Ulster open URC season with six-try scoring run to defeat Dragons

Ulster outscored the Welsh region by six tries to three but were made to work hard for their victory.

Ulster made the worst possible start conceding a try with just 12 seconds on the clock.

The home side failed to deal with the kick off as the ball sailed over the lifter’s head, Dragons No8 Aaron Wainwright hacked on, the ball sat up nicely for the Welsh international to gather and dash under the posts for a try with De Beer slotting over the simple conversion.

Ireland international Cormac Izuchukwu replied for Richie Murphy’s men on 12 minutes, the home side kicked a penalty into the Dragons 22, from the lineout the forwards set up a driving maul, from the second phase the Irish international was propelled over with Nathan Doak converting.

The Dragons were back in front four minutes later as they worked the ball wide for winger Jared Rosser to sprint over in the corner and de Beer converted.

Nick Timoney scored Ulster’s second try on 27 minutes.

Ulster had a series of pick and goes on the Dragons line, the visitors eventually ran out of defenders and Timoney was able to exploit a gap to stretch over and touchdown with Doak converting.

Ulster went in front on 33 minutes, Izuchukwu made a break from deep in his own half, he was stopped outside the Dragons 22, Mike Lowry went on a mazy run before offloading to David McCann to go over.

Doak was on target with the conversion.

Richie Murphy’s side wrapped their try bonus point up before half-time with a fourth try, after good work from the forwards that to the home side into the opposition 22.

Lowry was able to free his hands and to put Zac Ward over from close range, Doak’s conversion sent the home side into the interval with a 28-14 advantage.

Doak got Ulster’s fifth try two minutes after the restart, as Ward picked up from the bottom of a ruck to carry into the 22 before passing inside for the scrum half to go over unopposed and converted his own score.

Flanker Shane Lewis-Hughes barged over from close range on 49 minutes for the Dragoons’ third try which de Beer converted.

With the clock in the red, replacement hooker Tom Stewart darted over for Ulster’s sixth try which Jake Flannery converted.

ULSTER: M Lowry; Z Ward, J Hume, S McCloskey, J Stockdale; J Murphy, N Doak; C Reid, R Herring, T O’Toole; I Henderson (captain), H Sheridan; C Izuchukwu, N Timoney, D McCann.

Replacements: T Stewart for Herring 56 mins, S Crean for Reid 56 mins, S Wilson for O’Toole 56 mins, M Dalton for Henderson 61 mins, J Augustus for McCann 56 mins, C McKee for Doak 69 mins, J Flannery for Murphy 69 mins, B Carson for McCloskey

DRAGONS: A O’Brien (co-captain); R Dyer, J Westwood, A Owen, J Rosser; T de Beer, R Williams; W Jones, E Dee, R Hunt; M Screech, B Carter (co-captain); S Lewis-Hughes, H Keddie, A Wainwright.

Replacements: B Coghlan for Dee 17 mins, R Martinez for Jones 51 mins, D Lewis for Hunt 51 mins, L Douglas for Screech 56 mins, M Martin for Keddie 56 mins, C Hope for Williams 74 mins, F Inisi for Rosser 26 mins, H Anderson for Westwood 43 mins

Referee: G Colby (South Africa).