URC: Scarlets 27 Ulster 22
Ulster fell to a shock defeat in a dramatic finish at Parc y Scarlets as the Welsh side scored a last-gasp try from Ellis Mee to snatch the win from the grasp of Richie Murphy’s side.
In what had been an arm-wrestle of a contest, played in difficult conditions, Nathan Doak’s late penalty, on his 100th Ulster cap, looked to have secured a hard-fought win, only for the narrative to swing the home team’s way.
The Scarlets scored first, Sam Costelow kicking a long-range penalty on five minutes. Four minutes later they had a try when Costelow put Blair Murray through a gap, which the outhalf then converted to put the home team 10-0 ahead with the breeze behind them.
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Ulster gathered their first points just before the 20th minute, Tom Stewart spinning off a maul near the Scarlets’ line to put the ball down, though Doak was well wide with the difficult conversion.
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He made no mistake the next time when Ulster managed something close to a re-run of their first try. This time Stewart was held short, allowing Doak to hit the charging Bryn Ward who got the score. Doak’s conversion nudged Ulster in front for the first time at 12-10.
However, a handling error by Jake Flannery off a swirling kick gave the Scarlets position in Ulster’s 22 and after trucking the ball up to the line, the home team won an inevitable penalty near the line but opted to tap and go.
A crash ball burst from Eddie James made the incursion and Josh Macleod simply had to reach over the line to score. Costelow’s excellent conversion put them back in the lead by 17-12, which is how the opening half ended.
Ulster then thought they had a try on 51 minutes, James Hume’s intercept eventually leading to Nick Timoney supplying Flannery, though the try was ruled out via the TMO due to the assist being forward.
Then Jack Murphy’s crosskick into space saw David McCann beat Macs Page to the corner, however, once more the TMO intervention spotted a knock-on from the flanker.
Taine Plumtree was yellow-carded on 65 minutes, and it was now or never for Ulster. Scott Wilson scored near the sticks to tie it up on 67 minutes and Doak’s conversion put Ulster back in front.
But Ulster coughed up a penalty shortly after the restart and Costelow went from range for the three points and impressively landed it to allow the 14-man hosts lead by a point.
With time running out though, Ulster secured a penalty and Doak nailed it with five minutes left on the clock.
However, the final twist awaited. With Werner Kok in the bin, Scarlets attacked one more time and Mee seized his moment, surging between Flannery and Jude Postlethwaite to run in from distance and break Ulster hearts.
SCARLETS: B Murray; T Rogers, E James, J Hawkins, E Mee; S Costelow, A Hughes; K Mathias, R Elias, A Holz; S Lousi, H Cuckson; T Plumtree, J Macleod (capt), F Anderson.
Replacements: M Page for Murray (49 mins); M van der Merwe for Elias (56); J Price for Cuckson, J Williams for Hawkins (both 57); D Blacker for Hughes (60); J Morse for Mathias, H Thomas for Holz (both 69); J Taylor for Plumtree (75).
Yellow card: T Plumtree (65).
ULSTER: M Lowry; R Baloucoune, J Hume, S McCloskey, W Kok; J Murphy, N Doak; A Bell, T Stewart, T O’Toole; I Henderson (capt), C Irvine; D McCann, N Timoney, B Ward.
Replacements: J Flannery for Lowry (1 min); J Postlethwaite for Baloucoune (h-t); R Herring for Stewart, E O’Sullivan for Bell, S Wilson for O’Toole (all 51); H Sheridan for Henderson (59); M Dalton for Ward (69).
Not used: C McKee.
Yellow card: W Kok (81 mins).
Referee: G Colby (SA).
