LLANELLI...23 ULSTER...16: The superiority of the Llanelli forwards ultimately broke Ireland's monopoly on the Celtic League as last night they became the first Welsh side to win the title. Ultimately their power play proved too much for Ulster, with Stephen Jones in excellent form at outhalf.
In his last game for the club before heading to Montferrand next season, Jones produced a great performance. Not only did he kick 18 points, but it was his incisive break that led to the match-winning try by centre Matthew Watkins nine minutes into the second half.
In the first half, at least, Ulster matched them. Captain Andy Ward was getting through huge work, while David Humphreys initially threatened to have one of his golden evenings.
How coach Alan Solomons would have loved to have played this match at Ravenhill. Ulster's seven Celtic League defeats have come on the road this season, four to Welsh opposition.
Unfortunately for Ulster, it felt too much like a European Cup tie. They have not got past the group stages of that competition since the glory days of 1999 (when they were crowned champions), largely because of their away form. If Ulster learn how to win away they will become one of the main players in the Northern Hemisphere.
Incoming coach Mark McCall is well aware of his brief, and at least he has a promising young squad to work with. They may be living in the shadow of Munster and Leinster, in Irish selection anyway, but as players like Paddy Wallace and Roger Wilson reach the peak of their powers that will change.
Llanelli thrive in these sort of pressure-cooker scenarios. Also, they were keen to end their season on a high after a poor European exit at the quarter-final stage, when they lost to Biarritz.
Right from the off, they asked all the pertinent questions as Jones launched Tongan Salesi Finau and Scott Quinnell into the visitors' rearguard. Importantly, it held. In fact, Ulster looked the more composed outfit in the early stages with Humphreys slotting a penalty from far out.
Llanelli were stuttering, with the normally talismanic Jones overcooking one early cross-field kick. However, by the quarter-hour mark the forwards began to generate some go-forward ball, and after an attacking scrum Simon Best was penalised. Jones duly opened Llanelli's account from long range.
With little give up front, or out wide, it fast became a personal battle between the two outhalves. Both missed kickable opportunities but Humphreys did edge Ulster back in front after Matt Mustchin was obstructed in the lineout.
Ominously, Llanelli began to dominate the territorial battle. When Jones levelled the contest with an opportunistic drop-goal seven minutes before the interval the advantage swung firmly to the Welsh side. After another forward rumble, he tacked on his second penalty to leave the Scarlets 9-6 in front.
Ulster replied, and after missing another penalty effort Humphreys showed his mettle to finally land one from near halfway to level it at the turn.
As the players headed to the dressing-rooms word filtered through of the try-fest at Lansdowne. Somebody needed to win at Stradey Park, with Ulster needing to breach their opponents' line. However, the Llanelli defence had no intention of coughing up a soft try. Humphreys was forced into testing full back Barry Davies with a few skyscrapers, but the 23-year old passed every test.
Thereafter things began to go the Scarlets' way. From another dodgy Ulster scrum Humphreys' attempted clearance was blocked down by his opposite number who gathered, only to be hauled down yards from the line.
Then came the knockout blow. Chris Wyatt stole an Ulster lineout and, after a couple of probes, Jones took the ball flat and dashed through. His well-timed pass sent Watkins racing for the line. Stradey Park exploded into song. The conversion fell short, but at 17-9 the damage was done.
Events elsewhere no longer mattered. Llanelli were rampant. The excellent Simon Easterby began to take the ball on, as did Robin McBryde and Quinnell, and before Ulster could regain their composure Jones stuck another penalty.
On the hour mark Llanelli captain Leigh Davies was sprung from the bench as head coach Gareth Jenkins began to relax. Lions centre Mark Taylor and Easterby were pulled ashore with the result in the bag.
Replacement Tim Barker got over for a late try for Ulster, but the crowd were still applauding the substitution of their hero Stephen Jones.
SCORING SEQUENCE: 3 mins: D Humphreys pen, 0-3; 14: S Jones pen, 3-3; 23: Humphreys pen, 3-6; 33: Jones drop-goal, 6-6; 37: Jones pen, 9-6. Half-time. 47: Jones pen, 12-9; 49: M Watkins try, 17-9; 55: Jones pen, 20-9; 63: Jones pen, 23-9; 79: T Barker try, 23-14; Humphreys conv, 23-16.
LLANELLI: B Davies; G Evans, M Taylor, M Watkins, S Finau; S Jones, M Philips; I Thomas, R McBryde, J Thiel, V Cooper (capt), C Wyatt, D Hodges, S Easterby, S Quinnell. Replacements: L Davies for Taylor (56 mins), D Jones for Easterby (59 mins), J Davies for Thiel, G Bowen for S Jones (both 78 mins).
ULSTER: B Cunningham; S Young, S Mallon, S Stewart, J Topping; D Humphreys, N Doak; S Best, M Sexton, R Moore, M Mustchin, R Frost, A Ward (capt), N Best, R Wilson. Replacements: P Shields for Sexton (57 mins), N McMillan for Best (59 mins), R McCormack for Moore (60 mins), T Barker for Mustchin, P Wallace for Cunningham (both 63 mins).
Referee: Rob Dickson (Scotland).
