A ten-try thriller tonight at Rodney Parade ended all square as late try-scorer Christian Lealiifano's stoppage-time conversion sailed wide to send Ulster home with three points rather than five.
The encounter was a veritable 12-round slugfest with both sides forcing their opponents onto the ropes at various junctures, but neither able to administer the knockout blow.
Two Craig Gilroy tries along with scores from Paul Marshall, Lealiifano and a penalty try got Ulster within touching distance of a precious away victory, but the Dragons – with a virtuoso display from out-half Gavin Henson – refused to back down and fully deserved their share of the spoils.
The draw sees Les Kiss’s men move up to second place in the Guinness Pro14 Conference B, three points ahead of interprovincial rivals Leinster, who play their game in hand in Treviso tomorrow.
First full caps for prop Schalk van der Merwe and back row Greg Jones – both of whom featured as replacements last week in the victory over Benetton – were among five personnel changes to the starting XV, with Stuart McCloskey and Sean Reidy returning to the lineup after Ireland duty, and Marshall starting at scrum-half in place of John Cooney.
The backline was completed by Charles Piutau at full-back, Gilroy and Louis Ludik on the wings, Tommy Bowe at centre, and captain Lealiifano back to his established position at out-half.
The pack lined up with hooker John Andrew and tighthead Ross Kane alongside van der Merwe, with Alan O’Connor and Kieran Treadwell continuing their effective partnership in the second row, and Number Eight Nick Timoney between flankers Jones and Reidy.
A well-matched first half brought two tries apiece and ended in deadlock at 15 – 15. Ulster’s first attack earned the visitors three points and an early yellow card for Dragons centre Jack Dixon for a dangerous lift-and-dump tackle on Ludik; Lealiifano slotting home the penalty with minimum fuss.
Then lightning-quick hands from Ludik, Piutau and Andrew set Gilroy free on the right touchline, and the winger resisted one tackle and two chasers to hare into the corner for a fine score.
With Dixon back in the fold Dragons began to find their rhythm, aided by early Ulster engagements in the scrum then a high tackle from Bowe on Angus O’Brien, and their first real chance culminated in a try off the rolling maul for Matthew Screech on 20 minutes.
Henson’s conversion cemented the hosts’ foothold in the game, before a charge from skipper Ollie Griffiths ripped Ulster down the middle and an eventual offside gifted the 35-year-old out-half a penalty for the two-point lead.
The next Dragons score was exemplary, both Griffiths and hooker Liam Belcher knocking Ulstermen aside like skittles in the build-up before Dixon’s dink to the corner brought a slip from Ludik and a simple dive over for wing Ashton Hewitt.
Ulster quickly levelled affairs courtesy of a penalty try awarded after exceptional work from Andrew at the back of a rolling maul, and ended the half in the ascendancy with only an overthrown McCloskey pass denying Timoney a genuine scoring opportunity in stoppage time.
Half-Time Score Dragons 15 Ulster 15
Ulster’s third try came within 90 seconds of the restart, Timoney eating up the yards down the right flank off Gilroy’s pass, and Marshall fishing the ball out of the ensuing maul two metres from home to sneak over the whitewash for a typically opportunistic score.
Lealiifano’s conversion fell just short as the out-half slipped in his run-up, but a solid kick to touch five minutes later won Ulster another lineout, leading to over 20 phases which the Dragons gave their all to resist.
With a brand new front row of Callum Black, Rory Best and Andy Warwick in the mix on 50 minutes – and Cooney on for Marshall at scrum-half – Ulster refused to release their stranglehold on the match, and when Gilroy rode three tackles to ground five minutes later for the bonus point, it was no more than their second half performance had deserved.
Two more rolling mauls caused Ulster problems as the Dragons mounted their inevitable riposte, Belcher bundling over from the base of the second to keep things interesting with 13 minutes remaining.
Henson’s conversion attempt rebounded off the left upright to leave his side seven points adrift, but the veteran did more than make amends moments later as he rolled back the years to burst through the Ulster defence, setting up Angus O’Brien via wing Jared Rosser, whose resistance of Bowe’s full-blooded tackle was indicative of the Dragons’ never-say-die spirit.
Henson’s conversion levelled the scoreboard once again, setting up for the grandstand finish when Hewitt dived over once more to leave Ulster hearts in mouths with 90 seconds to play.
Critically, however, Henson’s conversion missed once more, and Ulster pressure with the clock well into the red zone finally paid off when Lealiifano darted over for the equaliser in the 83rd minute.
His conversion kick agonisingly veered to the right of the posts, however, leaving his side with the scant consolation of two points for the draw and the four-try bonus point.
Kiss will hope for just as much fighting spirit and a little more ruthlessness from his side as they embark on back-to-back clashes with Harlequins in their must-win European Champions Cup fixtures over the coming two weeks.
Full-Time Score Dragons 32 Ulster 32
Dragons (15 – 9) Angus O’Brien; Ashton Hewitt, Adam Warren, Jack Dixon, Jared Rosser; Gavin Henson, Dan Babos
(1 – 8) Brok Harris, Liam Belcher, Lloyd Fairbrother, Joe Davies, Matthew Screech, Aaron Wainwright, Ollie Griffiths (c), James Benjamin
Replacements (16 – 23) Ellis Shipp, Gerard Ellis, Sam Hobbs, Rynard Landman, Ben Roach, Charlie Davies, Arwel Robson, Pat Howard
Ulster (15 – 9) Charles Piutau; Craig Gilroy, Tommy Bowe, Stuart McCloskey, Louis Ludik; Christian Lealiifano, Paul Marshall
(1 – 8) Schalk van der Merwe, John Andrew, Ross Kane, Alan O’Connor, Kieran Treadwell, Greg Jones, Sean Reidy, Nick Timoney
Replacements (16- 23) Rory Best, Callum Black, Andy Warwick, Matthew Dalton, Chris Henry, John Cooney, Peter Nelson, Andrew Trimble
The encounter was a veritable 12-round slugfest with both sides forcing their opponents onto the ropes at various junctures, but neither able to administer the knockout blow.
Two Craig Gilroy tries along with scores from Paul Marshall, Lealiifano and a penalty try got Ulster within touching distance of a precious away victory, but the Dragons – with a virtuoso display from out-half Gavin Henson – refused to back down and fully deserved their share of the spoils.
The draw sees Les Kiss’s men move up to second place in the Guinness Pro14 Conference B, three points ahead of interprovincial rivals Leinster, who play their game in hand in Treviso tomorrow.
First full caps for prop Schalk van der Merwe and back row Greg Jones – both of whom featured as replacements last week in the victory over Benetton – were among five personnel changes to the starting XV, with Stuart McCloskey and Sean Reidy returning to the lineup after Ireland duty, and Marshall starting at scrum-half in place of John Cooney.
The backline was completed by Charles Piutau at full-back, Gilroy and Louis Ludik on the wings, Tommy Bowe at centre, and captain Lealiifano back to his established position at out-half.
The pack lined up with hooker John Andrew and tighthead Ross Kane alongside van der Merwe, with Alan O’Connor and Kieran Treadwell continuing their effective partnership in the second row, and Number Eight Nick Timoney between flankers Jones and Reidy.
A well-matched first half brought two tries apiece and ended in deadlock at 15 – 15. Ulster’s first attack earned the visitors three points and an early yellow card for Dragons centre Jack Dixon for a dangerous lift-and-dump tackle on Ludik; Lealiifano slotting home the penalty with minimum fuss.
Then lightning-quick hands from Ludik, Piutau and Andrew set Gilroy free on the right touchline, and the winger resisted one tackle and two chasers to hare into the corner for a fine score.
With Dixon back in the fold Dragons began to find their rhythm, aided by early Ulster engagements in the scrum then a high tackle from Bowe on Angus O’Brien, and their first real chance culminated in a try off the rolling maul for Matthew Screech on 20 minutes.
Henson’s conversion cemented the hosts’ foothold in the game, before a charge from skipper Ollie Griffiths ripped Ulster down the middle and an eventual offside gifted the 35-year-old out-half a penalty for the two-point lead.
The next Dragons score was exemplary, both Griffiths and hooker Liam Belcher knocking Ulstermen aside like skittles in the build-up before Dixon’s dink to the corner brought a slip from Ludik and a simple dive over for wing Ashton Hewitt.
Ulster quickly levelled affairs courtesy of a penalty try awarded after exceptional work from Andrew at the back of a rolling maul, and ended the half in the ascendancy with only an overthrown McCloskey pass denying Timoney a genuine scoring opportunity in stoppage time.
Half-Time Score Dragons 15 Ulster 15
Ulster’s third try came within 90 seconds of the restart, Timoney eating up the yards down the right flank off Gilroy’s pass, and Marshall fishing the ball out of the ensuing maul two metres from home to sneak over the whitewash for a typically opportunistic score.
Lealiifano’s conversion fell just short as the out-half slipped in his run-up, but a solid kick to touch five minutes later won Ulster another lineout, leading to over 20 phases which the Dragons gave their all to resist.
With a brand new front row of Callum Black, Rory Best and Andy Warwick in the mix on 50 minutes – and Cooney on for Marshall at scrum-half – Ulster refused to release their stranglehold on the match, and when Gilroy rode three tackles to ground five minutes later for the bonus point, it was no more than their second half performance had deserved.
Two more rolling mauls caused Ulster problems as the Dragons mounted their inevitable riposte, Belcher bundling over from the base of the second to keep things interesting with 13 minutes remaining.
Henson’s conversion attempt rebounded off the left upright to leave his side seven points adrift, but the veteran did more than make amends moments later as he rolled back the years to burst through the Ulster defence, setting up Angus O’Brien via wing Jared Rosser, whose resistance of Bowe’s full-blooded tackle was indicative of the Dragons’ never-say-die spirit.
Henson’s conversion levelled the scoreboard once again, setting up for the grandstand finish when Hewitt dived over once more to leave Ulster hearts in mouths with 90 seconds to play.
Critically, however, Henson’s conversion missed once more, and Ulster pressure with the clock well into the red zone finally paid off when Lealiifano darted over for the equaliser in the 83rd minute.
His conversion kick agonisingly veered to the right of the posts, however, leaving his side with the scant consolation of two points for the draw and the four-try bonus point.
Kiss will hope for just as much fighting spirit and a little more ruthlessness from his side as they embark on back-to-back clashes with Harlequins in their must-win European Champions Cup fixtures over the coming two weeks.
Full-Time Score Dragons 32 Ulster 32
Dragons (15 – 9) Angus O’Brien; Ashton Hewitt, Adam Warren, Jack Dixon, Jared Rosser; Gavin Henson, Dan Babos
(1 – 8) Brok Harris, Liam Belcher, Lloyd Fairbrother, Joe Davies, Matthew Screech, Aaron Wainwright, Ollie Griffiths (c), James Benjamin
Replacements (16 – 23) Ellis Shipp, Gerard Ellis, Sam Hobbs, Rynard Landman, Ben Roach, Charlie Davies, Arwel Robson, Pat Howard
Ulster (15 – 9) Charles Piutau; Craig Gilroy, Tommy Bowe, Stuart McCloskey, Louis Ludik; Christian Lealiifano, Paul Marshall
(1 – 8) Schalk van der Merwe, John Andrew, Ross Kane, Alan O’Connor, Kieran Treadwell, Greg Jones, Sean Reidy, Nick Timoney
Replacements (16- 23) Rory Best, Callum Black, Andy Warwick, Matthew Dalton, Chris Henry, John Cooney, Peter Nelson, Andrew Trimble