Distraction of takeover is getting to Dragons

NEWPORT Gwent Dragons head coach Kingsley Jones admitted the looming WRU takeover weighed heavy on his players during their near miss against Ulster.

The Belfast side retained their place in the top four thanks to a late Paddy Jackson penalty before John Andrew made sure with a try at the close.

Dragons had stood firm after Craig Gilroy sent Ulster into an early lead and levelled with a Rynard Landman effort.

A slick backs move put Jared Payne over, but again coach Jones’ side struck back thanks to Ollie Griffiths, but they could not hold out.

Jones said: “We try to do our best to focus on what we are doing as a team and be professional, but there is a big distraction out there.

“You can’t avoid it, especially in my position when I am in front of the media, while your friends, people in the street, supporters all ask you about it.

“But I couldn’t criticise the players for their performance or work rate against Ulster.”

Ulster struck first when Ruan Pienaar’s kick bounced over the head of Dragons wing Tom Prydie and into the hands of Gilroy, who darted over.

The Dragons bit back after half-time when Landman forced his way over from close range and Angus O’Brien landed the touchline conversion to level the scores at 10-10 after 48 minutes.

Parity did not last long though as Ulster’s replacement stand-off Jackson sent the ball behind the front-line to Stuart Olding, who slipped a perfectly timed inside ball for Payne to cut through and score.

But Griffiths hauled the Dragons back again when he charged down Paul Marshall’s kick and chased it down to score.

O’Brien converted to tie it up but Jackson landed the crucial penalty five minutes from time before Rodney Ah You shoulder charged fullback Carl Meyer and was shown red.

Replacement Andrew burrowed over and Jackson converted to give hope of a bonus-point for the Irish province, but time ran out.

Ulster coach Allen Clarke said: “You have to give the Dragons credit, they were dogged.”