Unbeaten Ulster See Off Scarlets’ Challenge

Ulster rose to the summit of the GUINNESS PRO12 table with a third consecutive win but they were made to fight all the way by the Scarlets tonight.

Notably, it is the first time Ulster have won their opening three games in the competition since 2012, and keeps the momentum building ahead of upcoming tests against Glasgow Warriors, the Ospreys and Connacht.

Rhys Patchell missed the chance to break the deadlock on five minutes as he pulled a penalty wide after Clive Ross had failed to roll away from a ruck.

Out-half Paddy Jackson, making his first appearance of the season, gave Ulster the lead on nine minutes with a penalty after Scarlets flanker James Davies pulled down a maul.

Jackson doubled Ulster’s advantage in the 16th minute with his second penalty when Rodney Ah You won a scrum penalty.

Ulster got the game’s first try just three minutes later, Craig Gilroy launched a counter attack from just inside his own half, he found Charles Piutau in midfield and the New Zealander fired a pass to Jackson. The latter released Stuart McCloskey on the left wing and the centre duly offloaded out of a tackle for South African Louis Ludik to dot down but Jackson failed to convert.

The home side nearly had their second try when another sweeping move Piutau put Gilroy free down the right wing but Wales international Liam Williams was able to get across and bundle the Ireland winger into touch close to the line.

Ulster had to settle for an 11-0 lead at the interval despite the Scarlets having lock Jake Ball sin-binned four minutes before the break.

Pacthell got the first points of the second half when he knocked over a 48th minute penalty after Ulster were caught offside and it was moved 10 metres closer after Robbie Diack tried to stop it being taken quickly.

Gilroy was again denied a try when he superbly caught a Ruan Pienaar box kick in the Scarlets 22 and drove over the line, but Liam Williams was able to get under the Ulster flyer and stop him grounding the ball.

Piutau then stopped the Scarlets from scoring a try with a brilliant intercept in his own 22. Hadleigh Parkes led a counter attack for the visitors down the left wing, he popped the ball inside to Aled Davies but the All Black read his intended pass to James Davies who would have had a simple run-in.

Importantly, Jackson got Ulster’s first points of the second half on 70 minutes when he landed a penalty from in front of the posts.

The Scarlets hit back with a try on 76 minutes from replacement Will Boyde. The Welsh region sent a penalty to the corner, and from the driving maul the ball was switched to the blindside for the number 8 to dot down with Patchell striking the upright with the conversion.

However, Ulster sealed the victory in injury-time with an unconverted try from replacement Iain Henderson. Off a driving maul, the forwards made the hard yards before the versatile Ireland forward powered through the middle to cross the whitewash.