence, setting up O’Brien via winger Jared Rosser, whose resistance of Bowe’s full-blooded tackle was indicative of the Dragons’ never-say-die spirit.

Henson’s successful conversion squared things up once again, setting up a grandstand finish during which Hewitt dived over once more to leave Ulster hearts in mouths with just 90 seconds to play. Kiss’ charges were now 32-27 behind and in deep trouble.

Critically, however, Henson was unable to add the extras and Ulster pressure with the clock well into the red finally paid off when Lealiifano darted over for the equalising try. His conversion attempt from the right was a tired kick and veered off target, leaving the province with the scant consolation of two points for the draw and also a try-scoring bonus point.

Kiss and his fellow coaches know that his squad will need to show a lot more ruthlessness when they meet Harlequins in two must-win Champions Cup fixtures over the next fortnight.