Frustration at unconverted opportunities

Scarlets were minutes away from claiming their first point in the 2016-17 GUINNESS PRO12 campaign with losing bonus point all but secured at Kingspan Stadium after a huge defensive display against a strong Ulster side.

Replacement back rower Will Boyde had scored Scarlets’ only try of the game at 74 minutes bringing his side within losing bonus point territory however it was Ulster who had the last word as Iain Henderson crossed Scarlets’ whitewash with only a minute remaining on the clock in a cruel twist of fate, denying the visitors of a much-needed point.

Scarlets were down to 14 men for five minutes either side of half time after second row Jake Ball saw yellow for continued infringement but the Scarlets kept Ulster at bay and away from the scorecard.

Speaking after the game head coach Wayne Pivac said; “It was a step up, I thought, effort wise we couldn’t fault. When we got down to 14 we were able to hold them out so a lot of good work was done there.

“Ulster are a very good side, we knew that. We’ve had some real ding-dong battles over the last couple of years with them and that one out there was no different, it’s just frustrating to repeat the fact that we’re getting numerical advantages but we’re not nailing sides.

“We’re not clinical enough in our finishing. We are creating opportunities but that’s the third week in a row we haven’t put sides to bed with those opportunities. To come away from the game with nothing is a bitter pill.

“The boys know that they’re creating scoring opportunities but they’re not finishing them off, that’s the frustration. But if we weren’t creating opportunities it would be a lot worse. We’ve got to take the positives out of that. We’ve got Connacht followed by Treviso and then the Dragons, I think it’s a simple equation for us – it’s got to be three from three.

“We can’t fault the effort, the boys really threw it in there to come back from 11-0 and could have potentially turned the game around.”