Dragons 26 Ulster 16: ULSTER SLIPPED further off the pace in the Magners League after squandering a winning position at Rodney Parade yesterday.
Matt Williams’ side looked on course for a first victory in Wales since September 2006 when they led the Dragons 16-8 after an hour.
While the players shipped 18 points in as many minutes and suffered yellow cards in either half, Williams must shoulder some blame for his raft of replacements that upset the ebb and flow of Ulster’s play. Jason Tovey scored a hat-trick as Newport leapt ahead of Ulster in the table with the Ravenhill side 11 points off the pace of Munster and Leinster.
One glimmer of light was the performance of Tom Court, who experienced a mixed afternoon though his form in the scrum will have given Ireland coach Declan Kidney a nudge ahead of next week’s tie against England.
Ulster were without international trio Paddy Wallace, Rory Best and Stephen Ferris so could hardly afford the loss of Court within four minutes to a yellow card after the prop, more clumsy than cynical, obstructed a Dragons penalty. The hosts took two minutes to make Ulster pay with the game’s opening try through fullback Tovey, though it was a different story once the prop returned. Court dominated Rhys Thomas in the scrums for the best part of an hour and Ulster took a grip on proceedings.
However, it took a blunder by the Dragons for Ulster to breach the try line and wing Simon Danielli pounced on the loose ball to score in the 22nd minute. Humphreys converted but failed to capitalise on Ulster’s dominance, missing two attempts at goal, while his defensive frailties were exposed by the Dragons’ backs until he was relieved of duty 10 minutes into the second half.
Leading 10-5, Williams rang the changes and the disruption allowed Shaun Connor to reduce the arrears before Ulster’s work-rate was rewarded. Danielli was obstructed by Thomas and Schifcofske kicked Ulster 16-8 ahead while the Dragons were down to 14 men.
However with more replacements, as Court, Nigel Brady and Carlo del Fava made way, Ulster lost their shape and with it control of this tie. Tovey trimmed the lead before Ulster captain Kieran Dawson was the third player to see yellow for putting his hands in a ruck. Again the Dragons demonstrated to Ulster how to make the most of the extra man and Tovey, moved to outhalf, revelled in the absence of Dawson in his face.
Replacement hooker Stuart Philpott stood little chance of catching the Welshman before Danielli’s fumble gifted the hat-trick in the final minute, and with it went even the consolation of a losing bonus point for Ulster.
NG DRAGONS: J Tovey; M Thomas, R Gomer-Davies, A Smith, R Fussell; S Connor, W Evans; A Black, T Willis (capt), R Thomas, A Jones, H Macdonald, J Bearman, L Evans, R Parks. Replacements: P Dolman for Gomer-Davies 5 mins, K Morgan for Connor 53 mins, N Hall for Parks 57-64 mins, A Hall for Jones 65 mins.
ULSTER: C Schifcofske; A Trimble, D Cave, P Steinmetz, S Danielli; I Humphreys, I Boss; T Court, N Brady, B Botha, E O'Donoghue, C del Fava, D Pollock, C Henry, K Dawson. Replacements: B Young for Dawson 7-14 mins, N O'Connor and I Whitten for Steinmetz and Humphreys both 49 mins, C Willis for Boss 50 mins, B Young and S Philpott for Court and Brady both 59 mins, M McCullough for Henry 64 mins, R Caldwell for Del Fava 68 mins.
Referee: Neil Paterson(Scotland)
