Ulster v Dragons

:00:39. > :00:44.Star player Ruan Pienaar returns tonight as Ulster try and continue

:00:45. > :00:47.that march toward the play-offs. Stuart McCloskey returns Ireland

:00:48. > :00:51.international duty to take his place on the bench and there's a new face

:00:52. > :00:57.in the team, as Jacob Stockdale makes his home debut. Home wins will

:00:58. > :01:01.be crucial if they are to make the end of season top four. The Dragons

:01:02. > :01:04.are the opposition tonight. They may be struggling at the bottom end of

:01:05. > :01:10.the table, but they have beaten Munster and Leinster already this

:01:11. > :01:15.season. It's Ulster Rugby Live from the Kingspan Stadium. And it's a

:01:16. > :01:19.very soggy Ulster Rugby headquarters tonight will stop it may have

:01:20. > :01:23.stopped raining now but it has been taking it down in Belfast all day.

:01:24. > :01:29.It's pretty damp in places underfoot, as you can see. Good

:01:30. > :01:34.evening, welcomed Ulster Rugby Live. It's a bitterly cold night as well,

:01:35. > :01:40.if you are wondering right my guests are looking very, very cold. Our

:01:41. > :01:43.studio window is right -- wide-open to the world. Stephen, how important

:01:44. > :01:46.is this next run of matches for Ulster during the Six Nations

:01:47. > :01:49.Championship if they are to challenge the silverware this

:01:50. > :01:52.season? It's very important, especially with the big-name players

:01:53. > :01:58.away, the likes of Rory Best and Jared Payne it's important the boys

:01:59. > :02:02.get points. They are sitting in fifth at the minute. A big few weeks

:02:03. > :02:06.ahead, a couple of home games so it's important to get points on the

:02:07. > :02:10.board and get up the table. How confident are you Ulster can win

:02:11. > :02:17.tonight to go top of the Pro12 table and put themselves in a really good

:02:18. > :02:21.position? Really confident. The last time these tit teams met it was a

:02:22. > :02:28.thrill-seeking match, so Ulster back at home again will put performances

:02:29. > :02:31.together. Looking down the list, there's a lot of good players in

:02:32. > :02:35.here starting to come back from form and injury, it takes two or three

:02:36. > :02:38.games to get back in the groove again and most of those guys have

:02:39. > :02:44.scored points and are looking good again. I'd expect them to do well to

:02:45. > :02:48.night. It's a big night for Jacob Stockdale, making his home debut.

:02:49. > :02:53.It's a massive night for him. They don't know much about the young kid

:02:54. > :02:57.but he is wearing the number 11 jersey, big boots to fill, Andrew

:02:58. > :03:03.Trimble has been there, Tommy Bowe, but he is coming in. By all accounts

:03:04. > :03:07.coming out of the camp the day he was born his grandfather bought a

:03:08. > :03:14.rugby ball, so... Rugby is in the family. Born to play rugby. I was

:03:15. > :03:17.friends across the road. He is getting an opportunity tonight,

:03:18. > :03:22.let's hope he grabs it with both hands. Is going to be a tricky

:03:23. > :03:24.fixture for Ulster with the Dragons coach Lyn Jones has that his team

:03:25. > :03:30.are playing good rugby this season, they have been running out of a bit

:03:31. > :03:34.of luck. Yes, very much so. The coaches know best. It takes a little

:03:35. > :03:38.bit of luck every once in awhile with the guys and hopefully tonight

:03:39. > :03:43.their luck doesn't come good and Ulster can get the win but Ulster

:03:44. > :03:47.need to work hard. We will chat more at half-time. We will get your

:03:48. > :03:48.thoughts on the start of the Six Nations Championship. Time to join

:03:49. > :04:00.our commentary team tonight. COMMENTATOR:

:04:01. > :04:05.It's chilly, the picture is a bit soft, it's muddy outside the playing

:04:06. > :04:09.surface. The Dragons have made six changes, four upfront, the two

:04:10. > :04:16.second rows remain. In the back row, on Rome is the Australian Ben White

:04:17. > :04:20.-- on loan. Behind the scrum the two changes, Angus O'Brien, who played

:04:21. > :04:23.in this fixture last year, is paired with Charlie Davies, the former

:04:24. > :04:31.England in 220 international but pays in the wings in the of Amos and

:04:32. > :04:39.Stuart. Leading the Ulster side for the 12th time this season in the

:04:40. > :04:43.absence of Rory Best is Rob Herring. Ulster haven't lost to the Dragons

:04:44. > :04:47.here at the Kingspan Stadium for seven and a half years, September

:04:48. > :04:52.2008, if I'm not mistaken. Not quite a full house although it has picked

:04:53. > :04:55.up a little bit. The attraction of the watering -- watering holes

:04:56. > :05:00.around the ground are a bit too much but everybody is here and it's a

:05:01. > :05:04.decent crowd. Just the four changes in the Ulster side from the trip to

:05:05. > :05:07.Treviso last week. The front row is the same. Peter Browne, the

:05:08. > :05:13.27-year-old, Irish qualifier comes into partner O'Connor with Van der

:05:14. > :05:15.Merwe rested and Diack returns to the back row, returning to the

:05:16. > :05:21.pivotal position at number nine is Ruan Pienaar, inside Ian Humphreys

:05:22. > :05:23.and Darren Cave, who maintain the centre partnership, and the

:05:24. > :05:29.19-year-old Jake stunned Stockdale, a big night for the youngster, makes

:05:30. > :05:35.his Kingspan debut. There is the man who refereed the Rugby World Cup

:05:36. > :05:42.final last autumn, the world's number one referee, Nigel Owens, a

:05:43. > :05:51.very warm welcome to Nigel Owens. Angus O'Brien, the 21-year-old, born

:05:52. > :06:00.in Newport, has got is under way. Roger Wilson takes it in

:06:01. > :06:04.straightaway. Diack gets it the 22. Baxter Ian Humphreys, the pass was

:06:05. > :06:11.inside the 22 and Humphreys puts in a good kick, taken quickly by the

:06:12. > :06:16.Dragons. Meyer makes decent work, Roger Wilson puts in the tackle.

:06:17. > :06:23.Charlie Davies pops it up to Matthews Screech -- Matthew Screech.

:06:24. > :06:27.Davies having a glance, preferred to Pretorius, who is on the bench.

:06:28. > :06:32.Enterprising stuff from the visitors. They have got themselves

:06:33. > :06:41.into the quarterfinals of the European Challenge Cup, a tough away

:06:42. > :06:45.fixture to foster. Hasn't been a great season for them in the league

:06:46. > :06:48.-- a tough away fixture in Gloucester.

:06:49. > :06:58.Hallam Amos, released by the Welsh coaching team for this game. That's

:06:59. > :07:03.nicely done, a little bit of that there and this is the dangerous

:07:04. > :07:10.fellow, Ashton Hewitt. And again, it's all Dragons. Ulster have hardly

:07:11. > :07:15.got their paws on the ball so far. Charlie Davies. Angus O'Brien

:07:16. > :07:19.thought there was a gap there but it was closed down pretty quickly.

:07:20. > :07:27.Davies again, taken on by Hallam Amos. A good off-load. This is the

:07:28. > :07:35.skipper. The big South African, nicely away, the loosehead prop,

:07:36. > :07:41.Price. The Dragons really taking it to Ulster, a Dragons try here could

:07:42. > :07:42.be interesting. Five metres to the Ulster line, Rob Harris, the tight

:07:43. > :07:53.head prop. A little bit laboured in the centre

:07:54. > :07:57.of the park, but that's good work by Adam Warren, formerly of the

:07:58. > :08:04.Scarlets. Ulster on the back foot, the slowest home start for a while

:08:05. > :08:08.for Ulster. That's come loose. Nigel Owens saying Ulster knocked it

:08:09. > :08:12.forward, he is playing advantage to the Dragons. Can they take

:08:13. > :08:15.advantage? Most of the men on the left-hand side, and nice little chip

:08:16. > :08:20.on and they come back to the knock-on and we get the first scrum.

:08:21. > :08:23.All Dragons so far, Tony. Good evening to you. Good evening,

:08:24. > :08:34.everybody, fantastic by the Dragons, textbook. Quick, fastball, good use

:08:35. > :08:41.of runners off the side. Just gives them a bit of breathing space. Nigel

:08:42. > :08:46.Owens, I've seen some referees say that would be a deliberate knock

:08:47. > :08:50.forward. Of course, it wasn't. The first scrum and it's a Dragons

:08:51. > :08:54.scrum, and they couldn't be closer to the Ulster line, five metres

:08:55. > :09:03.away. They have the best part of half a stone and advantage up front.

:09:04. > :09:14.Ricky Lutton on the ice -- Ulster tight head side, making his fifth

:09:15. > :09:21.start of the season. Ben White, the 32-year-old from New South Wales.

:09:22. > :09:28.The referee has penalised Ulster in the scrummage. Ricky Lutton dropped

:09:29. > :09:41.to his knees on the ground, which you are not allowed to do.

:09:42. > :09:44.REFEREE: Knees to the ground. It's pretty clear from Nigel Owens in

:09:45. > :09:48.terms of what the problem was, the Ulster tight head just unable to

:09:49. > :09:52.take the pressure coming through from Phillip Price, sinking the turf

:09:53. > :10:00.and straight in front of Nigel Owens, any decent referee is going

:10:01. > :10:16.to give that as a penalty. Angus O'Brien. Makes no mistake.

:10:17. > :10:24.If Ulster get a wake-up call after the second half with chorizo, that's

:10:25. > :10:31.surely it from the opening four minutes from the Dragons. It's been

:10:32. > :10:38.faultless, beautiful to watch. -- the second half with Treviso. Well

:10:39. > :10:45.covered by Screech, who takes it in well. The Dragons again going

:10:46. > :10:51.forward and a lot of enterprise by the visitors. That's a nice little

:10:52. > :10:55.pass. Stuart Olding slightly wrong-footed there. Charlie Davies,

:10:56. > :10:59.misses O'Brien taken on by the skipper. Gets it away to his hooker,

:11:00. > :11:06.Elliot Dee. The pressure coming from Ulster.

:11:07. > :11:13.It's a chilly old night, gloves and woolly hats the order of the

:11:14. > :11:16.evening. Lots of invention early doors from the Dragons, good use of

:11:17. > :11:20.the feet, looking to attack the space, going to ground nice and

:11:21. > :11:25.early, good placement of the ball. Lovely quick service from Charlie

:11:26. > :11:28.Davies at nine as well. Craig Gilroy has moved infield, and I stake at

:11:29. > :11:33.the back by Robbie Diack. Pienaar, Humphreys looking for Gilroy. Good

:11:34. > :11:39.strong burst by the inside centre. Pienaar again, Darren Cave took a

:11:40. > :11:45.good line, this is better stuff by Ulster. A good release. Lubbock, who

:11:46. > :11:49.has signed on for another year after this one, Ulster is delighted to say

:11:50. > :12:02.-- Ludik. Better stuff now from the men in white. This Wilson, Cave,

:12:03. > :12:07.Olding. Gathered and into touch. By Carl Meyer, the 24-year-old from

:12:08. > :12:17.Pietermaritzburg in South Africa. Good pressure by Ulster, much

:12:18. > :12:25.better. Can-macro lovely start, beautifully caught by Meyer and he

:12:26. > :12:29.made no mistake with the pick-up. Six and a half minutes gone. Ulster

:12:30. > :12:37.within striking distance of the Dragons' line. Well taken in by

:12:38. > :12:42.Peter Browne. Ulster started the try scoring off a week ago in Italy from

:12:43. > :12:48.this very position. Can they do it again against the opposition from

:12:49. > :12:49.Wales? Good defence by the Dragons. Pienaar, to Gilroy, well taken by

:12:50. > :13:07.Phil Price. Pienaar again. Ulster getting ever closer. Peter

:13:08. > :13:16.Browne, looking for his second league try. Humphreys did well. Well

:13:17. > :13:20.picked up by Stuart Olding. But he has nudged it forward and the

:13:21. > :13:27.advantage didn't come to the Dragons and they get put into the scrum.

:13:28. > :13:31.Ulster are doing 95% of it right. Yes, 95%. Some good defensive

:13:32. > :13:35.pressure there from the Dragons, the better option for Darren Cave was to

:13:36. > :13:40.hold on but we see Ulster going through the phases. A long body for

:13:41. > :13:43.Peter Browne and you see Cave initially at the second bite of the

:13:44. > :13:49.cherry, possibly he should have held onto that rather than just sending

:13:50. > :13:52.it outside to Olding, who couldn't pick up the low pass. He missed a

:13:53. > :13:57.lot of rugby but my goodness he looks as if he is about to make up

:13:58. > :14:01.for it. The second senior game since that second all knee injury way back

:14:02. > :14:11.against Cardiff in March on this very ground. The second scrum of the

:14:12. > :14:19.evening, the first resulted in a penalty. Phil Price has played for

:14:20. > :14:22.Wales' under 18 and under 20 level. -- and under 20 level. Nigel Owens

:14:23. > :14:26.explaining where he wants the front rows to have their heads and

:14:27. > :14:32.shoulders. To make it all perfectly legal and safe, you have to say.

:14:33. > :14:43.REFEREE: Had this side. Davies with the ball.

:14:44. > :14:49.Trying to get the stage on, well done by Pienaar, disrupted Davies

:14:50. > :14:59.completely. The Dragons have recovered and made

:15:00. > :15:07.a bit of ground, trying to give the men behind a bit of space in which

:15:08. > :15:15.to clear the ball. Taken on by Ed Jackson, the number eight. Davies

:15:16. > :15:22.loves to kick. Has he found his touch? He has. Gilroy gathers. Is a

:15:23. > :15:26.very encouraging opening scrum from Ulster, making Dragons use their

:15:27. > :15:28.young forwards. Jackson controls the back and Pienaar was onto it as

:15:29. > :15:35.quick as a flash. Callum Black telling Rob Herring

:15:36. > :15:47.where they want the ball thrown. Nigel Owens telling Ulster they have

:15:48. > :15:54.to get themselves sorted out a bit more quickly. Well taken by Brian

:15:55. > :16:04.Pienaar. Across the ten metre line of the Dragons. Pienaar again.

:16:05. > :16:10.Nicely done. That's not a bad kick, oh... They have to come back for the

:16:11. > :16:16.scrum. The option given to the Dragons by Nigel Owens or, the 22

:16:17. > :16:20.drop out or the scrum from the point where the ball was kicked. Ludik, if

:16:21. > :16:23.it had gone to the right, it would have been perfect. It needed more

:16:24. > :16:29.spin on it but that the favoured option of Ulster, hit it midfield

:16:30. > :16:36.and sweet back down the blindside using the full-back, hoping to tax

:16:37. > :16:45.the opposition going to defend the openside. 12 games played, four

:16:46. > :16:49.wins, eight losses, in 10th position. Ulster the same number of

:16:50. > :16:54.games played, seven wins and five losses, but a pile of bonus points,

:16:55. > :16:59.five from try bonuses and four from losing bonuses.

:17:00. > :17:06.Problems on the far side of the scrum, the Ulster Lucent side, with

:17:07. > :17:12.Callum Black up against Brok Harris. -- loosehead side. Nigel Williams is

:17:13. > :17:20.not thought of man you want to start messing about with. You know exactly

:17:21. > :17:24.where you stand, his reputation precedes him. It's not about thing,

:17:25. > :17:28.it's terrific to see him in games like this and why wouldn't he? He's

:17:29. > :17:36.probably doing it again on Sunday somewhere.

:17:37. > :17:48.That's a mess. He's going to have to get this sorted out though. His

:17:49. > :17:56.assistants, both Nigel Carl and Shane Kieran is and Kevin begs for

:17:57. > :18:00.the RFU is the TMO. Nigel is calmness personified.

:18:01. > :18:15.REFEREE: Get this scrum sorted, both sides. Somebody said, yes sir.

:18:16. > :18:27.Now, if this one is not right it's going to be a penalty. It looks OK.

:18:28. > :18:30.A bit of a squeeze by Ulster. Pienaar comes round, picked up by

:18:31. > :18:35.Jackson but he got Pienaar at the same time. Good work once again by

:18:36. > :18:42.Ulster's vastly experienced scrum-half. Hallam Amos is is coming

:18:43. > :18:46.off the left wing to help. Davies has put just about the right amount

:18:47. > :19:01.of weight on that. A wonderful trick by Gilroy. He rose to that.

:19:02. > :19:07.That's the Jacobs -- Jason Stockdale to chase, and he does. Its comeback

:19:08. > :19:15.in the Ulster side. Carl Meyer on the ground. Needed to put a bit more

:19:16. > :19:18.on that, the referee has said the advantages are over and the Dragons

:19:19. > :19:23.clear, gathered in by Robbie Diack, taken quickly. Herring is out wide,

:19:24. > :19:36.as quick as three quarters. Oh, is in there. Pienaar covered a

:19:37. > :19:45.lot of ground. -- O'Connor is in there. Across the halfway line.

:19:46. > :19:52.A chance of an overlap here. This is Cave, a good strong run by Cave and

:19:53. > :19:58.well taken by his opposite number, Adam Hughes. Off-loaded nicely to

:19:59. > :20:05.Black. Good hands by the prop. Clever by Humphreys. Into Matthew

:20:06. > :20:11.Screech. Ulster might have an advantage out wide. Ricky Lutton

:20:12. > :20:18.sets it up. They miss out Wilson, good take by Olding and again and

:20:19. > :20:23.Ulster kick, not a very clever kick, but it was knocked on in the

:20:24. > :20:28.attempted gather by the Dragons. It's all a bit lacking, isn't it?

:20:29. > :20:31.Ulster coming side to side, looking for holes. You need the outside

:20:32. > :20:34.runners to be straightening the line-up and trying to fix the

:20:35. > :20:37.defenders to create the space on the outside. It's all well and good

:20:38. > :20:40.running across but if the drift defence goes with you you are

:20:41. > :20:47.cutting out your room and your options.

:20:48. > :20:55.Well, coming up to 15 minutes played, and Ulster behind by the

:20:56. > :21:03.only penalty from O'Brien of the Dragons' outside-half.

:21:04. > :21:13.Charlie Davies, the man who spilled the ball forward. Ulster's scrum

:21:14. > :21:17.this time and that line is the ten metre line Sean Reidy on the

:21:18. > :21:21.openside scored tries in the last two appearances for Ulster, looking

:21:22. > :21:28.for another one tonight. Wilson with the pick-up.

:21:29. > :21:36.Good run by Stockdale. Nice to see him stretch those big, long legs.

:21:37. > :21:40.Couldn't quite get it away, advantage to the Dragons. Can they

:21:41. > :21:43.take advantage? I think they might be able to. Quick stuff, away goes

:21:44. > :21:50.Ashton Hewitt. He is seriously pacey. Too many Ulster players

:21:51. > :21:54.missed him. He has been four or five players before somebody gets to him.

:21:55. > :22:02.This is very good counterattacking by the Dragons. Nic Cudd gets it

:22:03. > :22:07.away nicely. A chip kick through, somebody is going to have to be

:22:08. > :22:13.quick. That might be a score. Nicely done by Adam Hughes. He has got into

:22:14. > :22:18.the corner and Ulster have gone from the opposition 22, to their own 22,

:22:19. > :22:23.in the blink of an eye they conceded a try. Fantastic piece of play,

:22:24. > :22:27.Ashton Hewitt was man of the match last week against Leinster and he

:22:28. > :22:31.shreds at the right-hand side. Look at the transfer, a dink of the right

:22:32. > :22:36.foot, wasn't that Tredwell? Anticipated the low bounce on the

:22:37. > :22:43.surface. Helping to put hands on the ball, Adam Hughes skips over the

:22:44. > :22:47.corner -- skids over the corner. Are perfectly placed kick from full-back

:22:48. > :22:51.Carl Meyer and he was dived about five or six metres away. Skated in

:22:52. > :23:00.for the try will stop perfect execution. Sometimes you just have

:23:01. > :23:03.to anticipate that and go forward. Sometimes you look silly, other

:23:04. > :23:04.times you come up smelling of roses that occasion Adam Hughes covered

:23:05. > :23:14.himself in glory. Angus O'Brien with the penalty

:23:15. > :23:18.already and it looks like a conversion to go with it. What a

:23:19. > :23:25.good kick. Well, who would have anticipated that? Everyone except

:23:26. > :23:30.Lyn Jones. They have been good value. It's their speed of thought

:23:31. > :23:34.and speed of foot movement. They are not taking all the static targets,

:23:35. > :23:37.they are moving their feet, getting into space, creating quick ball

:23:38. > :23:42.which is giving them tempo and causing Ulster problems out wide.

:23:43. > :23:49.Ulster's kicking is very poor. Humphreys with the restart. Gathered

:23:50. > :23:56.in by Meyer. He finds a pretty safe touch. You'd like to see Ian

:23:57. > :24:03.Humphreys maybe get is forwards a bit more chance of receiving all

:24:04. > :24:06.competing for the kick-off, up the Ulster left hand flank, makes it a

:24:07. > :24:15.simple exit strategy for the Dragons. The fourth start of the

:24:16. > :24:23.season for the 33-year-old, Ian Humphreys.

:24:24. > :24:36.Well taken in by Diack. Good work by Stuart Olding. Dragons in the way.

:24:37. > :24:47.Back to Roger Wilson. Runs into Ben White. The Dragons up very quickly,

:24:48. > :24:49.right on that gain line. Then it's Pienaar, again Alan O'Connor makes

:24:50. > :24:58.some ground. Quick ball now, Humphreys. Nicely away to Gilroy.

:24:59. > :25:04.Here is Stockdale. A chip and gathered in some might have been

:25:05. > :25:08.better having a go on his own. He is only 19 years of age, Jacob

:25:09. > :25:14.Stockdale. This is a big occasion for him, 15 or 16,000 people here

:25:15. > :25:20.this evening, 15 minutes with Treviso last week. He's a big guy,

:25:21. > :25:25.isn't he? He has done well, because the line-out is going Ulster's way.

:25:26. > :25:30.Certainly Herring and Diack are almost telepathic in the way they

:25:31. > :25:34.hook up with each other. Diack has almost become Ulster's primary

:25:35. > :25:38.line-out forward this year such has been the quality of the ball he has

:25:39. > :25:44.produced. This time it is Peter Browne. Is it too far out to have an

:25:45. > :25:47.assault on the line? Surely Elliot Dee is coming offside, the referee

:25:48. > :25:55.has the hand-out. Light years offside. No advantage. Advantage

:25:56. > :26:04.coming to Ulster. I'm pretty sure the last game put into the corner.

:26:05. > :26:08.Which is an interesting one, you are 10-0 down, halfway through the first

:26:09. > :26:12.half, the line-out has been going especially well. Ulster like the

:26:13. > :26:16.option of the driven line-out. Pienaar looks as if he's going for

:26:17. > :26:22.the corner. The referee is telling the Dragons and their skipper that

:26:23. > :26:25.the line-out was still going, so the player came in offside of the

:26:26. > :26:27.line-out. Pienaar has found the corner. Can Ulster find the target

:26:28. > :26:51.and the opposition line? A good take yet again by Ulster.

:26:52. > :26:55.This time it was O'Connor. Here come the Dragons, trying to squeeze into

:26:56. > :27:00.the touchline. Pienaar gets himself in. Advanced stuff by Ulster. They

:27:01. > :27:04.are over the line, I don't think they've got the ball down though.

:27:05. > :27:10.Held up, there's going to be a five metres scrum. Good effort by Ulster,

:27:11. > :27:13.great defending by the Dragons. Yes, great defending by the Dragons,

:27:14. > :27:17.sacrificing everything. The momentum takes them towards the touchline and

:27:18. > :27:22.the Dragons try to get the squeeze on and just as Ulster look as if

:27:23. > :27:27.they will drive that over, just enough to withstand from the

:27:28. > :27:32.Dragons. You see Sean Reidy at the back, the try scorer last week and

:27:33. > :27:35.Treviso, some very, very good defending. Ed Jackson, the number

:27:36. > :27:42.eight, sacrificing himself there. Brilliant defence. Pienaar has

:27:43. > :27:51.missed the past couple of games with a rather nasty virus. Starting his

:27:52. > :27:57.10th game of the season. A big scrum this, we're into the second quarter

:27:58. > :28:02.of this game Ulster, trailing by 10-0 two are very impressive Dragons

:28:03. > :28:08.side. Pienaar leaves it for Wilson to control it, Charlie Davis trying

:28:09. > :28:16.to swoop. There goes Wilson. Needs a bit of help, he has got it now.

:28:17. > :28:18.Dragons have slowed it down. Peter Browne, Ulster have lost a bit of

:28:19. > :28:27.momentum. They are trying to regain it. Pienaar on the far side, Olding

:28:28. > :28:32.bundled into touch. Good Dragons defending. There might have been

:28:33. > :28:38.offside by the Dragons, Nigel Owens looks as if he has awarded the

:28:39. > :28:41.penalty. Perhaps being slightly unfair to Ian

:28:42. > :28:47.Humphreys, perhaps he should download it more with the ball, he

:28:48. > :28:51.gave the path to Olding and didn't attack any of the defenders. You see

:28:52. > :28:56.one, then two, I don't think there was much room out there to be fair.

:28:57. > :29:00.It was the Dragons line-out, that it seems, and they have won the ball.

:29:01. > :29:02.Sean Reidy with the tackle on Ben White. It might have been Jackson

:29:03. > :29:14.who took it forward. That's a good touch. The Dragons

:29:15. > :29:19.have got their defence pretty well sorted out, and that exit strategy

:29:20. > :29:22.is working pretty well. Absolutely, I sat and watched a tape of them

:29:23. > :29:27.against Leinster and they were very, very good, well structured, lots of

:29:28. > :29:31.pace in the game, defensively very sound. Not a lot of Stallard names

:29:32. > :29:35.in their side but they worked very hard for themselves. They have made

:29:36. > :29:37.six changes from last week so the squad they are starting to put

:29:38. > :29:47.together is starting to come to fruition as well. O'Connor wins it,

:29:48. > :29:53.Humphreys Tom Cave. A little dummy. Pienaar switches. Taken on once

:29:54. > :29:59.again by O'Connor. A hop and a skip. Nabbed by the

:30:00. > :30:22.Dragons' skipper, Reynard Landman. Stockdale has done well to set it

:30:23. > :30:26.up, well released. Callum Black, Ulster's loosehead prop, the Dragons

:30:27. > :30:31.tackling is first class. Cave through the gap, nicely done. A bit

:30:32. > :30:35.of momentum being built now by Ulster. Well taken by Humphreys. I'm

:30:36. > :30:45.not sure who that was meant to be too.

:30:46. > :31:00.Ulster still in possession but it is slow now. Back to Gilroy. Humphreys

:31:01. > :31:17.again. The Dragons defending one on one. Well read by the men in black

:31:18. > :31:27.and red. Ulster being patient, that is good work by Peter Browne.

:31:28. > :31:53.Good work by Reid. Can you believe it? Three tries in three successive

:31:54. > :32:00.games for Reid. That was classic Andy Ward as well, a former number

:32:01. > :32:10.seven. A man who has really come on with his game, he is showing his

:32:11. > :32:13.spurs. Sheer determination and pace and a lot of strength and

:32:14. > :32:21.conditioning, kept the hips down, riding the first tackle and getting

:32:22. > :32:26.away from the defender. Superb work by Reid. That is the game Ulster

:32:27. > :32:32.have to play, the high tempo game, looking for holes the fence of. They

:32:33. > :32:35.do not want to throw the ball from side to side, the Dragons are

:32:36. > :32:43.defending with one man would sometimes just one defender. They

:32:44. > :32:51.also need a good pick and go to get more defenders in, there is space,

:32:52. > :32:55.it is a wide-open game. A fantastic kick by Ian Humphreys. The wrong

:32:56. > :33:10.side of the field for a left footed kicker. Another look at Reidy's try,

:33:11. > :33:21.look at the strength. He gets the ball on the right hand as well. He

:33:22. > :33:32.gets side on. Stockdale off-loads to Roger Wilson.

:33:33. > :33:43.That is a good kick by Ludick. The Dragons hoping to respond

:33:44. > :33:53.immediately. Angus O'Brien back inside. Looking

:33:54. > :34:16.to slow them down. Ben White on a short-term loan from

:34:17. > :34:28.Exeter. The kick goes straight into touch. Better from Ulster

:34:29. > :34:29.defensively. More intent. Just forcing Angus O'Brien to overcook

:34:30. > :34:48.that. First-time Peter Browne has been in

:34:49. > :34:56.tandem. Band of getting a well earned rest after playing almost

:34:57. > :35:05.every single game. Great throwing and catching. Olding looks like he

:35:06. > :35:12.was in a bit of trouble. Nice dummy by the big fellow. Ulster have

:35:13. > :35:17.managed to lose that. The interception by Humphreys. The

:35:18. > :35:27.referee said there was no advantage to the Dragons and that won't count.

:35:28. > :35:35.Jackson is watching but it will be back to reality in a matter of

:35:36. > :35:44.seconds. He did say advantage. Nigel has not moved an inch either,

:35:45. > :35:58.standing there. Another man looking for three tries in a row, Humphreys.

:35:59. > :36:13.He still has the pace? He has, very pacey over the 15, 20 metre mark.

:36:14. > :36:26.Almost half an hour played, looking a bit better for Ulster but they are

:36:27. > :36:31.on the wrong end of the scoreline. Good control by the Dragons. O'Brien

:36:32. > :36:38.looking for some width. This is the try scorer, and shoes, away to

:36:39. > :36:46.Ashton Hewitt who is very speedy. Carl Mason has come up to add his

:36:47. > :37:07.weight. Taken on nicely by Jackson, the number eight. Ulster hanging on

:37:08. > :37:10.by their fingertips. Good movement. Adam Warren, the Welsh international

:37:11. > :37:19.who got his solitary Welsh cap when he was playing for Scarlets. Ulster

:37:20. > :37:25.having to defend once again, they won't want to concede anything more

:37:26. > :37:30.before the interval. The defence a little bit stretched on the far

:37:31. > :37:39.side. They have made the tackle. Good steel by Stockdale. Pienaar

:37:40. > :37:45.gets it away. What a kick by Pienaar, Angus O'Brien has no option

:37:46. > :37:51.but to go for touch. And he has found touch, he has not. It goes the

:37:52. > :37:59.19-year-old, Stockdale, still going, here goes Reidy again. The crowd

:38:00. > :38:13.really starting to enjoy this. A little cut past. What about the

:38:14. > :38:21.kick? It was Paul played by Craig Gilroy, Ulster need a few more

:38:22. > :38:47.jerseys there. The tackle by Brok Harris. In goes Ludick to help.

:38:48. > :39:14.A little check by the loosehead prop. Good continuity by Ulster.

:39:15. > :39:21.Have Ulster managed to have that one turned over. They have given away

:39:22. > :39:26.the penalty. There was a great chance, I think it was Ricky Luton

:39:27. > :39:31.who gave away the penalty. The game opening up for both sides, two good

:39:32. > :39:38.touches from Jacob Stockdale. Some good clearing work at the ruck as

:39:39. > :39:43.well. His low centre of gravity, he has that in abundance. He is almost

:39:44. > :39:49.wrong enough and good enough to go in and clean the ruck on his own and

:39:50. > :39:56.buy some time for Pienaar to come along and clear. Concern about the

:39:57. > :40:03.Dragons number eight, Jackson. He has had spells with Bath, Wasps,

:40:04. > :40:04.London Welsh and Doncaster. His first season with the Dragons and it

:40:05. > :40:17.looks like he will leave the field. He is certainly not overawed by the

:40:18. > :40:25.occasion in his first full appearance. The ad headquarters,

:40:26. > :40:30.Stockdale's run setting up the charge by Reidy. Good hands and good

:40:31. > :40:35.communication, he knew where the man was and here he is showing his

:40:36. > :40:39.strength, ripping the ball away. Similar proportions to Stuart

:40:40. > :40:46.McCluskey intends of that ability to get his hands through the channel.

:40:47. > :40:51.And he is enjoying this. I was talking to Sam Arnold before the

:40:52. > :40:54.game. He tells me that he is a couple of days younger than Jacob

:40:55. > :41:01.Stockdale, they played at a couple of Junior World Cups. This is what

:41:02. > :41:04.Ulster need to produce, we talked about this last week, having the

:41:05. > :41:09.academy system that gets the good young schoolboys and keeps hold of

:41:10. > :41:14.them for two or three years and get them beefed up in terms of physical

:41:15. > :41:19.stature but in their appreciation of the game and then having games like

:41:20. > :41:29.this to get them in. James Benjamin has come on to replace Ed Jackson.

:41:30. > :41:33.It looks like it might be a dead leg or a hamstring. Plenty of ice on the

:41:34. > :41:39.back of that so it looks like the hamstring has been tweaked. Six and

:41:40. > :41:44.a half minutes to the interval and Ulster trailing by three points.

:41:45. > :41:45.Getting pressure on the Dragons line-out, winning it at the second

:41:46. > :42:10.attempt. Roger Wilson penalised. I think Roger put his ears and the

:42:11. > :42:20.head down, he did not even looked at him, the new he was in the wrong.

:42:21. > :42:25.Good kick by my. A good platform, a little bit on the anxious side, he

:42:26. > :42:30.has watched his side perform not well in the opening 40 minutes only

:42:31. > :42:35.to come back and they will have to do that again tonight. Sometimes, it

:42:36. > :42:41.takes that thing at half-time to make a tactical switch and work on

:42:42. > :42:48.their spacing in the second half. Landman could not control the ball.

:42:49. > :42:52.This is Adam Warren and the tackle by Humphreys, he got clattered in

:42:53. > :43:00.the back off the ball. Fair enough says the referee. Ben White picks it

:43:01. > :43:02.up. Dragons looking for something else before the interval. Phil Price

:43:03. > :43:14.makes a bit of ground. Dragons pressing into the final five

:43:15. > :43:36.minutes of the opening 40. Davies pops it up to Benjamin, the

:43:37. > :43:41.replacement. Good support by Matthew Screech, here come the Dragons

:43:42. > :43:53.again. O'Brien had no way through. Davies again. The brass band

:43:54. > :43:59.striking their beat. A nice pass. How did he manage to get that away?

:44:00. > :44:04.Weigh on says the referee, nothing wrong with that. A little knock

:44:05. > :44:11.forward and Ulster will be relieved. Great stuff by the Dragons. It is

:44:12. > :44:16.Hughes in midfield with Landman, you see the ball coming up, looking at

:44:17. > :44:22.the step here, he goes inside, he does well, going through the gate

:44:23. > :44:26.and just an unfortunate knock-on by Angus O'Brien but the Dragons have

:44:27. > :44:33.been full of invention and good to watch. Nigel Owens has let the game

:44:34. > :44:34.go, a fantastic flow and tempo to it and enjoyable for the large crowd

:44:35. > :45:14.here. Ulster still inside their 22, Diack

:45:15. > :45:25.make some ground. Good Dragons defending. Enterprising stuff for

:45:26. > :45:29.Ulster and they get the penalty. Pienaar anxious to get on with it

:45:30. > :45:42.with only two and a half minutes remaining.

:45:43. > :45:56.That is a pretty decent touch. Nigel Evans expending his decision again.

:45:57. > :46:21.-- Nigel Owens. What a great take by Diack. A little

:46:22. > :46:34.bit telegraphed. Diack well away to Humphreys. Picked up by Ludick.

:46:35. > :46:48.That is all over the place. Ulster managing to retrieve it.

:46:49. > :46:53.Now there is a chance. Three men outside Ludick. Still therefore

:46:54. > :47:20.Ulster. O'Connor leaves it. Dear oh dear. Stockdale goes all the

:47:21. > :47:27.way back. I do not think he will be given any problems but away by the

:47:28. > :47:31.teenager. There is a lack of precision, too many passes going

:47:32. > :47:34.down instead of something simple and straightforward. Ulster are asking

:47:35. > :47:40.questions in terms of probing for inside shoulders but if the pass

:47:41. > :47:50.accuracy is not there, you will struggle to break down a defensive

:47:51. > :48:01.line. The referee has called last play of this half.

:48:02. > :48:17.Asking one of the Dragons players if he is in or out of the line-out.

:48:18. > :48:21.Well taken by the Dragons skipper. Elliot Dee 's is tucked in at the

:48:22. > :48:28.back. Trying to squeeze a penalty out of the referee. Here they come

:48:29. > :48:36.again. Adam Warren puts the head down. That is nicely done by Charlie

:48:37. > :48:37.Davies, saw a gap and just about got through it, still therefore the

:48:38. > :48:50.Dragons. Out to Brok Harris, as long as they

:48:51. > :48:57.have the ball they will stay patient. There is time to do

:48:58. > :49:06.something with it. Angus O'Brien, right footed, not going to make it.

:49:07. > :49:12.Gathered in by Jacob Stockdale. And it is the new boy who ends the first

:49:13. > :49:17.half. Not an altogether satisfactory first half for Ulster, 10-0 down and

:49:18. > :49:27.in a bit of trouble but it Sean Reidy got his first try and his

:49:28. > :49:32.third in successive games. A lot to do, would you anticipate changes?

:49:33. > :49:37.Certainly all of the flair and invention has come from the Dragons

:49:38. > :49:43.in the first half. Ulster have all the work to do in the second half.

:49:44. > :49:48.Off they go, they will get a nice 15 minute rest and a cup of something

:49:49. > :49:54.warm and Ulster will have to buck themselves up again, there will be

:49:55. > :49:57.some hard talking done in the Ulster dressing room at half-time, as there

:49:58. > :50:03.has been in recent weeks. In recent weeks it has paid off and they have

:50:04. > :50:05.produced good second-half performances. They will need to

:50:06. > :50:07.produce a good second-half performance to win this game and go

:50:08. > :50:23.top of the Pro12 table. STUDIO: Both teams providing plenty

:50:24. > :50:28.of Friday night entertainment, we will have your thoughts on the first

:50:29. > :50:35.40 minutes. Very good, the Dragons have come here and thrown the ball

:50:36. > :50:39.around. The standard of rugby has been very high but I think Nigel

:50:40. > :50:46.Owens has let the game flow which is good to see. Compare to what we saw

:50:47. > :50:53.last week. This game it will be tough for Ulster to win, 10-7 at

:50:54. > :50:59.half-time, but a good standard of rugby so far. It has been very good,

:51:00. > :51:02.if I was one of the forwards me Ulster team, I would be frustrated,

:51:03. > :51:08.the Baxter worked hard going through several phases and then some airy

:51:09. > :51:14.passes and they don't need to do that, they need to be more clinical

:51:15. > :51:18.at times. We need to be a bit more clinical and the final passes are

:51:19. > :51:22.not going to hand and we cannot be too fancy about things. Get the job

:51:23. > :51:26.done and keep going forward and winning the ball and earning respect

:51:27. > :51:33.from each other. We talked about it last week, I said about keeping it

:51:34. > :51:36.tight and working the forwards and the tries will come. The ball has

:51:37. > :51:42.been thrown side to side, I know it is brilliant to watch but sometimes

:51:43. > :51:49.it is about taking it up the gut and tire the other team out. A bit more

:51:50. > :51:52.mauling and the tries will come. Everybody knows Ulster should be

:51:53. > :51:59.beating the Dragons but they need to wear them down first. As we saw with

:52:00. > :52:02.the Dragons score, they have an opportunity, Ulster will be

:52:03. > :52:10.disappointed with the defending but it was an absolutely fabulous score.

:52:11. > :52:16.It could be try of the season, fantastic play. Ulster in possession

:52:17. > :52:25.of the ball, your own worst enemy here. 50-50 coming back, trying to

:52:26. > :52:35.go the short line. They should be holding that ball. This was Super

:52:36. > :52:42.Rugby. You should not be getting past that many. Even you would not

:52:43. > :52:47.have got past that many. Ulster at sixes and sevens. Dragons have come

:52:48. > :52:54.here to play rugby, working hard of the ball and they are going well and

:52:55. > :52:57.this is fantastic execution and the best part I liked about the whole

:52:58. > :53:02.thing was Nigel Owens awarding the tribe, not going upstairs, the knows

:53:03. > :53:10.what he needed to see. Good pace to finish off as well. The guy gets in

:53:11. > :53:19.in the corner. A great team try but it was the turnover that cost us.

:53:20. > :53:23.And the slipped tackles. We are now behind on the scoreboard. Great

:53:24. > :53:28.response by Ulster and a fabulous score by a player turning in good

:53:29. > :53:34.performances recently. Sean Reidy has been outstanding, they have been

:53:35. > :53:38.having some good seasons, the workrate has been coming here, going

:53:39. > :53:43.through it, through the phases, this is what we talked about. Keeping the

:53:44. > :53:48.ball and being more accurate. He has done exceptionally well, good to see

:53:49. > :53:52.strength in the tackle, accelerating through it, the good handoff to

:53:53. > :53:58.finish off and a good reward from very good play. He finishes well and

:53:59. > :54:03.is so strong on his feet. You saw the left arm fending off the

:54:04. > :54:09.defender. But again, Ulster are a little bit predictable. One, too, at

:54:10. > :54:16.the back door, then wide into the wider channels and then coming back

:54:17. > :54:19.again. If I was the Dragons, I would be coming up and seeing where the

:54:20. > :54:24.ball is going, it is very predictable and they will be talking

:54:25. > :54:32.about that at half-time. What about the disallowed try for Humphreys?

:54:33. > :54:36.Yes. The referee knew exactly what he was doing. He gave the advantage,

:54:37. > :54:42.he did not move off his mark the whole time, good to see in stretches

:54:43. > :54:45.legs but to no avail. Great celebrations but the referee had

:54:46. > :54:51.called it. He timed it well which is what he does well. It would have

:54:52. > :55:00.been funny if the number eight had caught him, I would have sent him a

:55:01. > :55:07.few texts in the week. The look on his face says it all. Let us turn

:55:08. > :55:12.our attention to the Six Nations championship which kicks off this

:55:13. > :55:17.weekend. Let us look at the opening round of fixtures. First up, France

:55:18. > :55:21.and Italy followed by Scotland and England and on Sunday, Ireland

:55:22. > :55:26.against Wales with live commentary on BBC radio Ulster and online. The

:55:27. > :55:33.island Head Coach named his squad earlier today. It is a complete

:55:34. > :55:37.overhaul from the team who lost to Argentina in the World Cup, just

:55:38. > :55:44.three survivors in the starting 15, hard to believe. What stands out for

:55:45. > :55:49.you in that team selection? For me it is still a strong team. He always

:55:50. > :55:54.puts out a strong team, people are asking if he should but on a few

:55:55. > :55:59.camps and it might be an experimental year, it does not work

:56:00. > :56:03.like that in international rugby, it is about getting results. Ireland

:56:04. > :56:08.will want to beat Wales. They have picked a team good enough to do it,

:56:09. > :56:14.for me, but if they are off by five or 10%, it could be a long day at

:56:15. > :56:18.the office. There are six regulars, Healy, Ross, O'Brien, all missing

:56:19. > :56:25.which has presented an opportunity for stander to make his debut. You

:56:26. > :56:30.made your debut in the Six Nations championship as well in the same

:56:31. > :56:36.position, it is a big task. Yes but he has been playing every week at a

:56:37. > :56:43.high-level, as opposed to me, I came from division three All-Ireland

:56:44. > :56:47.rugby, it was a bit of a jump but it is an opportunity, a good solid

:56:48. > :56:50.player and he will be excited. Probably a good shout he goes in at

:56:51. > :56:55.the deep end and see where he goes but a lot of players are missing.

:56:56. > :56:59.But it is a strong enough side, as good as we could put out given the

:57:00. > :57:04.circumstances of provincial teams playing the way they are at the

:57:05. > :57:09.moment. More 6-nation stuff in a moment but let us go pitch side.

:57:10. > :57:16.Open and entertaining for the fans, maybe too much for a defensive

:57:17. > :57:20.coach? We are lacking a little bit of intensity of the line defensively

:57:21. > :57:24.and letting them play a little bit with the ball. We are comfortable to

:57:25. > :57:29.soak them up rather than inducing change which is part of what we do.

:57:30. > :57:34.On both sides of the ball, I think in the second half we need to lift

:57:35. > :57:38.our intensity. Any changes coming? There are a few changes coming, a

:57:39. > :57:43.few boys have done some meters out there and we need some fresh legs,

:57:44. > :57:47.it is quite heavy, the message is to induce change. We cannot let them

:57:48. > :57:53.survive in this game and that is what we are doing at the moment. We

:57:54. > :57:58.will look ahead to the second half in a moment but back to the Six

:57:59. > :58:02.Nations championship, looking at Island's opposition, Wales on

:58:03. > :58:11.Sunday. That is a pretty impressive starting 15. Where they were in the

:58:12. > :58:15.World Cup, they were still able to perform really well. And they get a

:58:16. > :58:20.few boys back again, their squad gets stronger and stronger. They do

:58:21. > :58:25.not have a bad record at the Aviva Stadium. They will fancy their

:58:26. > :58:29.chances this weekend. Very much so, what makes them a strong side, you

:58:30. > :58:34.can govern the way Welsh rugby will go at the moment given their

:58:35. > :58:37.provincial club sides, Scarlets, Ospreys and Cardiff are all playing

:58:38. > :58:43.exceptionally well and doing well in Europe and the domestic competition.

:58:44. > :58:48.No better men, Jones is on fire, Alun Wyn Jones, inspirational in

:58:49. > :58:52.everything he does. Addicting big things for the Lions but he is the

:58:53. > :58:58.main man for me, when he is on fire, the whole team is singing. That will

:58:59. > :59:02.be a challenge for the new Ireland captain, Rory Best, we have a

:59:03. > :59:07.special online feature with him and we'll hear about Willie Anderson and

:59:08. > :59:12.Willie John McBride and also, online, Ulster Rugby extra, check it

:59:13. > :59:17.out on the BBC sport website. Ian Humphreys joined us in the studio

:59:18. > :59:20.earlier this week. It has been a big night for a teenager, Jacob

:59:21. > :59:26.Stockdale, what have you made of his performance? Very solid, he has done

:59:27. > :59:30.the basics well and I look forward to watching him in the second half.

:59:31. > :59:35.There are touches of class, it looks like he has some pace. I am looking

:59:36. > :59:40.forward to what he can offer in the second half. He has done well, a

:59:41. > :59:45.big, strong guy, the first on I have seen him play first hand. He has

:59:46. > :59:51.done everything right and he is competing and getting into the rough

:59:52. > :59:55.stuff and it is fantastic to see a 19-year-old getting in there and

:59:56. > :00:03.mixing it up. He has a bit of something about him, that is for

:00:04. > :00:08.sure. Job paragraph suggesting there would be changes, would you like to

:00:09. > :00:12.see a change in the tactics? I would, there will be tired legs, it

:00:13. > :00:16.was a heavy pitch last week. Some of the front row were struggling at the

:00:17. > :00:20.end of the game and it is pretty heavy here tonight and there will be

:00:21. > :00:24.changes made. They need to be more direct, before the game, they

:00:25. > :00:28.properly wanted to throw it around but for me it is about getting

:00:29. > :00:33.points on the board, sitting fit in the table, I do not care if it is

:00:34. > :00:37.four points, we need to get further up the table. Where are those

:00:38. > :00:46.Dragons team, wear them down, that is all we need to do. Everyone would

:00:47. > :00:50.have loved to see Stuart McCluskey get a game for Ireland, no doubt

:00:51. > :00:56.that will come, he is on the bench, we might see him introduced?

:00:57. > :01:00.Hopefully. It is important he keeps playing so that he does not get too

:01:01. > :01:06.rusty watching rugby, guys might that need to keep playing and he has

:01:07. > :01:10.had a good season, he has been developing in the past year and he

:01:11. > :01:14.has got better and better. I have no doubt he will get his Irish call at

:01:15. > :01:17.some point and hopefully on to bigger things but it would be

:01:18. > :01:23.fantastic to see him tonight. The game could using, a bit directness

:01:24. > :01:30.and a punch forward, getting over the gain line and away we go.

:01:31. > :01:38.Are you confident Ulster can win? Yes, I'm expecting a big half and

:01:39. > :01:42.Stuart McCloskey will be on pretty quickly and hopefully a couple of

:01:43. > :01:47.tries and maybe that bonus point. I know I said four points, but I'd

:01:48. > :01:51.like to see them go for it. I didn't think it would come last week after

:01:52. > :01:55.a fairly drab first half. It's been entertaining this evening. The teams

:01:56. > :02:00.are on their way back out. That's the full stomach or can close this

:02:01. > :02:05.game out in the second half in front of a packed Kingspan Stadium. Can

:02:06. > :02:11.Les Kiss's men get the win tonight? Let's go back to the commentators.

:02:12. > :02:17.They have been standing and sitting for the Ulstermen this evening, I

:02:18. > :02:22.can see Stuart McCloskey down there, I can see Paddy Jackson down there,

:02:23. > :02:26.so Ulster have brought on two of the big hitters in the back division.

:02:27. > :02:30.Paddy Jackson wearing 22 to get the second half under way, Stuart

:02:31. > :02:34.McCloskey wearing 23, released, as with Paddy Jackson, by the Irish

:02:35. > :02:39.management. Rory Scholes was struggling to make this game at all.

:02:40. > :02:44.A bit of a change between Paddy Jackson and the referee, Nigel

:02:45. > :02:47.Owens, and Stuart McCloskey, people have tipped him to make his Six

:02:48. > :02:51.Nations debut this weekend but I'm pretty sure it's not too far away.

:02:52. > :02:58.Paddy Jackson, that's a good kick to start with. Well taken by Reynard

:02:59. > :03:09.Landman, this Nanetti Dragons skipper, the big strong South

:03:10. > :03:19.African -- Rynard Landman. Told to release. Roger Wilson takes it well.

:03:20. > :03:23.Gets Ashton Hewitt at the same time. Ulster's number eight, has he made

:03:24. > :03:33.it available? He has. Alan O'Connor, Ulster back inside that own half.

:03:34. > :03:36.Given that a fair old son. Well taken by Calumet Moss -- Hallam

:03:37. > :03:49.Amos. McCloskey straight into action, in

:03:50. > :03:51.defensive mode. Back in the Dragons side, I'll scruffily. Angus O'Brien

:03:52. > :04:10.is in there. The ball scoots back and is picked

:04:11. > :04:16.up by O'Brien. That's going to be collected by Stuart Olding. He has

:04:17. > :04:22.Stockdale outside him, and he goes straight. A good sidestepped by

:04:23. > :04:26.Olding, to Darren Cave. A good run by Cave, couldn't quite get the pass

:04:27. > :04:31.away. Still therefore Ulster. It has gone loose. It's going to be a 22

:04:32. > :04:36.drop out, because Ulster kicked it over the line. That was a bit more

:04:37. > :04:41.like it. Olding has slipped back with McCloskey occupying his initial

:04:42. > :04:47.position at 12. Look at this for a set of feet, a swivel of a Hibs,

:04:48. > :04:51.once or twice off the left foot inside to Darren Cave. Providing the

:04:52. > :04:54.highlights in terms of line breaks from Ulster in the centre, it looks

:04:55. > :04:58.as though it will continue with the full-back in the second half. Ian

:04:59. > :05:04.Humphreys and Louis Ludik have departed the scene.

:05:05. > :05:10.They have scored a couple of tries if I'm not mistaken not that long

:05:11. > :05:14.ago against the Dragons playing 15, so he's back in that familiar

:05:15. > :05:18.position. Happy at ten as well. The referee playing advantage for the

:05:19. > :05:23.Ulster knock-on. The Dragons have moved up so advantageous is over.

:05:24. > :05:27.The Dragons have managed to escape there. Reidy has to do a bit of

:05:28. > :05:32.tackling. The Dragons have kept this alive nicely. Here goes Charlie

:05:33. > :05:36.Davies. The Dragons hoping to do to Ulster what they did at the start of

:05:37. > :05:43.the first half, that's scorer try. He juggles. They were half trapped

:05:44. > :05:52.by Paddy Jackson. Got himself out of trouble. Ulster have a man down

:05:53. > :06:01.their injured. It looks like it might be Roger Wilson. Taken on by

:06:02. > :06:07.Alan O'Connor. A bit of anxiety I think amongst the Ulster medical

:06:08. > :06:13.staff. Back to Olding, inside the 22. Not his greatest clearing kick

:06:14. > :06:19.in the world but safe enough. Is it Robbie Diack who is down injured?

:06:20. > :06:22.Yes, I think it's Diack. It's a positive start from Paddy Jackson as

:06:23. > :06:26.well. It will be interesting to see how both him and Stuart McCloskey

:06:27. > :06:30.bounceback after the undoubted disappointment of being left out of

:06:31. > :06:34.Joe Schmidt's squad. I am sure that Joe Schmidt has one eye on this much

:06:35. > :06:38.looking to see how they respond. What has gone in the Irish squad is

:06:39. > :06:42.high quality, good performances week in, week out, and they have 40

:06:43. > :06:46.minutes to reinforce what has got them there in the first place.

:06:47. > :06:50.Robbie Diack put in a good tackle, rolled over on the back of his neck

:06:51. > :06:55.and the Dragons pair rolled on top of him. The members of the Ulster

:06:56. > :06:59.medical staff just lying prone, holding Robbie Diack's had as the

:07:00. > :07:10.senior medical officer, Doctor Michael Webb. They are looking on

:07:11. > :07:17.anxiously. I think you might have banged the back of his head. I kind

:07:18. > :07:22.of... It's not the sort of thing you take risks with anymore. It's good

:07:23. > :07:29.to see his arms move, initially didn't. He passes on his thoughts to

:07:30. > :07:34.Diack, Williams missing in Treviso last week and he will add some grunt

:07:35. > :07:39.and punishment to the Ulster pack in the second half. Such a formidable,

:07:40. > :07:43.scary big fellow, he's actually quite a gentle soul. That's the best

:07:44. > :07:48.news of the evening, never mind the scoreline. Robbie Diack is setting

:07:49. > :07:51.up. He came down awkwardly on the back of his head and somebody came

:07:52. > :07:56.down on top of him. He will have to go off, he may need to be assessed.

:07:57. > :08:00.He is talking and his eyes look reasonably clear, from what we can

:08:01. > :08:01.see from this angle. Nick Williams is on, Roger Wilson will go to

:08:02. > :08:15.number six. Nigel Owens and the Ulster skipper

:08:16. > :08:22.Rob Herring discussing the finer points of law. There's been a bit of

:08:23. > :08:26.ambiguity in terms of how the Dragons have stacked the numbers

:08:27. > :08:29.with the line-out. They put forward into the scrum-half position, I

:08:30. > :08:34.think Rob Herring is asking for clarification, is he in the line-out

:08:35. > :08:38.or a number down and standing in the scrum-half position? So Robbie Diack

:08:39. > :08:43.leaves the field. Nick Williams goes on. In the meantime the Dragons have

:08:44. > :08:48.the line-out, they pop it down to Ben White who will try to drive for

:08:49. > :08:53.the Ulster line, with 22 metres to go. Williams is adding his

:08:54. > :09:02.considerable bulk. A penalty against Ulster, that's been played, O'Brien

:09:03. > :09:06.with the cross kick. Olding knocked it forward, they will come back with

:09:07. > :09:14.a penalty to the Dragons. REFEREE: Don't break it and come

:09:15. > :09:19.through. It was coming around the side of the maul and the line-out

:09:20. > :09:22.there are Dragons were quite smart, rather than give them a chance to

:09:23. > :09:27.get back onside they drove them straight back into it and made them

:09:28. > :09:32.look even more obvious than what it was. Well, a mistake by Peter

:09:33. > :09:40.Browne, that looks fine there, then he broke... While we are watching

:09:41. > :09:48.the replay, amazingly, the Dragons have actually kicked the ball dead.

:09:49. > :09:52.It's criminal, really. Classic great opportunity for a line-out close to

:09:53. > :09:56.the Ulster line, that's a real kick in the teeth for the forwards. That

:09:57. > :10:00.was really bad, it didn't matter how close to the line it was, it should

:10:01. > :10:03.have gone straight into touch and Ulster have been offered the option

:10:04. > :10:08.of the scrimmage, from the point where the kick was taken the 22 drop

:10:09. > :10:11.out, and they've gone for the 22 drop out and Paddy Jackson will give

:10:12. > :10:19.this a wallop, I'm sure, and he done. Davies takes. Into Roger

:10:20. > :10:24.Wilson. The Dragons straightaway on the front foot. This is a very

:10:25. > :10:34.mobile loosehead prop, Phil Price. Angus O'Brien, a nice little shimmy.

:10:35. > :10:37.He's got away. He will not be happy with that defence by Ulster. The

:10:38. > :10:44.Dragons on the front foot. Here comes Nic Cudd. Can he get outside?

:10:45. > :10:48.The answer is no, but he has set it up. The Dragons and a great

:10:49. > :10:52.position. The loosehead prop Price takes it forward. Just a few feet

:10:53. > :10:59.from the Ulster line, there's that drive again. Well taken on, good

:11:00. > :11:06.Ulster defending by Sean Reidy. Well, the Dragons throwing

:11:07. > :11:12.everything. Remember, they had Leinster in awful conditions last

:11:13. > :11:16.week at home. The captain, and I is little look round to the hooker,

:11:17. > :11:22.once again Elliot Dee. Good defending by Roger Wilson, still

:11:23. > :11:28.there for the Dragons. Meyer's is right through, what a good try.

:11:29. > :11:31.Ulster in all sorts of trouble here at Ravenhill. That is absolutely

:11:32. > :11:36.beautiful once again. He scored a cracker in the first half and that

:11:37. > :11:39.is every bit as good. Carl Meyer has been outstanding this evening.

:11:40. > :11:48.Trying to get off the line with speed defensively, just see it going

:11:49. > :11:53.through the phases. The Dragons player coming in front of Meyer from

:11:54. > :11:57.land and's pass but Nigel Owens was in a good position and was happy to

:11:58. > :12:09.give the score and Ulster have to get back and get on with it --

:12:10. > :12:16.Landman's pass. Chance of TMO, TMO, but I don't think, we will look at

:12:17. > :12:20.this. Davies dug it out well, Landman flipped it away. There was

:12:21. > :12:24.nothing wrong with that. It might have been an Ulster player, it was

:12:25. > :12:32.Ruan Pienaar. Angus O'Brien, he hasn't made it. But the Dragons

:12:33. > :12:37.ahead, by eight points, and we have played seven and a half minutes of

:12:38. > :12:43.this second half. Ulster have it all to do. The second half has been all

:12:44. > :12:46.Dragons. Ulster struggling for first-half possession, whenever they

:12:47. > :12:49.do get it they are spilling ball, giving it away too easily and the

:12:50. > :12:52.Dragons looked comfortable with ball in hand. There is the try scorer. He

:12:53. > :13:04.has put in touch. You have to say this has been as

:13:05. > :13:13.good and away performance at the Kingspan and in particular Hallam

:13:14. > :13:16.Amos, the back five, in the back division, have been superb. Speed of

:13:17. > :13:21.thought, good movement, they look very decisive with ball in hand. The

:13:22. > :13:26.front row have been excellent with ball in hand and they make such a

:13:27. > :13:37.difference. Good tempo all through the game, made Ulster look very

:13:38. > :13:40.ordinary. O'Connor has it with the second bite, so to speak. Callum

:13:41. > :13:48.Black with Nick Williams outside him. Dragons on the ground. Jackson

:13:49. > :13:53.has given that a nice little clip. Angus O'Brien covers back. Lovely

:13:54. > :13:59.feet by O'Brien. Gets away once again from a couple of would-be

:14:00. > :14:03.defenders or attackers, attackers. No real outside-half, Matthew

:14:04. > :14:08.Screech. This fellow can shift a little bit. A good tackle by

:14:09. > :14:12.Stockdale. Matthew Screech takes it on again, a big mobile second row

:14:13. > :14:17.forward. Accidental offside, according to Nigel Owens. Baggins

:14:18. > :14:22.player with the ball running into one of his own men and gaining

:14:23. > :14:27.advantage on it -- Dragons player. It's the vagaries of this game, it's

:14:28. > :14:31.a rule, you look at it and think a bit of common sense by the letter of

:14:32. > :14:33.the law yes it was obstruction but probably not. You see the ball

:14:34. > :14:43.coming across, once again the Dragons looking comfortable. He

:14:44. > :14:48.looks French defensively. You can see Landman being backed into, it

:14:49. > :14:52.didn't give a massive advantage to the Dragons. Cala McCall has come

:14:53. > :15:03.on, having missed the last couple of weeks. Off goes Callum Black. Unless

:15:04. > :15:09.he gets injured. On comes McCall, for his 14th Ulster cap. He has been

:15:10. > :15:15.one of the finds of the season, he was bubbling under for a while but

:15:16. > :15:17.what a season he has had. Like Jacob Stockdale, a product of the Wallace

:15:18. > :15:39.high school in Lisbon. Pienaar. Pienaar again. Why did

:15:40. > :15:41.Craig Gilroy, foot on the gas. Ulster have thrown it away -- wide,

:15:42. > :15:56.to Craig Gilroy. REFEREE: Scrum down, wide ball. They

:15:57. > :15:59.might have felt Ulster should have been penalised there. But Nigel

:16:00. > :16:05.Owens has explained that very concisely, as you'd expect. The

:16:06. > :16:08.Dragons are happy just to sit and drift and use the touchline, show

:16:09. > :16:14.them the outside, pushed them across, they find themselves in an

:16:15. > :16:19.that an -- unenviable position of being unable to beat his man. He has

:16:20. > :16:20.to fire back inside to nobody and the Dragons a bit unfortunate once

:16:21. > :16:42.again. Pienaar, with another sad looking

:16:43. > :16:50.Ulster scrimmage. Wilson at number eight. Pienaar to the openside.

:16:51. > :16:56.Ulster need to add beef to this. Landman looked suspiciously offside.

:16:57. > :17:04.Jackson, good pass. Stockdale read it nicely. It's a penalty. Ben White

:17:05. > :17:17.the culprit. It was pretty obvious. Good footwork

:17:18. > :17:21.by Jacob Stockdale yet again. It's been a highlight from both teams

:17:22. > :17:26.this evening in terms of giving a good ball in hand conditions,

:17:27. > :17:35.stepping off slow the ball alive and on this occasion Ben White does it,

:17:36. > :17:38.nothing he could do about it and he knew he was in the wrong. Paddy

:17:39. > :17:43.Jackson has put Ulster within six or seven metres of the Dragons line.

:17:44. > :17:50.Can McCall pass it on the line-out call?

:17:51. > :17:59.Roger Wilson obliges. Herring comes round. Ulster have it dropped into

:18:00. > :18:05.the back. It looks like Sean Reidy. Going for a second try. This is good

:18:06. > :18:10.stuff by Ulster. It's a penalty try. Reidy doesn't get a second one of

:18:11. > :18:16.the night, but Ulster will get their second try, great forward control.

:18:17. > :18:21.Is this going to be a tight turn? Potentially a tide turn, yes. He has

:18:22. > :18:26.really fine tuned it. The ball goes to the back on this occasion, Roger

:18:27. > :18:30.Wilson brings it down and it is Reidy in control, McCloskey joining

:18:31. > :18:35.him from the back. Ulster sheared it off and as soon as the Dragons went

:18:36. > :18:39.down Nigel Owens is on to the Post straightaway. Paddy Jackson has the

:18:40. > :18:44.conversion and now we are down to a 1-point game. It was the Dragons'

:18:45. > :18:49.second row Matthew Screech who was judged to have pulled down the maul

:18:50. > :18:55.illegally. Nigel Owens had no hesitation to go underneath the

:18:56. > :18:59.Dragons' post. A good piece of play by Ulster. Look at the work in front

:19:00. > :19:04.of the maul, everybody in position driving legs, making it simple for

:19:05. > :19:10.Reidy just to stay connected, make sure he doesn't leave the maul and

:19:11. > :19:20.keeping control. Ross coming on for Reidy. There is Clive Ross. He

:19:21. > :19:26.started a week ago, with Sean Reidy in the back row. Happy to play

:19:27. > :19:34.number seven as well. Has he found his touch underneath? James

:19:35. > :19:35.Benjamin, here goes Meyer. Gets into the Ulster half. Dragons still

:19:36. > :19:45.playing with a lot of zip. That's knocked on by Ulster. The

:19:46. > :19:51.referee playing advantage to the Dragons. They are told to get their

:19:52. > :19:55.hands out of it, they don't want to concede anything more. They need to

:19:56. > :19:59.consolidate. One more score will put them in the lead. It would give them

:20:00. > :20:04.the points. They need to tackle a bit better than that though. Knocked

:20:05. > :20:12.forward by the Dragons. Ulster will get the scrum. Tackling isn't the

:20:13. > :20:16.highest quality. They are finding themselves numbers down and once

:20:17. > :20:19.your number is down you can't fire. You have to offer that soft drift on

:20:20. > :20:23.the outside and to try and control the space by using the touchline and

:20:24. > :20:29.using what numbers you have. If you shut up too quickly you are stuffed.

:20:30. > :20:33.But there are occasions in Ulster's midfield, a beautiful step in

:20:34. > :20:40.midfield and the off-load, which was knocked on. The Dragons are finding

:20:41. > :20:43.a chink or two of light in the Ulster defence this evening. That's

:20:44. > :20:49.a dislocated finger and the only thing to do is grit your teeth and

:20:50. > :20:53.have it pulled back. Rob Herring is more embarrassed than anything else.

:20:54. > :20:58.He took his punishment like a brave little soldier, didn't it?

:20:59. > :21:03.Absolutely, once he saw himself on the big screen, he had to be brave!

:21:04. > :21:08.There are going to sort that out, lash it together. He's had a

:21:09. > :21:13.terrific season, Rob Herring. Initially on the Irish Six Nations

:21:14. > :21:16.panel but for people like Sean Cronin and Ricard Strauss ahead of

:21:17. > :21:22.him it was always going to be tough, but his day will come. He's only 25

:21:23. > :21:25.years of age. It's consistency of performance, week in, week out,

:21:26. > :21:31.that's what the National Trust -- selectors were looking for. --

:21:32. > :21:37.national selectors were looking for. He is adding to his reputation and

:21:38. > :21:40.it will stand him in great stead. A decent amount of applause for

:21:41. > :21:44.Ulster's skipper to come back into this scrum. It is being played at a

:21:45. > :21:48.fair old pace and the crowd are enjoying it but not enjoying the

:21:49. > :21:51.fact Ulster are trailing and we are fast approaching the end of the

:21:52. > :21:55.third quarter of this game. All the Dragons need to do with sneak

:21:56. > :22:00.another point here or there will stop the Jones boys. A great

:22:01. > :22:03.position for Ulster, the ten metre line, centrefield scrum, Craig

:22:04. > :22:06.Gilroy straight behind the scrum getting himself an option to go

:22:07. > :22:09.either left or right. Perhaps the over like -- overlap would suggest

:22:10. > :22:23.right. The Dragons taking that down. That's

:22:24. > :22:30.the best that piece of evening. It's brought the penalty. They are going

:22:31. > :22:34.for Paddy Jackson to pop it into the Dragons' territory. Terrific

:22:35. > :22:39.fretwork by the Ulster front row. Ricky Lutton gave away the first

:22:40. > :22:44.penalty, he did particularly well against Phil Price. It's a statement

:22:45. > :22:48.of intent, Ulster starting hopefully from their point of view to turn up

:22:49. > :22:52.the fire of it. Great scrum, great control by Nick Williams at the

:22:53. > :23:03.back. He is happy to keep it in there as a unit, and there is joy.

:23:04. > :23:12.He will be playing his club ruff -- club rugby in Cardiff next year.

:23:13. > :23:18.Good support at the back by Clive Ross. Landman looking suspiciously

:23:19. > :23:26.offside. Ulster still moving forward. Stockdale on the narrow

:23:27. > :23:29.side. A little chip for Gilroy to chase. This could work out nicely!

:23:30. > :23:36.Gilroy couldn't quite gather. Knocked forward. It's going to be a

:23:37. > :23:40.22 to the Dragons, that was so close. Nicely constructed, great

:23:41. > :23:44.work by O'Brien. Watch his positioning. We see Pienaar spin to

:23:45. > :23:48.Jackson, who puts the ball in the corner. Look out for O'Brien here.

:23:49. > :23:53.Just puts himself between himself and the and Craig Villeroy to make

:23:54. > :23:58.it difficult for Gilroy and that saves the 5-point. It's a wonder

:23:59. > :24:00.anybody touched that because I thought it might have been knocked

:24:01. > :24:07.over the line by O'Brien. Stockdale leaves it for McCloskey. Gets across

:24:08. > :24:14.the halfway line. Ulster now on the front foot. A bit rusty there by the

:24:15. > :24:30.replacement prop, Darren Cave. The crowd appeal. The referee says

:24:31. > :24:33.play on. Browne has been hurt in that. I don't think that crowd like

:24:34. > :24:39.that, I don't think they like Ben White. Know, a bit of a swinging

:24:40. > :24:43.arm. He went down quickly, head contact. I wouldn't say he lost

:24:44. > :24:52.consciousness but he took quite a stir from the blue he received.

:24:53. > :24:55.REFEREE: He was out. Nigel Owens is saying that he will have to leave

:24:56. > :24:58.the field for ten minutes, but he wants to have a look at that.

:24:59. > :25:04.Initially he didn't think there was anything wrong with it, I'm not so

:25:05. > :25:11.sure. Ruan Pienaar takes the ball, left-arm spin pass,... I don't think

:25:12. > :25:16.there's an awful lot in it. The arm came round and swung him round. It

:25:17. > :25:20.took him high, he courted by the neck and threw him to the ground by

:25:21. > :25:25.the neck. I don't know. I don't know. I think Nigel is going to have

:25:26. > :25:30.to do something. It's going to be a card, you know. It's going to be

:25:31. > :25:33.card, unfortunately Ulster will lose Browne and they don't have

:25:34. > :25:39.replacement second row forward. REFEREE: The issue is she went in

:25:40. > :25:46.high, we don't go in like that. Count yourself lucky that isn't a

:25:47. > :25:49.yellow card. Off you go. So off he goes and full marks to Nigel Owens

:25:50. > :25:53.for having a look at that. He's initial reaction was nothing wrong,

:25:54. > :25:57.Browne is going to have to go for ten minutes. Ulster will have to

:25:58. > :26:02.bring on a replacement hooker, John Andrew, to play the back row. I

:26:03. > :26:08.think Nigel Owens says it's more reckless than intent. I'm still not

:26:09. > :26:12.sure. He catches him in with both his hands ending up on the back of

:26:13. > :26:17.the shirt and drags him down but for me there's no real contact with the

:26:18. > :26:21.head. Yes, it's high, yes mothers intend to play the man, the tackle

:26:22. > :26:26.should have been lower. But a yellow card as Nigel Owens has pointed out,

:26:27. > :26:29.the earlier one which Ben White gave away towards his own try line of the

:26:30. > :26:34.second one in close succession, perhaps it is the accumulation of

:26:35. > :26:37.both that has got in the yellow. Ulster have lost Robbie Diack, the

:26:38. > :26:41.main source of line-out ball, now they have lost Peter Browne, albeit

:26:42. > :26:46.for ten minutes. He will be assessed and may be back on. And Ulster will

:26:47. > :26:50.have to strike when the Dragons are down to 14 men. Yes, something else

:26:51. > :26:54.they are good at this reason, whenever the opposition have a man

:26:55. > :26:56.sanctioned to the bin, they have usually been able to turn the heat

:26:57. > :27:00.up and put points on the board. Line-out option may be the main

:27:01. > :27:07.worry here, Clive Ross coming to jump at the front. Well taken by

:27:08. > :27:22.O'Connor, Dragon is not contesting. So Ulster did all the catching, but

:27:23. > :27:26.the ball was transferred before the forward movement took place. That

:27:27. > :27:31.means it's going to be a Dragons scrum and the Dragons have brought

:27:32. > :27:35.on the formidable presence of the 35-year-old New Zealander Boris

:27:36. > :27:42.Stankovich, who had seven pretty successful seasons playing for the

:27:43. > :27:45.Leicester Tigers. The Dragons are still very much alive, still very

:27:46. > :27:48.much thinking about what their process is here. The first occasion

:27:49. > :27:54.they've used that tactic this evening. Ulster really caught, not

:27:55. > :27:58.going through the proper procedure and options, well played, the

:27:59. > :28:05.Dragons. Still inside the third quarter, but only just. A point

:28:06. > :28:10.between them. 10-7 to the Dragons at the interval, then it was 15-7,

:28:11. > :28:14.thanks to Carl Meyer's try, adding to the first half tries from Adam

:28:15. > :28:19.Hughes, and Ulster came back with a penalty try.

:28:20. > :28:31.The Dragons have brought in Ashton Hewitt to play on the flank of this

:28:32. > :28:39.scrum. It is that putting, mind you. Stankovich has stabilised it, well

:28:40. > :28:43.away to Meyer. That has found, not found touch. Here comes Stuart

:28:44. > :28:47.Olding, what is he going to do? That is higher again. That's awful!

:28:48. > :28:53.Stankovich on the field, he may be off the field. There is a cut. The

:28:54. > :28:58.referee playing advantage to Ulster. There's not a lot of room on this

:28:59. > :29:03.side. Stockdale comes in field, still advantage to Ulster. Taken on

:29:04. > :29:11.by Andrew. The penalty is going to be given now. This might be within

:29:12. > :29:18.kicking range. REFEREE: Time-out. Could this be a

:29:19. > :29:22.second yellow card? Stankovich the culprit, holding his hands as if to

:29:23. > :29:25.say, I'm sorry. Well, of course ears.

:29:26. > :29:29.REFEREE: I know it was an accident, you were slipping and you got him

:29:30. > :29:34.high. Careful, please, I'm not going to continue this. That was an

:29:35. > :29:42.accident. Just a penalty, just a penalty. Here comes Olding. A little

:29:43. > :29:47.sidestep. Well, he slid up the back of the head. He is beaten by his

:29:48. > :29:54.feet, a great step from Olding and Stankovich bent the legs and got low

:29:55. > :29:55.enough there, slip under his arm. Paddy Jackson has gone for the

:29:56. > :30:08.corner. If he had fingernails they would be

:30:09. > :30:15.pretty well chewed by now. Robbie Diack and Peter Browne not in the

:30:16. > :30:18.line-out, so it's really just Alan O'Connor, the Dragons will be

:30:19. > :30:26.marking him. Cleverly done at the front. John Andrew the replacement

:30:27. > :30:30.has tucked in the back, Ulster going for another drive. The Dragons down

:30:31. > :30:33.to seven forwards. The Dragons of sight yet again, Ulster trying to

:30:34. > :30:36.keep their shape and keep the ball in hand. There's Pienaar, Darren

:30:37. > :30:55.Cave has a go from close range. Quick ball to Pienaar, taken on by

:30:56. > :31:05.McCall. Here goes Williams. Thundering forward. Oh dear.

:31:06. > :31:09.Brilliant by Nick Todd, just doing enough over the top of Nick Williams

:31:10. > :31:15.to stay on his feet. Nigel Owens was in the right place at the right time

:31:16. > :31:21.again and right on the money. He is thoroughly the smallest forward on

:31:22. > :31:24.the field, Nick Cuthbert, he punches above his weight, the dragon is not

:31:25. > :31:29.in a great rush to get this away, just 20 minutes remaining and Ulster

:31:30. > :31:34.trailing by a point, what a difference that could make? It could

:31:35. > :31:38.mean staying fit in the table or moving up to first in a game that

:31:39. > :31:44.Ulster cannot afford to lose. Certainly not, the Dragons slowing

:31:45. > :31:51.everything down. Nigel Owens again asking them to speed things up. They

:31:52. > :31:55.both through the process, the space is there and the Dragons are tiring,

:31:56. > :32:02.you would expect Jackson and McCloskey to find an opening of some

:32:03. > :32:12.sort in the Dragons defence. Davies with the kick. Well taken by Craig

:32:13. > :32:25.Gilroy, needs to evade the defender and he has. Head down. Jackson.

:32:26. > :32:36.A strong hand off, away to Stockdale but it is forward, the referee

:32:37. > :32:39.waiting for an advantage. The Dragons asked if they want the

:32:40. > :32:45.advantage and they say absolutely not. Jacob Stockdale looking for the

:32:46. > :32:53.aliyah inside. McCloskey just throwing it away. I think Cave

:32:54. > :32:58.overran head slightly as well. The idea was right. The idea was perfect

:32:59. > :33:03.and Stockdale had no other option because the defender was taking him

:33:04. > :33:04.into touch so he looked for the past but not able to execute

:33:05. > :33:14.unfortunately. -- the I have stopped the clock until you

:33:15. > :33:26.tell me you are ready. We are not wasting time. I think he has

:33:27. > :33:28.cottoned on to the fact they are wasting time, trying to slow the

:33:29. > :33:46.game down. Ulster can get a huge squeeze in

:33:47. > :33:52.this scrum. Quickly away by the Dragons, O'Brien will kick, it came

:33:53. > :33:57.off Paddy Jackson. Meyer goes all the way back, he has done well, the

:33:58. > :34:03.Dragons full-back, challenged by John Andrew who is told to release

:34:04. > :34:07.it. And the two Ulster here, good work by Nick Williams, comes

:34:08. > :34:13.swarming through, by Ulster. A lot of men out if they can move it, well

:34:14. > :34:23.away by Jackson, surely Ulster must get in, Cave, Gilroy. Up and over.

:34:24. > :34:28.Two meters away. Pienaar with ball-in-hand, here goes McCloskey.

:34:29. > :34:37.Needs to get the body round and he has. Kyle McCall, great Dragons

:34:38. > :34:48.defence. Ian ard changes his mind and goes left, Darren Cave again.

:34:49. > :34:57.Three men outside Olding. Still therefore Ulster. Pienaar looking

:34:58. > :35:08.left then right. Ricky Lutton. Nick Williams. Three or four Dragons

:35:09. > :35:13.digging their claws into him. The Dragons defending mightily. The ball

:35:14. > :35:22.back on the Ulster side, Paddy Jackson. Craig Gilroy, coming from

:35:23. > :35:30.nowhere, Pienaar, surely this time, McCloskey has a go himself. Still

:35:31. > :35:36.there. Just one good big stretch might do it. Alan O'Connor. Good

:35:37. > :35:44.pick-up by Benjamin. Still Pienaar, Darren Cave, here goes Gilroy and

:35:45. > :35:48.again the Dragons putting up a magnificent rearguard action.

:35:49. > :35:54.Jackson, surely, Roger Wilson, he has gone over. He does not get too

:35:55. > :36:00.many, Roger Wilson but that is a significant one. 64 minutes played,

:36:01. > :36:09.Ulster go into the lead for the first time. They will be delighted

:36:10. > :36:13.with that, they were baying for the long cutout pass and it is not

:36:14. > :36:19.always the right option, happy to recycle and take their time. Go

:36:20. > :36:27.through the phases and the pass will open. They held the left wing for

:36:28. > :36:35.two minutes but he got his due reward. Lovely transfer by Paddy

:36:36. > :36:38.Jackson. Nigel Owens is not letting Paddy Jackson take the conversion

:36:39. > :36:41.because he wants to check something. I do not think that was a forward

:36:42. > :36:57.pass and Roger was not in touch. I have had a call from the TM over

:36:58. > :37:02.who wants to check something. DTM oh once do check something, and

:37:03. > :37:15.infringement or a forward pass before the try was scored. -- TMO.

:37:16. > :37:32.I am not sure this goes against Ulster. This is within the protocol.

:37:33. > :37:43.I am seeing nothing here. Still a bit confusing here. It has not got

:37:44. > :37:59.up on the screen. Someone is trying to look at what has happened. I am

:38:00. > :38:04.as much in the dark as you are. The TMR is looking at it now, I am not

:38:05. > :38:05.sure what he is looking at. We should be able to see it on the

:38:06. > :38:31.screen. This is McCloskey, going forward,

:38:32. > :38:43.that was spilled forward. That went forward, knocked on. That means the

:38:44. > :38:48.try is not going to stand. No try, knock-on. That knock-on by Stuart

:38:49. > :38:58.McCloskey means Ulster do not have their third try. The TMO were spot

:38:59. > :39:07.on. That is what he is therefore, well picked out. What he referred

:39:08. > :39:14.to, the two protocol, if it is you within two rocks, because it was

:39:15. > :39:18.inside, he is happy to go back and give the advantage back to the

:39:19. > :39:28.Dragons which means the scrum going to the Dragons. I think the Dragons

:39:29. > :39:32.have made another change in the front row, I think Brok Harris has

:39:33. > :39:43.gone off and Sean Knight has come on, wearing number 18. It is still

:39:44. > :39:46.the Dragons leading, Ulster thought they had taken the lead for the

:39:47. > :39:53.first time. Just over 15 minutes remaining, nip and tuck. The last

:39:54. > :39:58.passage of play, that is the way Ulster will break down the Dragons.

:39:59. > :40:06.It is with tempo and patients as well. Getting the squeeze on,

:40:07. > :40:12.getting the scrum round. Nigel Owens saying the scrum has come up. The

:40:13. > :40:18.clock is ticking away and the Dragons will be quite happy to adopt

:40:19. > :40:24.this tactic. They still have a man in the bin as well, Ulster trying to

:40:25. > :40:30.look on the squeeze but the Dragons sacrificing Adam Hughes this time on

:40:31. > :40:36.the blindside on the flank. Also all of the forwards need to work

:40:37. > :40:41.together and try and get a turnover at scrum time. I do not see any sign

:40:42. > :40:48.of Peter Browne coming back so Ulster will have to make do with a

:40:49. > :40:55.makeshift back. Charlie Davies has played well and pops it in. Driven

:40:56. > :41:08.off the back by Benjamin, he got far too far. Davies kicks. Olding

:41:09. > :41:13.gathers it. He has put just about the right amount of weight on that.

:41:14. > :41:22.It is not forward and he is hurt, he is hurt. This is an awful night for

:41:23. > :41:26.Ulster rugby. My goodness, he got absolutely clobbered. After a great

:41:27. > :41:40.take, I would like to see that tackle. He was out in a flash. A

:41:41. > :41:47.huge look of anxiety on the face of the Ulster director of rugby, Stuart

:41:48. > :41:54.Olding absolutely flattened. Is there no end to this young man's

:41:55. > :41:58.awful run of luck? The clock has stopped with 14 minutes to go. A

:41:59. > :42:09.little chip himself and he jumped and he caught it and he ran into

:42:10. > :42:17.Maher, was he attempting the tackle there? There was no intent in the

:42:18. > :42:28.tackle. He has played it with no hands, more of a shoulder charge

:42:29. > :42:32.than anything. He stops and does nothing wrong, I have told you what

:42:33. > :42:44.has happened and that is the end of the conversation. The Ulster player

:42:45. > :42:50.said, Rob Herring said that, a new was responsible for that but Nigel

:42:51. > :42:56.Owens disagreed. Olding 's is sitting up and he is looking around,

:42:57. > :43:02.this is encouraging but anxious looks an worried Ulster faces. The

:43:03. > :43:08.smelling salts have seen some action this evening. Still no sign of Peter

:43:09. > :43:15.Browne coming back on. Stuart Olding may well have to go off. Paul

:43:16. > :43:21.Marshall is going to have to come on and play on the wing with Craig

:43:22. > :43:23.Gilroy. Or will he go into the centre? Craig Gilroy will go to

:43:24. > :43:36.full-back and Marshall on the wing. Olding looks fine but Craig Gilroy

:43:37. > :43:39.going to full-back. This is an extraordinary game of rugby. Plenty

:43:40. > :43:56.of stoppages this evening, almost like last week.

:43:57. > :44:04.The clock stops again, just under 14 minutes remaining. James Benjamin

:44:05. > :44:08.play number eight for the Dragons. A good squeeze by the opposition

:44:09. > :44:13.forwards and they get the penalty. And this will give the Dragons, the

:44:14. > :44:19.first time in 20 minutes to get in. 'S half. Defensively, they want the

:44:20. > :44:25.ball and clear the lines, a safety to touch to try and launch their

:44:26. > :44:36.first real meaningful attack in a substantial period of time. Carl

:44:37. > :44:40.Meyer finds a very good touch. That is the saddest looking league I have

:44:41. > :44:43.ever seen. I am not sure it will make it to the Aviva Stadium for

:44:44. > :45:05.Sunday's International. Taken by the Dragons skipper,

:45:06. > :45:08.Landman. They will be content with a 1-point lead, if they can squeeze

:45:09. > :45:14.something out of this, they will be even happier. I'll start battling

:45:15. > :45:16.away but here come the Dragons, looking for a gap in the Ulster

:45:17. > :45:40.defence. Picked up by Davies. That was forward. Taken on by Cory

:45:41. > :45:44.Hill, the Dragons replacement. Ulster need to get a foothold back

:45:45. > :45:48.in this game, quite clearly forward on this occasion. Cory Hill in a

:45:49. > :45:56.physician where he should not have been given the ball by Charlie

:45:57. > :46:01.Davies. Ross about to take the field for Ulster. We have not seen

:46:02. > :46:21.predictive headgear for a while. 11 and a half minutes remaining.

:46:22. > :46:26.Ulster not where they want to be. Picked up by Williams. Good sidestep

:46:27. > :46:39.by Ulster. That is not very good by Ulster,

:46:40. > :46:44.they have lost 25 metres but still have possession. Jackson, good call

:46:45. > :46:53.by him. First move by Little Paul Marshall. The Dragons tackling like

:46:54. > :47:00.men possessed. Williams picks it up. Pienaar goes in and Ulster give away

:47:01. > :47:05.a penalty. You get the feeling this is not their evening? It is just

:47:06. > :47:10.inaccuracy, the ball is there, Nick Williams decided to pick it up and

:47:11. > :47:15.go. The Dragons defensively have been superb all evening, given very

:47:16. > :47:20.little away. Whenever they have competed, it has been above the

:47:21. > :47:25.letter of the law and they have listened to the referee correctly.

:47:26. > :47:27.And Ulster are now getting tired and starting to look for the ball rather

:47:28. > :47:40.than winning the first phase quickly. Ricky Lutton has left the

:47:41. > :47:49.field and Bronson Ross is his replacement. Into the final ten

:47:50. > :47:52.minutes of this game and the Dragons still tantalisingly, as they have

:47:53. > :48:01.been from the fourth minute, with their noses in front.

:48:02. > :48:11.Taken on by Landman. The Dragons keeping it nice and tight it has

:48:12. > :48:17.gone loose but well picked up by the Dragons again, inside the Ulster 22.

:48:18. > :48:22.One more score could mean the difference between Ulster staying

:48:23. > :48:32.mid-table of going top and at the moment you would bet on the former.

:48:33. > :48:39.The referee playing the advantage. That is a bit dangerous underneath

:48:40. > :48:45.your own posts with men outside you. Good call by Darren Cave, good

:48:46. > :48:49.tackling again by the Dragons. Pienaar may well have to kick it and

:48:50. > :48:55.he does, the referee playing advantage. A good kick by Pienaar

:48:56. > :49:02.but well taken in by the Dragons. Maher has been excellent. John

:49:03. > :49:14.Andrew, the replacement hooker playing in the back row. A bad night

:49:15. > :49:27.for Ulster in terms of injuries. Peter Browne and Stuart Olding off

:49:28. > :49:34.the field. Eight and a half minutes. Penalty for Ulster, is this worth a

:49:35. > :49:38.long-range effort by Jackson or Pienaar? Absolutely, you have a

:49:39. > :49:41.limited length of time on the clock and you are behind and struggling to

:49:42. > :49:49.break down and organised defensive system. Paddy Jackson is going to

:49:50. > :49:54.have a shot at three. Plenty of time, actually there is not plenty

:49:55. > :50:00.of time but there is enough time. Paddy Jackson did something similar

:50:01. > :50:06.in much worse conditions than this and had no hesitation in stepping

:50:07. > :50:09.up. He will be looking at his footing, making sure his left foot

:50:10. > :50:18.is placed well and firmly and tightly beside the ball. Straight in

:50:19. > :50:25.front of the Dragons posts, this dig of Ulster lead. Jackson, to carry.

:50:26. > :50:30.Oh, off the bar and taken by Nick card, is that going to be the saga

:50:31. > :50:35.of this evening at the Kingston Stadium as far as Ulster is

:50:36. > :50:39.concerned? They are battling for the ball at the breakdown. The referee

:50:40. > :50:46.having a good look, telling the Dragons to use it. That has not

:50:47. > :50:50.found touch. Well covered by Nick Williams, Jackson. Had a little

:50:51. > :50:59.glance at what is available to him. Town he goes. Pienaar at the base.

:51:00. > :51:08.Cave. McCloskey. Makes decent ground. Ulster still in possession.

:51:09. > :51:14.Look a bit forward, Herring again, taken on by Alan O'Connor who was

:51:15. > :51:26.tackled by Nic Cudd. Pienaar. Gilroy. Well tackled again by the

:51:27. > :51:34.Dragons. What were Ulster doing at the breakdown? The Dragons have

:51:35. > :51:37.knocked it on. So proficient by the Dragons in how they are marshalling

:51:38. > :51:41.the defensive line, pressing at the right time and knowing when to head

:51:42. > :51:45.in but their inability in the contact situation, coming through

:51:46. > :51:53.the gate, he gets his hands on the ball. Show and go, Adam Warren makes

:51:54. > :51:58.the tackle but more importantly, back on his feet and he is entitled

:51:59. > :52:02.to go for that, he has read that beautifully. Unfortunate with the

:52:03. > :52:11.knock-on but technically, so good why Adam Warren. This is Paddy

:52:12. > :52:20.Jackson's effort and it was a very good effort. You could try that 100

:52:21. > :52:23.times and not hit the crossbar. He would have liked a bit more

:52:24. > :52:25.intensity in the follow-up, it was in the air a long time before

:52:26. > :52:39.hitting the crossbar. Marshall has come across to the near

:52:40. > :52:44.side of the field, the Ulster left, allowing Craig Gilroy to stay on the

:52:45. > :52:52.left wing. Ulster do not have a full-back as such. Six minutes

:52:53. > :53:08.remaining and the clock is stopped. The Dragons have not won here since

:53:09. > :53:11.September 2000 eight. -- 2008. He has been warned about illegal

:53:12. > :53:34.scrummaging, Ulster would like and penalised but not just yet.

:53:35. > :53:41.Clock starts, five and a half minutes remaining. The crowd getting

:53:42. > :53:47.a little bit impatient with the Dragons front row. Nigel Owens has

:53:48. > :53:53.spoken to him again. He has been around so many corners, 119 senior

:53:54. > :53:56.games he played for the Leicester Tigers in a seven year period at

:53:57. > :54:28.Welford Road. A good, solid Ulster scrum. Here is

:54:29. > :54:36.McCloskey and Jackson, nicely done. Paul Marshall's pass was not bad.

:54:37. > :54:45.Here come the Dragons, still going. Advantage is over, good drive-by

:54:46. > :54:54.Adam Warren. Good tackling by McCloskey in the middle of that.

:54:55. > :54:58.Under five minutes remaining. He has got away, poor tackling by Ulster

:54:59. > :55:07.and clever stuff by Amos, Ulster could be in more trouble and he does

:55:08. > :55:14.gather. Ulster have had their chances but the Dragons have been

:55:15. > :55:22.that little bit quicker. Ulster get the put-in with only four minutes

:55:23. > :55:25.remaining. It has been symptomatic of how the Dragons have approached

:55:26. > :55:30.this this evening. The easy option once you beat the opposite number

:55:31. > :55:35.was to move it as far done the pitch as he could, what does he do, little

:55:36. > :55:40.chip in behind, the ball sat up nicely for him, he rolled the dice

:55:41. > :55:43.and it fell for him. Dragons, yes, they are winning but they are good

:55:44. > :56:00.value for the win, they have been superb and the real threat.

:56:01. > :56:12.Defensively, with their tactics, they have got it spot on. That was a

:56:13. > :56:19.poor pass, McCloskey. The direct route, now, the hint of an overlap,

:56:20. > :56:24.wide to Stockdale, here he goes. Back inside, good defending by

:56:25. > :56:31.Ashton Hewitt. Taken on by Clive Ross.

:56:32. > :56:41.Three minutes to go, Paul Marshall. No way through, gets completely

:56:42. > :56:49.swamped, hands in the middle, penalty to Ulster.

:56:50. > :56:57.Nigel Owens did warn them, hands out and they did not take their hands

:56:58. > :57:01.out. You cannot argue with that, one thing Nigel Owens is synonymous with

:57:02. > :57:09.is communication. What he has done this book, the ruck is quite clearly

:57:10. > :57:12.formed, Cory Hill on this occasion. Nigel Owens warned him once, the

:57:13. > :57:19.second time he blew the whistle and gave Ulster the penalty. There would

:57:20. > :57:26.be a lot of Ulster fans here who cannot bear to look at this. It is a

:57:27. > :57:31.harder penalty than the last one and there is a bit of an angle on it,

:57:32. > :57:40.Paddy Jackson, he hit that nicely, needs to come in. What a kick by

:57:41. > :57:43.Jackson, he has done it again. And with two minutes remaining, Ulster

:57:44. > :57:49.go into the lead for the very first time in this same will stop and the

:57:50. > :57:54.chance of moving to the top of the Pro12 is still in their hands. I do

:57:55. > :57:58.not think he could have struck it any better, went over by the skin of

:57:59. > :58:03.its teeth but that is something he has added to his game, the composure

:58:04. > :58:09.to get those over, showing his development as a player. What a

:58:10. > :58:15.great kick by Ulster, not happy that the player was not interfered with.

:58:16. > :58:21.What Ulster must not do is give the ball away cheaply or give away any

:58:22. > :58:26.silly penalties. Into the Dragons are, they will counter from head,

:58:27. > :58:36.Maher will take it on. The ball has come loose. Ulster in possession,

:58:37. > :58:47.Marshall at scrum-half. Jackson. Wide to Jacob Stockdale.

:58:48. > :58:54.Into the last minute, Williams makes decent ground. Gilroy puts the foot

:58:55. > :59:08.on the gas. Clive Ross makes a bit of ground.

:59:09. > :59:13.Ulster finishing on the front foot. William is very much on the front

:59:14. > :59:24.foot. Off to his opposite skipper. Not much room. He has a go himself,

:59:25. > :59:30.15 seconds remaining. 17-15 Ulster, right at the death. Clive Ross does

:59:31. > :59:39.the sensible thing, going to ground. Pienaar, Williams. Still there, we

:59:40. > :59:48.have played 80 minutes, Pienaar puts it into the corner and having played

:59:49. > :59:53.not terribly well but a late Paddy Jackson penalty has given Ulster the

:59:54. > :59:57.victory in a game where they looked like they would not achieve it and

:59:58. > :00:03.they move almost impossibly to the top of the Pro12 league. They have

:00:04. > :00:09.had to work hard for that, right to the 80th minute. Just about deserved

:00:10. > :00:13.it in terms of the opposition, interesting on the restart, I

:00:14. > :00:17.fancied Stuart McCloskey to put it above his head like a second row

:00:18. > :00:20.forward but those of the small bits that Ulster have to get right to

:00:21. > :00:28.continue this push into the top four. And more importantly, a home

:00:29. > :00:33.semifinal. Not Ulster's stronger side, many not available but they

:00:34. > :00:37.have a lot to do, another batch of games, only one away from home and

:00:38. > :00:41.they have to pick up the points while they can and for such a long

:00:42. > :00:47.time it looked as though they would not get the win. The four points

:00:48. > :00:52.takes them to the top of the table. Roger Wilson thought he had the

:00:53. > :00:58.conclusive try but it was denied by a knock forward. Glad to see Stuart

:00:59. > :01:05.holding up and about, it was a bit worried when he was knocked out.

:01:06. > :01:09.Ulster, battered and bruised but ultimately happy because somehow

:01:10. > :01:17.they have managed to win this one. Can you believe the score?

:01:18. > :01:32.STUDIO: Stephen Ferris and Andy Ward have enjoyed a thriller here. How

:01:33. > :01:35.are the fingernails after that? A bit short in the last 20 minutes but

:01:36. > :01:41.how important is that kick from Paddy Jackson towards the end of the

:01:42. > :01:49.season. That is a massive win. Part of me feels sad and for the Dragons

:01:50. > :01:54.because they played so well. But at the same time, we take those

:01:55. > :01:59.horrible wins when you get them and they got over the line tonight. We

:02:00. > :02:05.will hear from the man of the match, Paddy Jackson. A reluctant man of

:02:06. > :02:09.the match, you say you did not deserve it, how was it? Reidy

:02:10. > :02:19.normally when you come off the bench, it seemed quite slow, we had

:02:20. > :02:27.opportunities to get their head with penalties early in the second half

:02:28. > :02:33.and we thought it was going well. Yes, a strange second half. What

:02:34. > :02:38.about the feeling of the kicks, the one that hit the crossbar? A second

:02:39. > :02:45.look at the one that hit the crossbar, I thought I hit it sweet.

:02:46. > :02:49.A bit different cooking with this type of ball. I had my accuracy in

:02:50. > :02:56.so it was a matter of going through the routine. Coming back with

:02:57. > :03:00.Ulster, are you just happy to be on the pitch? IIs got a couple of calls

:03:01. > :03:06.muddle up in training but I have had a good run of games so I am glad to

:03:07. > :03:10.come back and help this week. A feud new combinations and guys stepping

:03:11. > :03:19.in we happy with the win but bit of a strange game. It was massive, hard

:03:20. > :03:23.coming into the game to not put much focus on the win because you want to

:03:24. > :03:28.focus on the game and the process of it. At the end of the day, we need

:03:29. > :03:39.to get wins and we screwed up a bit in Europe so we need to make sure we

:03:40. > :03:44.do all right in the now. Why is Paddy Jackson man of the match to

:03:45. > :03:48.night, his impact in the second half? He gave it a bit of structure,

:03:49. > :03:53.it could have gone to anybody on either side. When the pressure is

:03:54. > :03:58.on, the young man stepped up to the plate. When it came to the kicks and

:03:59. > :04:02.the penalties, I watched him and he came from ten metres on both

:04:03. > :04:07.occasions and he said he hit both of them sweet but did not quite make

:04:08. > :04:17.the first one, it shows his state of mind at the moment. He did well. He

:04:18. > :04:21.showed class and real composure, he got man of the match because he won

:04:22. > :04:25.Ulster the game, simple as that. He came on in the second half and

:04:26. > :04:30.pulled the strings, Ulster were unlucky not to get a few more scores

:04:31. > :04:34.and when the kick hit the crossbar, I thought it would not be their

:04:35. > :04:39.night. But he had one more opportunity and he took it, that is

:04:40. > :04:45.a world-class player. He summed it up saying it was a frustrating night

:04:46. > :04:49.for, they had to deep. Wood credit has to go to the Dragons, they

:04:50. > :04:52.played the majority of the rugby to night and one of those situations

:04:53. > :05:00.where the defence almost won them the game. They kept Ulster out down

:05:01. > :05:04.to 13 men at one stage, hats off to the Dragons for doing that and

:05:05. > :05:10.putting Ulster in a difficult situation. It is a tough place for

:05:11. > :05:16.anyone to come and win here, to pull it off says a lot about the Dragons.

:05:17. > :05:21.Ulster thought they had scored a try, the referee awarded it but was

:05:22. > :05:27.encouraged to have a look and get the video referee a look, was the

:05:28. > :05:34.decision correct? I am not sure, we can look at it here. No doubt it is

:05:35. > :05:39.a knock-on by Stuart McCloskey, but how money phases are played until

:05:40. > :05:45.Roger Wilson scores the drive. Nigel Owens asked if it was more than two

:05:46. > :05:52.phases, he kept asking the question. For you and me, it was three phases.

:05:53. > :05:55.And there is one ruck for a start. Does that count as number two? I

:05:56. > :06:29.don't know. There is two. In fairness it was a knock-on.

:06:30. > :06:37.Absolutely. Let's get the thoughts of the Ulster director of rugby, Les

:06:38. > :06:42.Kiss. How stress levels? It was not nice, really. We probably did not

:06:43. > :06:47.handle bad period of play very well at the beginning and rushed

:06:48. > :06:52.somethings. Missed a definite seven points. It is a tough win for us.

:06:53. > :06:55.Dragons on a bit of a high after defeating Leinster last week. We

:06:56. > :07:02.knew they would come at us physically. Paddy backed himself and

:07:03. > :07:06.he got the money. Big show for him to come back for Ireland. How

:07:07. > :07:13.impressive was that for the way he performed? It was very good. You

:07:14. > :07:18.know that a guy of his calibre has the professionalism. His mindset was

:07:19. > :07:24.good. He put his hand up for those kicks. I am glad he did. The play to

:07:25. > :07:28.the Dragons. They were physical. They came out of the blocks flying

:07:29. > :07:34.and put us on the back foot. We did not recover on the front foot for

:07:35. > :07:37.long periods. A couple of injuries, knockouts on the way and it reduced

:07:38. > :07:43.numbers and we had John Andrew on the flank and Clive Ross in the

:07:44. > :07:46.second row. Still a lot of character to do what they did. Do you look

:07:47. > :07:51.back on this at the end of the season, these titles? We will look

:07:52. > :07:57.back at what we could have done better when they had 14 and 13. Even

:07:58. > :08:01.the first when we had 15 on 15. We did not hold the ball for long

:08:02. > :08:07.tracks time. We knew if we did we have a bit this to our work them. A

:08:08. > :08:12.momentum builder for you? It is two from two. The six nations is on and

:08:13. > :08:18.we had nine out of a possible ten points. It puts us on top and it is

:08:19. > :08:23.a good place to be. Enjoy the six nations this year. A little less

:08:24. > :08:27.stress. I am looking forward to the guys and I think they will play

:08:28. > :08:33.well. -- looking forward to the guys playing. It will make good reading.

:08:34. > :08:39.Ulster top of the Pro12 at this stage of the season. Exactly where

:08:40. > :08:43.they want to be. Les Kiss said it. They will go away and analyse what

:08:44. > :08:47.they did wrong. Especially in periods when the Dragons were down

:08:48. > :08:50.to 13 men. One big positive they will take from this game is the

:08:51. > :08:55.result they showed to get the result. At the end of the day that

:08:56. > :09:00.is most important. Without a doubt. It is about resolve and digging

:09:01. > :09:04.deep. You need to do. In the last couple of weeks they have had to dig

:09:05. > :09:09.deep. We have got a lot of front-line players missing. These

:09:10. > :09:14.guys are stepping up. Coming into the breach and learning so much.

:09:15. > :09:16.When you are under the pump you learn stuff and they had been under

:09:17. > :09:22.the pump several times. The top and second-half. The experience, they

:09:23. > :09:25.are getting better and it is all about momentum and getting a bit of

:09:26. > :09:31.momentum, they are, slowly but surely. Ulster have the advantage

:09:32. > :09:34.with men on the field. Did you feel at times some of the decision-making

:09:35. > :09:39.was not correct when they were awarded penalties and they could

:09:40. > :09:42.have made it easier on cells? They could have done. Paddy Jackson had a

:09:43. > :09:50.couple of opportunities to kick at goal. The maul had been working

:09:51. > :09:53.well. It is easy sitting here now and saying, if they had three points

:09:54. > :09:58.they might have given themselves a bit of a lead. That is smart play

:09:59. > :10:01.from the Dragons. A bit accidental here and they go back down the

:10:02. > :10:07.pitch. A cracking kick into the corner. And again. This is where the

:10:08. > :10:11.knock-on come from, Stuart McCloskey. Just a couple of hours.

:10:12. > :10:16.Should they had taken the points? Possibly. Ruan Pienaar making a

:10:17. > :10:22.knock, maybe. We had seen Ulster come away with points every time

:10:23. > :10:28.they had got the 22. Fantastic strike of the ball and it was inch

:10:29. > :10:31.perfect. Inch perfect is good enough for me and the other was right on

:10:32. > :10:35.the money, hitting the crossbar. Another half an inch and it Rob Lee

:10:36. > :10:40.would have gone over. It is a fine line. Look at the players after the

:10:41. > :10:45.match. They were not running around with a high five. It was slightly

:10:46. > :10:48.down. I think there is also a bitter disappointment in the performance.

:10:49. > :10:52.Expected to go out and steam-roll this team and it did not happen. Les

:10:53. > :10:57.Kiss alluded to it, they will ask questions next week as to why.

:10:58. > :11:03.Should they have gone to the video referee for the Dragons try in the

:11:04. > :11:11.second half? You could go up there. They have been a lot of hymns with

:11:12. > :11:16.forward passes. This was a classic. The referee had his back to it. You

:11:17. > :11:22.wonder what the touch judges do. Are they looking over their backs as

:11:23. > :11:27.well? They worked well. Nothing wrong with that situation. A little

:11:28. > :11:34.earlier they could have gone back. With the penalty, the try that was

:11:35. > :11:38.not given, the nature in which the Dragons came and charged down Nigel

:11:39. > :11:42.Owens and he was not happy with how they conducted themselves. They were

:11:43. > :11:47.almost in his face saying you need to go back. I had never really seen

:11:48. > :11:51.that and I am surprised he did not do more, Nigel, at that point. As a

:11:52. > :11:57.former players it is nice when you have not played well to come away

:11:58. > :12:02.with a win. Definitely! They will sit in the changing room and talk

:12:03. > :12:07.about it. They mate -- might have acquired there. They have got the

:12:08. > :12:10.four points and are top of the league. The ones you draw a line

:12:11. > :12:16.under and say, we got out of jail and you move on. We are sitting

:12:17. > :12:20.pretty. But you can play badly and wake up, I liken it to the best deal

:12:21. > :12:24.in the world, Sunday morning, you are beaten but you have the four

:12:25. > :12:29.points. You can ask for more than that, you can get five! It is that

:12:30. > :12:34.Sunday morning feeling. You have to work hard to achieve it. It does not

:12:35. > :12:39.happen. Les Kiss alluded to it, they are showing resolve. It helps them

:12:40. > :12:44.build momentum going forward. One thing people do not understand, you

:12:45. > :12:48.cannot play brilliantly and week out. You just cannot do it. Your

:12:49. > :12:52.performance will dip at some stage. It's dipped, we were at home and we

:12:53. > :12:58.had a great crowd to help us across the line. I am so looking forward to

:12:59. > :13:04.the next couple of games for Ulster. Briefly, islands, all Wales on

:13:05. > :13:13.Sunday? Ireland. -- islands, all Wales? Ireland. Next game, home

:13:14. > :13:19.game, Friday evening, against Glasgow Warriors. Live commentary on

:13:20. > :13:24.radio Ulster. And online. Ulster Rugby is back the following week. It

:13:25. > :13:34.is a Sunday game at the stadium. The breeder 21st. Join us at 25 past two

:13:35. > :13:38.o'clock. -- Sunday the 21st. That is it from the Kingspan Stadium. Ulster

:13:39. > :13:44.have used they get out of jail free card to defeat the Dragons. Ulster

:13:45. > :13:47.are top of the table, thanks to Andy Ward and Stephen Ferris and for now,

:13:48. > :13:50.from all of us, it is goodbye.