Scarlets v Ulster: Five takeaways as Wales star ‘the hero’ for hosts with match-winning try after full-time hooter
Scarlets flyer Ellis Mee and Ulster scrum-half Nathan Doak (inset).
Following the Scarlets’ 27-22 triumph over Ulster in their United Rugby Championship (URC) clash at Parc y Scarlets on Saturday, Planet Rugby picks out five takeaways from the thrilling action.
The top line
Although this was a clash between two sides at opposite ends op the URC standings – with Ulster coming into this game occupying fourth place on the table while the Scarlets were in last spot – the home side deserves plenty of credit for their efforts.
The Welsh region made a fantastic start as they raced into a 10-0 lead courtesy of an early Sam Costelow penalty before Blair Murray crossed for the opening try which was converted by Costelow.
Ulster needed a response, and that came when Tom Stewart scored their first try midway through the half, and although Nathan Doak was off target with the conversion attempt, the visitors were slowly taking control of proceedings.
Their dominance was rewarded again in the 27th minute when Bryn Ward dotted down, and Doak made no mistake off the kicking tee, which meant Ulster held a slender 12-10 lead.
However, the hosts would have their tails up at the interval after Josh MacLeod scored their second try in the 33rd minute and Costelow slotted the extras to give his side a deserved 17-12 lead.
The second half was a closely-fought battle with both sides giving their all to gain the ascendancy, and we had to wait until the 67th minute for points to be scored again – Scott Wilson barging over from close quarters and Doak slotting the resulting conversion to put Ulster in front again.
The game’s closing stages were frantic as the hosts regained the lead when Costelow slotted a penalty before the visitors thought they had won the match when Doak succeeded with a three-pointer off the kicking tee in the 76th minute.
However, the Scarlets would have the last laugh as a late try from Ellis Mee after the full-time hooter had gone, sealed their victory which stunned the visitors.
Ellis Mee, the hero for Scarlets
After South African wing Werner Kok was yellow-carded for an illegal hit on Tom Rogers in the game’s dying moments, the Scarlets had one more shot at victory, and they made full use of their numerical advantage to secure victory.
After putting the ball into touch in Ulster’s half, they showed great patience as they took the ball through some phases. The Scarlets forwards had gained some momentum with a maul, but before it was halted, the ball came out to Costelow, who offloaded to the on-rushing Mee just inside Ulster’s half.
The Wales flyer still had plenty of work to do but did brilliantly to shake off tackles from Jude Postlethwaite and Jake Flannery before diving over for the match-winning try.
Costelow then added the conversion, which sealed only the home side’s third victory and takes them off the foot of the URC table ahead of Zebre Parma’s match against Glasgow Warriors on Saturday evening.
Ireland hopeful shows his class
Although the visitors will be kicking themselves for losing this match, one player who can hold his head high in defeat is star scrum-half Doak.
The 24-year-old was making his 100th appearance for Ulster, and from the outset, he impressed with his decision-making and option-taking as it put his side on the front foot on attack.
Apart from that, he marshalled the backline well, put his body on the line on defence and was solid off the kicking tee as he slotted two conversions and a penalty.
It was therefore not surprising that his fine all-round performance saw him walking off with the official player of the match award after the game.
Doak will be hoping that his fine form for his club will be rewarded with an international debut for Ireland during the upcoming Six Nations Championship.
Late Ulster errors prove costly
Although the home side were deserved winners, Ulster will be kicking themselves as they failed to take some try-scoring opportunities in the second half and their discipline also let them down in the game’s closing stages.
In the 50th minute, Nick Timoney caught the eye with excellent physicality to bump off Mee deep inside Scarlets territory before getting a pass out to Jake Flannery, who dotted down in the right-hand corner.
That score would have drawn the sides level but Flannery’s effort was ruled out by referee Griffin Colby after television replays revealed that Timoney’s final pass was forward.
Ulster put that setback behind them and kept hammering away at their opponents’ try-line, but in the 56th minute, David McCann was held up while crossing the whitewash.
Two minutes later, it was a similar story for the visitors when McCann won a foot race, after a teasing kick from Jack Murphy, and regathered the ball before dotting down. However, that score was also disallowed after the TMO, Marius Jonker, told Colby to look at a replay on the big screen at the stadium, and it showed that McCann had knocked on in the build-up.
And in the 82nd minute, Kok was sent to the sin bin for that high tackle just outside the Scarlets’ 22. The home side held their composure, and Mee proved to be the hero when he eventually crossed for the match-winning try.
Concern for Wales as Scarlets star limps off
Although the Scarlets finished on the winning side, the result came at a cost as backline star Blair Murray was forced off the field early in the second half due to an injury.
The 24-year-old limped off the field with what looked like a leg injury and cut a dejected figure when he was sitting in the stands as the match progressed.
Prior to his departure, Murray proved a real handful to Ulster’s defence as he gave his side good momentum from the back and crossed for a well-taken try in the opening half.
However, with the Six Nations set to get underway in less than two weeks, Wales head coach Steve Tandy will be sweating over the New Zealand-born full-back’s fitness, and hopefully the injury will not keep him on the sidelines for too long.
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