[tag=image]http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/e ... go.svg.png[/tag][tag=content]Ulster powered their way back into Champions’ Cup contention with an impressive 24-9 bonus point victory over the Scarlets at the Kingspan Stadium on Saturday night.
Tries from man of the match Darren Cave, the returning Ruan Pienaar, Tommy Bowe and Rory Best capped off a fine performance from the Ulstermen who move back into contention in a competitive Pool Three.
Three penalties from Rhys Priestland were all that the Scarlets could manage in reply, and in the end it was a thoroughly deserved win for the Irish province, who record their first win in the Champions’ Cup.
Ulster desperately needed the win, and probably the bonus point too, following defeats to the Leicester Tigers and Toulon in rounds one and two, and they got it with Ruan Pienaar leading the charge on his return from injury.
The home side may have needed the points more, but it was the visitors who got off to a flyer – attacking the Ulster defensive line with fervour and intent early on, with a break into the Ulster 22 from Liam Williams yielding a third minute penalty for Rhys Priestland.
Ulster should have been ahead within ten minutes, but Ian Humphreys managed to pull two simple penalties wide of the uprights in quick succession – a stark change to his impressive kicking form in Limerick a week earlier.
The Scarlets then found themselves a man down after twelve minutes when openside flanker James Davies was found guilty of a late shoulder charge on Ian Humphreys after an impressive break by the fly half.
It took Ulster all of two minutes to make that advantage count. A beautiful floated pass out to the wing gave Tommy Bowe the space to run down the line and feed Darren Cave on the inside, the centre crossing for the opening try of the game.
He scored the first, and then set up the second – Cave’s break through the middle gave Ulster great field position and his offload to Ruan Pienaar was enough to send the scrum-half over for Ulster’s second try of the first quarter.
The reintroduction of Davies to the Scarlets’ back row brought parity back to the game as the Ulstermen began to struggle to find the gaps that were so prevalent before.
And it was the Welsh side that got on the scoreboard next through a second Rhys Priestland penalty after half an hour to bring the score back to 14-6.
Any momentum the Scarlets had gained was instantly lost five minutes later when Liam Williams was adjudged by referee Luke Pearce to have spear tackled Louis Ludik. A yellow card for the Wales international, with the Kingspan crowd baying for more.
Yet Ulster were struggling to make the most of their attacking positions, with the line-out a particular area of concern, especially in the Scarlets’ 22.
Instead it was to be the away side who would have the final chance of points in the first half, however Priestland’s third effort of the night was pushed wide as the clock went red.
Having safely navigated the sin-bin period without conceding, the Scarlets began to edge their way into the game after the break, with only a knock on metres from the line preventing them from opening the second half scoring ten minutes in.
Five minutes later and the men from Llanelli did have the opening score of the second period as Priestland made amends for his earlier miss and slotted his third penalty of the evening.
The home side were rocking, having lost Wiehahn Herbst and Franco van der Merwe to an accidental clash of heads early in the half, and now found themselves playing into the wind and with a slightly passive scrum.
How to respond? By adding a third try through Tommy Bowe.
Darren Cave was once again involved, providing the wrap around with Ruan Pienaar from the back of a scrum, and the space was created for Bowe on the wing, with the Irish winger able to muscle his way over in the corner.
The game was beginning to prove costly for both sides though as Ulster lost both Nick Williams and Stuart McCloskey to injury, while Liam Williams and James Davies were both helped off for the Scarlets as well.
Nevertheless, Ulster powered on in search of a crucial bonus point and they got it from a powerful driving maul in the 67th minute, with captain Rory Best taking the plaudits for a team score.
The Scarlets sought desperately in the final ten minutes for two scores that would grant them a losing bonus point to take back to Wales and they were given a boost when Ruan Pienaar was sin-binned late on for a deliberate knock on.
But it was not to be their night as a combination of handling errors and resolute defending from their hosts kept them at bay, and guaranteed Ulster a deserved bonus point win.
The scorers
For Ulster
Tries: Cave, Pienaar, Bowe, Best
Cons: Humphreys (2)
For Scarlets
Pens: Priestland (3)
ULSTER RUGBY
(15-9) Louis Ludik, Tommy Bowe, Darren Cave, Stuart Olding (Stuart McCloskey 40 (Michael Allen 65)), Craig Gilroy, Ian Humphreys, Ruan Pienaar; (1-8) Callum Black (Andrew Warwick 75), Rory Best (Rob Herring 75), Wiehahn Herbst (Declan Fitzpatrick 47), Dan Tuohy, Franco van der Merwe (Alan O’Connor 47), Robbie Diack (Paul Marshall 76), Roger Wilson, Nick Williams (Clive Ross 65).
Yellow card: Ruan Pienaar (74)
SCARLETS
(15-9) Liam Williams (Gareth Owen 61), Harry Robinson, Regan King (Steven Shingler 71), Scott Williams, Michael Tagicakibau, Rhys Priestland, Aled Davies (Rhodri Williams 64); (1-8) Rob Evans (Phil John 71), Emyr Phillips (Kirby Myhill 71), Samson Lee (Rhodri Jones 64), Jake Ball (George Earle 63), Johan Snyman, Aaron Shingler, James Davies (Lewis Rawlins 65), Rory Pitman.
Yellow cards: James Davies (12), Liam Williams (35)
Man of the Match: Darren Cave (Ulster)
Referee: Luke Pearce (RFU)[/tag]
Match Report: Ulster Rugby 24-9 Scarlets
Moderator: Moderators
