"Late Drama" - URC Round 1 Recap: Last minute Welsh derby winner and a 'Special Night' in Belfast

The Warriors were beaten by an 85th Ulster minute try, to record an unforgettable opening night in Belfast. The Dragons claimed an 84th minute winner to take home the spoils of an incredible Welsh derby, with the Ospreys stunned at the death by the Rodney Parade faithful.

Elsewhere in the opening round, there was further late drama as Benetton and the Scarlets battled to a 20-20 draw. The Treviso side had a shot at goal for a last minute winner, yet the conversion attempt was squandered with the Italians begrudgingly settling for a share of the purse. It also went down to the wire in Limerick as Munster Rugby held on for a narrow 35-33 win against Connacht Rugby after a 10-try thriller.

A Special Night in Belfast: Ulster Rugby 20 - 19 Glasgow Warriors

Ulster coach Richie Murphy hailed a “really special” win following his team’s last gasp 20-19 triumph over champions Glasgow at the Kingspan Stadium. “I thought it was incredible the way the lads just stuck at it,” he said.

“We didn’t play our best rugby by a long way. We were put under a lot of pressure from a really good Glasgow team, but we stuck in it, which is something we are trying to build, and to get the win at the end was really special.

“The lads rolled up their sleeves and, in the end, got the job done. I’m really happy to come away with the win because we were playing against a really good side.

“But we are going to have to learn quickly, because that’s not going to be good enough on most nights.”

Skipper Iain Henderson added: “One thing we spoke about before the game was making sure the guys were fighting right to the end and, fair play to them, they did that.”

Replacement scrum-half Dave Shanahan was the match-winning hero, dabbing down from close range five minutes into stoppage time, with his try being confirmed after a TMO review.

“I was a tiny bit nervous. I celebrated a bit early and then I saw the ref go to check it, but I was happy to get over in the end,” he said.

Giving his thoughts, Glasgow flanker Rory Darge added: “We are gutted after that, but fair play to Ulster, they were class. It was a physical game. A lot of matches have come down to the last minute this weekend in the first round of the season.”

Dragons coach Dai Flanagan said he was “super proud” of the character his players showed to secure a final play 23-21 victory over the Ospreys at Rodney Parade.

The game seemed done and dusted when the visitors led 21-13 three minutes from time with their opponents down to 14 men following a yellow card for hooker James Benjamin.

But Flanagan’s charges made light of their numerical disadvantage as they dug deep to earn a penalty which new fly-half Lloyd Evans slotted to set up a grandstand finish.

Then, in the 84th minute, replacement prop Luke Yendle burrowed over after a succession of forward carries, with 13-point Evans slotting the match-winning conversion from in front of the posts. It was the first time the Dragons had claimed a victory on the opening weekend of the league season since 2013 and the celebrations both on and off the field were suitably euphoric.

Flanagan commented: “I thought the character to pull it back was excellent and it’s something we can really build on. I am just super proud of the group. The game looked like it was going away from us, but we had a clear plan.

“The problem solving and having the clarity in what we needed to do in that last play, that is real maturity from us. We spoke in the week about going 12 rounds. I might have to change that to six rounds, because I don’t think I can go through that again!”

Ospreys coach Toby Booth said: “We grabbed defeat from the jaws of victory. I thought we were the better team and I don't mean any disrespect by that. When you get somebody on the canvas, you have to knock them out and we didn't do that.”

Ospreys full-back Jack Walsh - the Player of the Match - added: “There’s a sense of frustration. We controlled most of the match pretty well, but we just didn’t close it out.

“Our accuracy at the end let us down. The Dragons are a quality side and if you give them easy territory, they are going to take it and they made us pay.”

Turning to the other Welsh teams, Cardiff fly-half Callum Sheedy produced a URC Man of the Match display on his competitive debut for Cardiff, setting up the opening two tries in the 22-17 bonus point victory over Zebre at the Arms Park.

Cardiff Coach Matt Sherratt said: “I thought Callum started really well with two assists. In a fairly hectic part of play, he looked pretty cool. Time kind of stood still a little bit and he picked the right option. He showed some moments.”

The Scarlets came tantalisingly close to a memorable victory over Benetton out in Treviso. With just two minutes to go, they led 20-15 thanks to a superb solo try from teenage centre Macs Page and a lineout maul touchdown from South African flanker Jarrod Taylor.

But, after incessant pressure from the hosts in the dying minutes, Fijian wing Onisi Ratave crossed for his second try, which presented fly-half Jacob Umaga with the opportunity to win the game. Umaga’s touchline conversion went to the left of the posts and it was honours even at 20-20, with a draw being the least Dwayne Peel’s Scarlets deserved for their stirring effort.

Leinster boss Leo Cullen was a happy man as his team began their URC season in very different fashion to a year ago. It was five tries apiece at the Hive Stadium, but it was the visitors who came out on top, defeating Edinburgh 33-31.

“Overall, we are delighted,” said Cullen. This time last year, we went to Glasgow in Round 1 and came away with nothing, so now we have five points. We were away from home against a very experienced Edinburgh team in front of a packed house, so we are pleased to get a win.

“There were some good moments and some frustrating ones as well. It was a little bit of a mixed bag. Edinburgh overpowered us a little bit at the start when we were probably a bit second to the punch, but as the game wore on we looked okay and put a lot of pressure on them from a defensive point of view.

“We had some young guys in there, so it was a great experience for them. It’s exciting. It’s great to be up and running.”

Edinburgh coach Sean Everitt said: “It was frustrating for us. Leinster won the kicking game battle, no doubt about it. That cost us. We ended up with 37 per cent territory.

“With the little possession we had in the right areas of the field, we still managed to score five tries, so we will take that as a positive and we managed to get two points out of the game at the end, but we’re obviously not happy with the result.

“I can’t fault the effort of the guys, but certainly our kicking game, which has been our strength, let us down.”

It was a game which swung one way and then the other with the lead changing hands on a number of occasions. Both teams crossed five times amid some sparkling rugby, with scrum-half Ben Murphy claiming a brace for Connacht.

But the contest was ultimately decided by the boot of Munster’s replacement fly-half Tony Butler, with the 22-year-old super sub landing two testing conversions in the closing stages to seal the outcome.

Former Ireland wing Simon Zebo, who was commentating for Premier Sports, said: “It was a hell of a game, incredible. Fair play to them, both teams came out and fired their shots. Munster will be very happy with the result.”

PLAYER OF THE WEEKEND (as chosen by URC)

The Ireland scrum-half is one of the most influential players in the game and he confirmed as much with a try-scoring Man of the Match display in Leinster’s 33-31 victory away to Edinburgh. His speed of thought and deed, along with his decision-making and control, were once again there for all to see.

Speaking after the game, he said: “It was very tough. It was by no means a one-sided affair. Edinburgh are a team we have got a lot of respect for, so we were pretty happy to get over the line. We’ve got to march on again now.”