Ulster begin new era with emphatic win while Leinster survive scare at Cardiff

Ulster began life after Dan McFarland with an impressive 49-26 win over the Dragons in the United Rugby Championship (URC) at Kingspan Stadium on Saturday.

Tries from Will Addison, Michael Lowry (2), Harry Sheridan (2), Nick Timoney and David McCann sealed an empathic win as they go fourth in the league standings.

James Benjamin, Matthew Screech and Brodie Coghlan crossed for the Dragons before a penalty try saw them at least take a try bonus-point from the URC loss.

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The hosts took the lead after just four minutes, Addison opening the scoring after a grubber from Billy Burns, with John Cooney converting well.

The Dragons managed to draw level when Benjamin was driven over after 11 minutes from a driving maul with Will Reed converting.

But Ulster were back in front six minutes later with their second try, Lowry running in unopposed after Addison and McCann had linked up out on the flank off turnover ball.

Cooney slotted his third conversion on the half hour after Sheridan had battered over from close range to put the Irish province 21-7 ahead.

The bonus-point try came when Lowry scored his second of the match after 32 minutes, yet again Cooney converting and the first half came to a close with Ulster ahead 28-7 and looking in complete charge.

The visitors responded with the first score of the second half, when lock Screech drove through from close range in the 51st minute, although Reed’s conversion hit the post and stayed out.

Ulster hit back five minutes later with the fifth try of the night when McCann touched down with Cooney slotting another excellent touchline conversion.

Once again, the Dragons refused to buckle and came back again with their third try when Coghlan drove over, and this time Reed converted.

Ulster were back on the scoresheet with nine minute remaining Timoney scored in the corner, Cooney again superb with the extras, before McCann ran in for his second touchdown with five minutes to go.

The game ended with a penalty try for the Dragons and a try bonus which also resulted in Timoney being yellow carded.

Leinster rally to see off Cardiff

Elsewhere in the late games, Leinster recovered from a 15-12 half-time deficit to claim a 33-20 bonus-point victory over a determined Cardiff side at the Arms Park.

Leinster, unbeaten in the competition against Welsh opposition since Cardiff beat them more than two years ago, conceded 15 unanswered points and trailed just after half-time.

But they ultimately overpowered their hosts to post a ninth win of the URC campaign as tries from wing Rob Russell, number eight Max Deegan, hooker John McKee and replacement prop Michael Milne’s double saw them home, while fly-half Ross Byrne kicked four conversions.

Cardiff, inspired by two tries from Wales international prop Rhys Carre and an Aled Summerhill touchdown, pushed their opponents hard, yet their only other points came via a Tinus de Beer conversion and penalty.

Leinster blasted out of the blocks and rocked Cardiff with two tries inside the first 10 minutes.

Prop Tom Clarkson proved key in the opener, breaking clear before finding Russell with a scoring pass, then Deegan crashed over from close range and one Byrne conversion made it 12-0.

Cardiff were rocked back on their heels, but they put some promising passages of play together either side of a De Beer penalty, with Summerhill and Owen Lane offering attacking threats.

Cardiff continued to make headway and they were rewarded four minutes before half-time through a lineout move straight off the training ground that worked to perfection.

Carre was the beneficiary, finishing powerfully after scrum-half Ellis Bevan put him in space from accurate set-piece possession, then Carre struck again on the stroke of half-time after De Beer’s conversion cut Cardiff’s deficit to two points.

Flanker Thomas Young almost breached Leinster’s cover before visiting full-back Jordan Larmour was yellow-carded for a technical infringement and brute strength was again to the fore as Carre smashed through two Leinster defenders for his second try that secured a 15-12 interval advantage.

Leinster thought they had regained the lead when Clarkson crossed from close range, but he was held up over the line by Young.

Cardiff could only hold out for another five minutes, though, as relentless pressure exerted through the Leinster forwards ended with Milne touching down and Byrne converting.

Milne’s second try on the hour mark, again converted by Byrne, put daylight between the teams, although Cardiff summoned a Summerhill consolation six minutes from time after McKee had gone over.

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