SCARLETS’ HEARTS BROKEN BY BOK PIENAAR

SCARLETS’ HEARTS BROKEN BY BOK PIENAAR

By Helen ‘Helzbach’ Davies

 

 

 

With temperatures falling, and the expected wind and rain, it was a strong Ulster team that was welcomed to a Parc y Scarlets that resembled Old MacRupert’s Farm as the Scarlets demonstrated their support for the Farmers of the Region.

 

Head of Rugby, Nigel Davies’ team selection was bolstered with the return of four internationals during the week-long break from the Six Nations and it was hoped by all that the current losing streak would be halted.

Captain for the night, Iestyn Thomas, led out his team to the roar of the crowd who had once again braved the elements to hopefully be the 16^th man of the team.

Right from the kick-off the Scarlets demonstrated their intention to continue the attractive style of rugby they have been famous for this season, running the ball from deep.

Outstanding in last week’s international, Scotland’s Sean Lamont carried on where he had left off with an excellent tackle, however, the Scarlets were penalised to offer South African International Scrum Half Ruan Pienaar the first chance at points on the board, giving the Irishmen a lead of 3 points to 0 after just 3 minutes.

The Scarlets were offered a good attacking line-out but unfortunately Pienaar gathered the loose ball to break upfield with the Scarlets fringe defence in disarray until he was fortunately tackled.

Unfortunately however, the home team were penalised at the scrum and Pienaar made no mistake in doubling his team’s score to 6 points to 0 with his successful penalty kick.

The crowd came to life soon after following the Scarlets winning a scrum against the head, with Regan King influential in securing the subsequent penalty that Rhys Priestland slotted over with ease almost from the touchline to bring the score line to 3 points to 6.

Keeping the ball in hand, the Scarlets continued their attack from the restart, successfully securing the ball from the breakdown and another penalty along the way following some good work from Gareth Maul.

Again, Priestland was successful with his kick to equalise the score, 6 points all, ensuring that the Scarlets had scored points from each visit into the Ulster half.

With confidence growing, the Scarlets continued playing good passing rugby, going through the phases and gaining the hard yards, using a good variety of forward play and running backs.

Another good scrum from the Scarlets unfortunately went against them, with Iestyn Thomas bizarrely being penalised despite obviously being the stronger in the scrum. This was to the disgust of the crowd who were aware that the referee had got his decision completely wrong!

Gareth Maule secured a scrum v after he stormed upfield, forcing Ulster to carry the ball over their own try line. With the roars of ‘Scarlets, Scarlets’ from the crowd, the Scarlets demonstrated their dominance in the scrum as Ulster’s penalty count increased, giving referee McPherson no option but to award the Scarlets a penalty try.

With conditions worsening as the rain teemed down, Priestland added the easy extras to give the Scarlets a13 points to 6 lead.

Unfortunately, Ulster were able to strike back almost immediately with Pienaar successful with his third kick of the night to bring the scoreline a little closer, 13 points to 9.

A mix up at the line out offered Pienaar the opportunity to once again gallop downfield, proving to be the main player in the Ulster team.

The Ulstermen continued their attack, keeping the ball among the forwards, until the home team successfully turned the ball over once again. That offered man of the moment Sean Lamont a run downfield, but unfortunately he was unable to get his pass away to see a second Scarlets try.

Excellent work from the backs saw the Scarlets move upfield, but the conditions saw handling becoming increasingly difficult. However, the men in red were able to gain good field position in the Ulster half.

With half time looming, the line-out became an increasing problem, but, the Scarlets continued to test the Ulster defence as they went in search of more points.

A good line out position in the Ulster 22 was again wasted as the groans rang out from the crowd. However, Emyr Phillips was able to find his man seconds later downfield and the groans turned to encouraging cheers.

Controlling the ball well, the Scarlets continued to drive forward, though the attack lacked pace, allowing the Irish team’s defence the opportunity to re-group.

Priestland added a well struck drop goal to complete his first half full house with 2 minutes remaining, bringing the score to 16 points to 9.

Outside Half Priestland’s one man rush defence forced an Ulster error to give the Scarlets a scrum on half way right at the end of the 40, and despite the half being well into injury time, the home team demonstrated their desire to attack by keeping the ball in play and attempting to gain last gasp points before the whistle.

Rhys Priestland got the second half underway and again the Scarlets continued attacking with determination and heart.

It seemed the lineout shambles was catching as Ulster’s attempt was overthrown; however they were able to gather the ball. With the home team’s defensive skills on show, the Scarlets were able to force errors as the ball went out on the full.

The singing of ‘Hymns and Arias’ ringing out from the terraces couldn’t influence yet another shambolic line-out and Martin Roberts added to the shambles with his kick failing to relieve the pressure on his team, his final act of the game before being replaced by International Tavis Knoyle.

The Ulster team got close to the try line but were dri
ven backwards by a good defensive Scarlets line, however, to the boos of the crowd, the home team were penalised for offside. This offered Pienaar yet another kick at goal to close the gap to 16 points to 12.

With confidence growing, the Ulster team began finding gaps in the Scarlets’ defence before losing the ball in the breakdown.

Referee McPherson once again became the villain of the moment following excellent play from Tavis Knoyle who intercepted the ball that was taken quickly by the Ulster team before off loading to Ben Morgan. Bizarrely, he called play back as the lineout had been formed, to the disgust of the crowd who wasted no time in demonstrating their frustration at the decision.

It was almost to make up for his mistake, that he awarded the Scarlets a penalty seconds later and with play moving deep into the Ulster half, the Scarlets team moved up a gear, seemingly encouraged following a scrappy start to the second half.

The Ulster front row were allowed to clear the ball from the scrum, despite popping up and frustrations increased with Rhys Thomas giving away a penalty and subsequently brining play back into the Scarlets’ half.

Seconds later, frustrations reached boiling point with Thomas again penalised in the scrum (interestingly after an Ulster player suggesting that Thomas was binding illegally).

Pienaar, now playing at Outside Half, added his fifth successful penalty to bring the score to 16 points to 15, with boos and shouts of ‘cheat, cheat, cheat’ ringing out as the ball sailed through the posts.

The refereeing decisions continued to go against the Scarlets and once again the supporters found themselves in familiar territory – a point difference when the game should have been easily won.

Importantly, the control that they had demonstrated in the first half seemed to have disappeared completely, or maybe transferred to the Ulster team who had improved considerably in the second half.

Hope was offered following some good attacking play from the backs, but unfortunately Gareth Maule was unable to find a Scarlets player to gather his pass.

Knoyle’s pass put Priestland under intense pressure and offered Ulster a great attacking position, but fortunately Priestland was somehow able to relieve the pressure as the once confident Scarlets began to look nervous until replacement Johnathan Edwards was successful in his attempt to turn the ball over.

With play in the Ulster half, the home team attempted to attack, eventually forcing the error from Simon Danielli, who took the ball into touch to offer the Scarlets a line-out in an excellent field position.

However, the line-out nightmare continued and more errors began to creep into the play of both teams.

Just ten minutes remained on the clock as the Scarlets attack continued, searching for that illusive second half try and fortunately for once the referee’s decisions went the Scarlets way, with the Welshmen being awarded a scrum following a forward pass.

Despite good pressure from the men in white; it was the Scarlets who were awarded the penalty!

Rhys Priestland was unable to continue the 100% kicking record of the night, as he saw his kick sail left of the posts.

Ulster were awarded another scrum as the decisions became even more confusing and with minutes left on the clock, the Ulster team began inching their way into the Scarlets half, safe in the knowledge that unless the Scarlets discipline was perfect, a single penalty would give them the lead that would possibly see then snatch the game from the Scarlets’ grasp.

It was heart in mouth moment as Pienaar attempted to put himself into position for a match-winning drop goal, but excellent defence from replacement Hooker, Rhys Lawrence saw him closed down and as a bonus, the Scarlets were awarded a penalty.

However, it was time to pray with Ulster being awarded a penalty the last kick of the game. Pienaar’s sixth successful kick from inside his own half broke the hearts of every single Scarlet in the stadium as once again victory was aided by the man in the middle.

A losing bonus point, following the 16 points to 18 defeat saw the Scarlets jump a place to third, however, a once confident Scarlets team that have been praised so much during the first part of the season are now facing a six match losing streak and the possibility that losing a match like that will severely dent the confidence of this group of players.

With two matches in less than a week, the Scarlets have another home fixture next Thursday night when they take on Edinburgh, kick off 7.35pm.