Ulster kicked off their 2016/17 PRO12 campaign in style with a bonus point victory over the Dragons at Kingspan Stadium.
Ulster outscored the visitors by five tries to one with Queen’s winger Rob Lyttle grabbing a brace from the bench after coming on as a 12 minute replacement for Craig Gilroy but had to survive an early scare after the Welsh side took an early 8-0 lead.
The Dragons took the lead on six minutes as out half Nick MacLoed slotted over a penalty after Roger Wilson was punished at a ruck.
The Welsh region extended their lead six minutes later, from a turnover ball in midfield MacLeod put in a kick for former Munster winger Pat Howard to race onto and touchdown in the corner but the out half failed to convert.
Man of the moment Ruan Pienaar sparked Ulster into life on 21 minutes, Wilson, Stuart McCloskey and Ross cleared a ruck allowing Stuart Olding to release Pienaar, he made a break and carried close to the Dragons 22 before putting a kick in behind the defence, Howard failed to deal with it allowing Lyttle to dot down over the line and the Springbok scrum half converted.
Ulster’s second try arrived six minutes later, they patiently worked the ball through a number of phases before winger Jacob Stockdale received the ball in midfield he wrong footed the Dragons defence before putting in a kick which he had the pace to win the race and touch down in the corner but Pienaar couldn’t convert from a tight angle.
Ulster could have increased their half time lead when they kicked a penalty to touch, Peter Browne took the lineout and the home forwards drove close to the line but conceded a penalty and had to settle for a 12-8 advantage at the break.
Pienaar raised the roof with Ulster’s third try four minutes after the restart, the South African pinned the Dragons back with a box kick which rolled into touch, from the lineout the visitors were under pressure, full back Carl Meyer tried to clear from his own 22.
Pienaar charged the kick down and gather in goal to dot but was off target with the conversion.
Lyttle in his first competitive game for the province sealed the bonus point on 65 minutes.
Franco van der Merwe stole a Dragons lineout in the 22 the forwards worked the ball through a few phased before it was spun wide, Charles Piutau drew the last defender before offloading to put Lyttle over in the corner but Pienaar failed to convert.
Skipper Rob Herring sealed an empathic victory with a fifth try eight minutes from full time.
Ulster kicked a penalty to touch, from the line out the forwards set up a driving maul before Herring peeled off the back to dot down.
Teams
Ulster:
C Piutau, C Gilroy, S Olding, S McCloskey, J Stockdale, B Herron, R Pienaar;
C Black, R Herring, R Kane; P Browne, F van der Merwe, C Ross, S Reidy, R Wilson
Replacements:
J Andrew for Reidy 74 mins, K McCall for Black 50 mins, A Warwick for Kane 58 mins, A O'Connor for Browne 56 mins, R Diack for Wilson 56 mins, P Marshall for Piutau 74 mins, S Windsor for McCloskey 60 mins, R Lyttle for Gilroy 12 mins
Newport Gwent Dragons:
C Meyer, A Warren, S Beard, J Dixon, P Howard, N Macleod, S Pretorius,
S Hobbs, T Rhys Thomas (capt), C Mitchell, C Hill, R Landman, O Griffiths, N Cudd, E Jackson,
Replacements:
R Buckley for Thomas 66 mins, T Davies for Buckley 48 mins, L Fairbrother for Mitchell 30 minutes, N Crosswell for Landman 41 mins, L Evans for Griffiths 24 mins, C Davies for Pretorius 67 mins , A O'Brien, T Morgan for Beard 36 mins.
Referee: Marius Mitrea (Italy)
Ulster outscored the visitors by five tries to one with Queen’s winger Rob Lyttle grabbing a brace from the bench after coming on as a 12 minute replacement for Craig Gilroy but had to survive an early scare after the Welsh side took an early 8-0 lead.
The Dragons took the lead on six minutes as out half Nick MacLoed slotted over a penalty after Roger Wilson was punished at a ruck.
The Welsh region extended their lead six minutes later, from a turnover ball in midfield MacLeod put in a kick for former Munster winger Pat Howard to race onto and touchdown in the corner but the out half failed to convert.
Man of the moment Ruan Pienaar sparked Ulster into life on 21 minutes, Wilson, Stuart McCloskey and Ross cleared a ruck allowing Stuart Olding to release Pienaar, he made a break and carried close to the Dragons 22 before putting a kick in behind the defence, Howard failed to deal with it allowing Lyttle to dot down over the line and the Springbok scrum half converted.
Ulster’s second try arrived six minutes later, they patiently worked the ball through a number of phases before winger Jacob Stockdale received the ball in midfield he wrong footed the Dragons defence before putting in a kick which he had the pace to win the race and touch down in the corner but Pienaar couldn’t convert from a tight angle.
Ulster could have increased their half time lead when they kicked a penalty to touch, Peter Browne took the lineout and the home forwards drove close to the line but conceded a penalty and had to settle for a 12-8 advantage at the break.
Pienaar raised the roof with Ulster’s third try four minutes after the restart, the South African pinned the Dragons back with a box kick which rolled into touch, from the lineout the visitors were under pressure, full back Carl Meyer tried to clear from his own 22.
Pienaar charged the kick down and gather in goal to dot but was off target with the conversion.
Lyttle in his first competitive game for the province sealed the bonus point on 65 minutes.
Franco van der Merwe stole a Dragons lineout in the 22 the forwards worked the ball through a few phased before it was spun wide, Charles Piutau drew the last defender before offloading to put Lyttle over in the corner but Pienaar failed to convert.
Skipper Rob Herring sealed an empathic victory with a fifth try eight minutes from full time.
Ulster kicked a penalty to touch, from the line out the forwards set up a driving maul before Herring peeled off the back to dot down.
Teams
Ulster:
C Piutau, C Gilroy, S Olding, S McCloskey, J Stockdale, B Herron, R Pienaar;
C Black, R Herring, R Kane; P Browne, F van der Merwe, C Ross, S Reidy, R Wilson
Replacements:
J Andrew for Reidy 74 mins, K McCall for Black 50 mins, A Warwick for Kane 58 mins, A O'Connor for Browne 56 mins, R Diack for Wilson 56 mins, P Marshall for Piutau 74 mins, S Windsor for McCloskey 60 mins, R Lyttle for Gilroy 12 mins
Newport Gwent Dragons:
C Meyer, A Warren, S Beard, J Dixon, P Howard, N Macleod, S Pretorius,
S Hobbs, T Rhys Thomas (capt), C Mitchell, C Hill, R Landman, O Griffiths, N Cudd, E Jackson,
Replacements:
R Buckley for Thomas 66 mins, T Davies for Buckley 48 mins, L Fairbrother for Mitchell 30 minutes, N Crosswell for Landman 41 mins, L Evans for Griffiths 24 mins, C Davies for Pretorius 67 mins , A O'Brien, T Morgan for Beard 36 mins.
Referee: Marius Mitrea (Italy)