Pro12: Newport Gwent Dragons 19-46 Ulster

 

Newport Gwent Dragons (16) 19

  • Tries: Tuilagi
  • Con: Prydie
  • Pens: Prydie 4

Ulster (19) 46

  • Tries: Court, N Williams, Pienaar, Cave, Trimble, Payne
  • Cons: Pienaar 2
  • Pens: Pienaar 5

Ulster maintained their early Pro12 charge with a comfortable, six-tries-to-one bonus point win at Newport Gwent Dragons.

The visitors were 19-16 ahead at the break thanks to tries from Tom Court, Nick Williams and Ruan Pienaar, the latter adding two conversions.

Scrum V breakdown

Scrum V Breakdown: Dragons 19-46 Ulster

Andy Tuilagi went over in response to Court's opener.

But Darren Cave, Andrew Trimble and Jared Payne crossed after the break with Pienaar kicking 12 more points.

Tom Prydie kicked two penalties as the visitors' discipline was tested early on.

But when they settled into the contest, Ulster underlined their top-of-the-table status by patiently driving home their superiority against Welsh rugby's strugglers.

Outstanding number eight Williams's trademark driving play and hand-offs drew support from Cave and Dan Tuohy to set up the opening try.

Williams was again involved before Court picked up the back-rower's offload off the floor to burst clear from close range.

Pienaar converted only for the Dragons to produce a memorable response.

After controlling possession and going through the phases Tuilagi crashed over, albeit with centre partner Adam Hughes blocking Rory Best's attempted tackle.

Prydie converted the 29th-minute try only for Williams to reach the line three minutes later for Pienaar to convert and put his side into a lead.

The tit-for-tat continued as Prydie put the hosts back in front.

Dragons will battle on, says Darren Edwards

But Pienaar charged down Prydie's attempted clearance to gather and score for the visitors to lead 19-16 at the break.

Having failed to convert his own try, the South African made amends with two penalties before Prydie kicked his side's only second-half points.

Cave went clear following another concerted attack from the visitors.

That score gave Ulster a well-earned bonus point.

But a gift score that required little in the way of craft or graft was to follow for Ulster.

Apart from taking the chance, all Ulster wing Trimble had to do was run in unopposed from 50 metres after intercepting Lewis Robling's pass.

Pienaar converted Cave and Trimble's tries and did likewise when replacement Payne tormented the home defence as he finished off the visitors' night in style.

TEAMS

Dragons: Tom Prydie; Will Harries, Adam Hughes, Andy Tuilagi, Tonderai Chavhanga; Lewis Robling, Jonathan Evans; Owen Evans, Steve Jones (capt), Nathan Buck, Adam Jones, Rob Sidoli, Tom Brown, Jevon Groves, Toby Faletau.

Replacements: Steffan Jones for Robling (63), Liam Davies for J Evans (67), Nathan Williams for O Evans (49), Sam Parry for Steve Jones (56), Dan Way for Buck (67), Ian Nimmo for A Jones (56), Nic Cudd for Faletau (45).

Not used: Pat Leach.

Ulster: T Bowe; A Trimble, D Cave, P Wallace, C Gilroy; R Pienaar, P Marshall; T Court, R Best, D Fitzpatrick, L Stevenson, D Tuohy, I Henderson, C Henry (capt), N Williams

Replacements: Payne for Cave (66), L Marshall for Wallace (56), Jackson for P Marshall (66), McComish for Tuohy (64), Wilson for Williams (56).

Not Used: Brady, Black, Afoa.

Att: 5,057

Ref: Peter Fitzgibbon (Ireland).