ULSTER STARTED THEIR United Rugby Championship campaign with a maximum five points with a bonus point victory over the Dragons at Ravenhill.
The home side racked up a half dozen tries under new attack coach Mark Sexton’s first game in charge but were made to work hard for their victory against the side that finished bottom of the table last season.
Dragons number eight Aaron Wainwright silenced the Ravenhill crowd after just 12 seconds with the game’s opening try.
Ulster failed to control the kick off, the ball went loose and Wainwright kicked on, the bounce favoured the Welsh international as he was able to collect and race under the posts making out half Tinus De Beer’s conversion a formality.
Iain Henderson is tackled by Matthew Screech and Shane Lewis-Hughes of Dragons. Ben Brady / INPHO
Ben Brady / INPHO / INPHO
Cormac Izuchukwu replied for Ulster 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 regained the lead four minutes later with their second try.
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From a lineout on halfway they moved the ball across the pitch, winger Jared Rosser was put into space, and he showed a good turn of pace to sprint over, de Beer added the conversion.
Nick Timoney responded for the home time on 27 minutes, following a series of drives close to the Dragons line the flanker was able to power over from close range with Doak converting.
Ulster’s third try came six minutes later, Izuchukwu made a break from deep in his on 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.
Winger Zac Ward sealed Ulster’s bonus point three minutes before half time as he profited from another good Lowry offload to score in the corner.
Doak’s conversion gave Ulster a 28-14 lead at the break.
Ulster's Juarno Augustus. Ben Brady / INPHO
Ben Brady / INPHO / INPHO
Ulster added another 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 Doak to go over unopposed, the pivot converted his own score.
The Dragons got a third try on 49 minutes as flanker Shane Lewis-Hughes powered over from close range with de Beer converting.
Replacement hooker Tom Stewart got Ulster’s sixth and final try with the clock in the red and Jake Flannery converted.
Ulster scorers:
Tries – Cormac Izuchukwu, Nick Timoney, David McCann, Zac Ward, Nathan Doak, Tom Stewart.
Cons – Nathan Doak [5/5], Jake Flannery [1/1].
Dragons scorers:
Tries – Aaron Wainwright, Jared Rosser, Shane Lewis-Hughes.
Cons – Tinus de Beer [3].
ULSTER: M Lowry; Z Ward, J Hume, S McCloskey (B Carson, 61), J Stockdale; J Murphy (J Flannery, 69), N Doak (C McKee, 69); C Reid (S Crean, 56), R Herring (T Stewart, 56), T O’Toole (S Wilson, 56); I Henderson (capt) (M Dalton, 61), H Sheridan; C Izuchukwu, N Timoney, D McCann (J Augustus, 56).
DRAGONS: A O’Brien (co-capt); R Dyer, J Westwood (H Anderson, 43), A Owen, J Rosser (F Inisi, 26); T de Beer, R Williams (C Hope, 74); W Jones (R Martinez, 51), E Dee (B Coghlan, 17), R Hunt (D Lewis, 51); M Screech (L Douglas, 56), B Carter (co-capt); S Lewis-Hughes, H Keddie (M Martin, 56), A Wainwright.
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Ulster record bonus point win after slow start against Dragons
Ulster 42
Dragons 21
Ciarán Donaghy reports from Affidea Stadium
ULSTER STARTED THEIR United Rugby Championship campaign with a maximum five points with a bonus point victory over the Dragons at Ravenhill.
The home side racked up a half dozen tries under new attack coach Mark Sexton’s first game in charge but were made to work hard for their victory against the side that finished bottom of the table last season.
Dragons number eight Aaron Wainwright silenced the Ravenhill crowd after just 12 seconds with the game’s opening try.
Ulster failed to control the kick off, the ball went loose and Wainwright kicked on, the bounce favoured the Welsh international as he was able to collect and race under the posts making out half Tinus De Beer’s conversion a formality.
Cormac Izuchukwu replied for Ulster 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 regained the lead four minutes later with their second try.
From a lineout on halfway they moved the ball across the pitch, winger Jared Rosser was put into space, and he showed a good turn of pace to sprint over, de Beer added the conversion.
Nick Timoney responded for the home time on 27 minutes, following a series of drives close to the Dragons line the flanker was able to power over from close range with Doak converting.
Ulster’s third try came six minutes later, Izuchukwu made a break from deep in his on 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.
Winger Zac Ward sealed Ulster’s bonus point three minutes before half time as he profited from another good Lowry offload to score in the corner.
Doak’s conversion gave Ulster a 28-14 lead at the break.
Ulster added another 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 Doak to go over unopposed, the pivot converted his own score.
The Dragons got a third try on 49 minutes as flanker Shane Lewis-Hughes powered over from close range with de Beer converting.
Replacement hooker Tom Stewart got Ulster’s sixth and final try with the clock in the red and Jake Flannery converted.
Ulster scorers:
Tries – Cormac Izuchukwu, Nick Timoney, David McCann, Zac Ward, Nathan Doak, Tom Stewart.
Cons – Nathan Doak [5/5], Jake Flannery [1/1].
Dragons scorers:
Tries – Aaron Wainwright, Jared Rosser, Shane Lewis-Hughes.
Cons – Tinus de Beer [3].
ULSTER: M Lowry; Z Ward, J Hume, S McCloskey (B Carson, 61), J Stockdale; J Murphy (J Flannery, 69), N Doak (C McKee, 69); C Reid (S Crean, 56), R Herring (T Stewart, 56), T O’Toole (S Wilson, 56); I Henderson (capt) (M Dalton, 61), H Sheridan; C Izuchukwu, N Timoney, D McCann (J Augustus, 56).
DRAGONS: A O’Brien (co-capt); R Dyer, J Westwood (H Anderson, 43), A Owen, J Rosser (F Inisi, 26); T de Beer, R Williams (C Hope, 74); W Jones (R Martinez, 51), E Dee (B Coghlan, 17), R Hunt (D Lewis, 51); M Screech (L Douglas, 56), B Carter (co-capt); S Lewis-Hughes, H Keddie (M Martin, 56), A Wainwright.
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