Humphreys slays Dragons

Ulster 22 Gwent Dragons 0

Humphreys orchestrated Ulster’s challenge, scoring a brilliant solo try, setting up another and kicking two conversions and a penalty.

Unfortunately Ulster lost his direction in the 60th minute when he injured his shoulder, a worrying departure for Ireland coach Eddie O’Sullivan, observing in the stands.

It took Ulster only four minutes to open their account, hooker Paul Shields touching down. Humphreys missed the resulting conversion but he then showed tremendous pace in what was nearly carbon copy of the breakaway try he scored last week in Paris.

Dragons fly-half Craig Warlow saw his little dink through bounce upfield off Humphreys’s legs.

The Ireland fly-half showed speed and footballing skills to cover the 70 metres to the line. Humphreys converted and on the half-hour he slipped around the blind side before sending Tyrone Howe in under the posts.

Humphreys then landed a long-range penalty to put Ulster 22-0 up at the break.

However, Ulster failed to maintain the momentum in an error-ridden second half and could not score a fourth try that might have taken them into runners-up spot in the group.

Ulster: B Cunningham; J Topping; S Mallon, P Steinmetz, T Howe; D Humphreys, N Doak; R Kempson, P Shields, R Moore, G Longwell, M McCullough, A Ward, N Best, R Wilson.

Replacements: M Sexton for Shields (68), S Best for Kempson (58), M Mustchin for Longwell (58), W Brosnihan for N Best (68), K Campbell for Doak (69), A Larkin for Humphreys (60), P Wallace for Mallon (69). Scorers: T: Shields, Humphreys, Howe; C: Humphreys 2; P: Humphreys.

Dragons: P Montgomery; N Brew, H Luscombe, A Marinos, capt, B Breeze; C Warlow, R Jones; R Snow, P Young, R Thomas, I Gough, P Sidoli, R Oakley, J Ringer, M Owen.

Replacements: S Jones for Young (56), A Black for Snow (79), C Anthony for Thomas (56), R Beattie for Oakley (65), G Baber for Jones (73), S Winn for Marinos (79), S Tuipulotu for Warlow (56).

Referee: Joel Dume (France).