ULSTER 27-20 SCARLETS
A battle of the goal-kickers turned into a stunning display of running rugby and broken field carnage. Ulster now top Guinness PRO14 Conference B after winning three games on the trot.
John Cooney had kicked Ulster into a 12-3 lead until a Leigh Halfpenny penalty and a converted Johnny McNicholl try saw them fall 13-12 behind.
The northern province struck back soon after after a superb move involving Stuart McCloskey and Sean Reidy led to a try from the superb, rapacious Jacob Stockdale.
Úd breá ag Jacob Stockdale & @UlsterRugby #ULSvSCA #PRO14 pic.twitter.com/MH88TDp4t1
— Spórt TG4 (@SportTG4) September 15, 2017
Cooney missed his only kick of the night and was walking to the sideline – replaced by Paul Marshall – not long after with Ulster trailing 20-17. Les Kiss’ men were cut apart on their right flank and Lions’ star Jonathan Davies finished the sweeping Scarlets move off.
Christian Lealiifano took over the kicking duties for the hosts and drew the scores level with a penalty. The scoring was not done yet.
Again, McCloskey featured as he barged his way into contact before offloading to Tommy Bowe. Paul Marshall kept the move alive when Bowe was scragged and Luke Marshall’s looping pass found replacement hooker John Andrew, who cantered over with the match-winning try.
The match truly opened up in the final half an hour and the Ulster backline quarter of Lealiifano, McCloskey, Stockdale and Louis Ludik combined for 320 metres gained off 53 carries. That included six clean breaks and 11 defenders beaten.
McCloskey was immense in the No.12 jersey and Stockdale, scoring his 11th senior try in 26 appearances, made 74 metres off 10 carries [3 line breaks, 2 defenders beaten]. There was a man-of-the-match award for the big centre while Stockdale, who also had two aerial claims of note, had fans raving:
Brilliant match. Congrats to Jacob Stockdale, John Andrew & Man of the big fella Stuart mccloskey.
— Stephanie (@billtedsam) September 15, 2017
Jacob Stockdale could be starting for Ireland as soon as the Six Nations.
— John O'Sullivan (@NotoriousJOS) September 15, 2017
Ulster tonight:
1- 8 Cooney
9 Cooney
10 Christian Leali'ifano
11 Jacob Stockdale
12 Cooney
13 Cooney
14 Cooney
15 Cooney— The Loose Head (@TheLooseH) September 15, 2017
That was a money take by Stockdale. Using all of his 7'4" frame to pluck that out of the sky #ULSvSCA
— Three Red Kings (@threeredkings) September 15, 2017
Elsewhere, Connacht lost 21-8 to Bernard Jackman’s Dragons side at Rodney Parade. Jack Carty got an earlier penalty for the Irish side and Quinn Roux burst over for an early second half try but the hoped for comeback never materialised.
FULL TIME Dragons 21 Connacht 8 – A disappointing night at Rodney Parade as @dragonsrugby run out convincing winners #DRAvCON pic.twitter.com/7YXgO2jrxQ
— Connacht Rugby (@connachtrugby) September 15, 2017
Kieran Keane’s men remain third in Conference A but have just six points to their name thus far and tough tests ahead.
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