[tag=image]http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/e ... go.svg.png[/tag][tag=content]Ulster and the Scarlets played out an enthralling 32-32 draw to begin their respective Guinness Pro12 campaigns at the Parc y Scarlets, with both sides gaining a bonus point for four tries.
Harry Robinson, Rory Pitman and a Gareth Davies brace gave the Scarlets their three points, but Franco van der Merwe, Dan Tuohy, Louis Ludik and Andrew Trimble responded for the Ulstermen while Rhys Priestland and Ian Humphreys shared two penalties and two conversions each.
Winger Robinson started the game as it was meant to go on as he finished off a sweeping Scarlets move in only the second minute to give them an early 7-0 lead.
The mood around the Parc y Scarlets had been lifted immensely with that try, however it was soon to be lowered again as Ulster struck straight back in the eighth minute with some strong forward driving resulting in Franco van der Merwe scoring a debut try for the visitors.
Rhys Priestland would give the hosts the lead once more with an eleventh minute penalty, but it was a lead that would again only last a few minutes as this time it was Ulster’s other lock, Dan Tuohy, who crossed the whitewash.
Stuart Olding made the initial break however a spectacular tap tackle from Gareth Davies prevented the inside centre from scoring. Regardless, the Scarlets were powerless to prevent Tuohy from crashing over moments later.
Now down 12-10, the Scarlets began to dominate the territory and possession but were struggling to cut out small errors that were preventing them from scoring again.
Step up new signing Rory Pitman, who used his strength to hold off three Ulster defenders and dot down for his first try for the region, albeit after checking with the TMO and maybe getting slightly lucky.
If Pitman was lucky, Louis Ludik was immensely unlucky as he saw a twenty-eighth minute score chalked off by the TMO for an obstruction by Michael Allen, a call that seemed very harsh on the visitors.
Although a Humphreys penalty did reduce the gap to two just before the half-time break, it was the home side who entered the interval with a nine point advantage through a late Gareth Davies try.
Jake Ball seized upon a loose pass from Paul Marshall and fed Davies who had the pace to see off the covering defenders and give the Scarlets a 24-15 half-time lead.
If anybody thought half-time might’ve brought the pace of the game down, they would’ve been wrong as in the first eight minutes of the second period the sides traded a yellow card and a penalty each.
First to depart was Ulster’s Dan Tuohy for taking out Scott Williams after the Wales centre chipped the ball through, then Liam Williams was also dismissed for a rather dubious deliberate knock on.
Priestland and Humphreys both made no mistake from the tee and the gap remained at nine after 50 minutes.
From there it was simply a case of how long it would take for the Scarlets to get their fourth and bonus point try, and it came in the 63rd minute as substitute full-back Gareth Owen found the gap and worked the ball to Gareth Davies who got his second score of the afternoon.
If the crowd thought that the game was over, they were badly mistaken though as Louis Ludik, not to be put off by his earlier misfortune, finished off a flowing Ulster move to leave the scoreline at 32-25 with ten minutes to play.
And from there the Ulstermen launched an all-out assault on the Scarlets line with Craig Gilroy going agonisingly close, however the Scarlets held out bravely to maintain their seven point lead.
That lead was to evaporate however as the Ulstermen piled forward to try and gain a draw, and once Liam Williams had seen his second yellow and then a red for taking out Paul Marshall off the ball, the gap appeared for Andrew Trimble to score a last minute try.
Ian Humphreys kept his nerve to slot over the conversion and both sides shared three very hard-earned points, a result which certainly the Ulstermen won’t be too disappointed with considering where they stood with fifteen minutes to play.
The main talking point after the game though: what if Louis Ludik’s first half try had been given?
The scorers
For Scarlets
Tries: Robinson, Pitman, G Davies (2)
Cons: Priestland (2)
Pens: Priestland (2)
For Ulster
Tries: van der Merwe, Tuohy, Ludik, Trimble
Cons: Humphreys (3)
Pens: Humphreys (2)
SCARLETS
(15-9) Liam Williams, Harry Robinson, Regan King, Scott Williams, Michael Tagicakibau (Gareth Owen 57), Rhys Priestland (Steven Shingler 69), Gareth Davies (Rhodri Williams 65); (1-8) Phil John (Rob Evans 60), Ken Owens (Emyr Phillips 77), Rhodri Jones (Peter Edwards 73), Jake Ball, Johan Snyman (Richard Kelly 73), Rob McCusker (Aaron Shingler 51), John Barclay, Rory Pitman.
Yellow card: Liam Williams (47)
Red card: Liam Williams (second yellow card, 77)
ULSTER RUGBY
(15-9) Louis Ludik, Michael Allen (Andrew Trimble 50), Jared Payne (Luke Marshall 48), Stuart Olding, Craig Gilroy, Ian Humphreys, Paul Marshall (Michael Heaney 77); (1-8) Callum Black (Andrew Warwick 40), Rob Herring, Wiehahn Herbst (Declan Fitzpatrick 31), Dan Tuohy, Franco van der Merwe, Robbie Diack, Chris Henry, Roger Wilson (Nick Williams 50).
Subs not used: John Andrew, Lewis Stevenson.
Yellow card: Dan Tuohy (45)
Man of the Match: Rory Pitman (Scarlets)
Referee: Peter Fitzgibbon (IRFU)[/tag]
Match Report: Scarlets 32-32 Ulster Rugby
Moderator: Moderators
