Peel delighted to return with victory but job only half done

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With a return game against the same opposition in Belfast on Friday, Peel knows all too well that last night will count for little should they falter at home against a side who now have no realistic shot of continuing their European ambitions into the spring.

“The boys are happy in the changing room obviously but we’ve already spoken about how this is a double-header, the job is only half done,” he stressed. “We’re delighted with the win but there’s going to be a backlash next week in our place. They’ll be coming all-out attack against us.

“In terms of our group we’re growing steadily. We’ve a lot of young players in the group and again here we had experience coming back. We’ve been buoyed by international call-ups and it’s fantastic to have those boys back in full-flow.”

Peel does, however, believe there is still room to grow after what was undoubtedly their best performance of the season.

“There are elements that didn’t click, if I’m honest,” he said. “As I said, it’s a lot of young guys, we’re a work in progress.”

As someone who enjoyed such a great career with Scarlets, Peel allowed himself one brief moment of personal satisfaction.

“First and foremost, it’s a club that means so much to me,” he said. “I started my career here, I grew up supporting them. I’ve been here three times now and the first two were hidings so I’m pleased to get the win.” • GUINNESS has been announced as title sponsor of the Six Nations on a six-year deal.

Although no figures have been revealed by tournament organisers, it is understood that its first year is worth less than the amount paid by 2018 sponsors NatWest for a one-year deal. SCARLETS: J McNicholl; T Prydie, J Davies, K Fonotia, S Evans; R Patchell, G Davies; R Evans, K Owens (c), S Lee; L Rawlings, D Bulbring; W Boyde, J Davies, U Cassiem REPLACEMENTS: R Elias (for Owens, 69), W Jones (for R Evans, 61), W Kruger (for Lee, 59), S Cummings(for Rawlins, 24), D Davis (for Cassiem, 26), S Hidalgo-Clyne (for G Davies, 72), D Jones (for Patchell, 74), H Parkes (for Fonotia,)

ULSTER: L Ludik, H Speight, W Addison, S McCloskey, J Stockdale; B Burns, J Cooney; E O’Sullivan, R Best (c), M Moore; I Henderson, K Treadwell; S Reidy, J Murphy, M Coetzee

REPLACEMENTS: R Herring (for Best, 69), K McCall, T O’Toole (for Moore, 69), M Rea, N Timoney (for Reidy, 24), D Shanahan, J McPhillips (for Burns, 76), D Cave Referee: A Ruiz

Man of the match:

W Addison

WHEN Ulster were in this stadium two weeks ago, they made more than 250 tackles in a game whentheygotnorewardbeyond keeping the Scarlets to a four-try return.

That night, there was no fault to be found with their defensive application or effort, but other aspects of their game, namely their discipline and ball retention, deserted them.

It was the season in a microcosm, a little to like and a lot to work on. The early days of the Dan McFarland project had certainly felt like as much as there was progress from last season, that work in progress was more apt. When one thing worked, another failed and rarely did any facet of the game show consistency week to week.

Last night though, everything came together at once. In Europe, and on the big stage, the timing could hardly have been better.

A five-star and four try performance secured their first win at Parc y Scarlets since 2012 and breathed new life into quarter-final hopes that have gone unfulfilled for the past four seasons.

The quartet of scores on the night were provided by Jacob Stockdale, Henry Speight, Will Addison and Marcell Coetzee but what was striking was the spread of big performances provided by the visiting side.

The maul was potent, the scrum solid and the backline incisive. Speight and skipper Rory Best were among those who produced their best of the season but the overall effort put in was perhaps best surmised by the stat that only Jordi Murphy (22) made more successful tackles than young loosehead prop Eric O’Sullivan.

Their best European night for, at the very least, three years began inauspiciously — a fumbled kick-off and a quick penalty. For the remainder, it was hard to find much fault. They struck back quickly from that self-inflicted deficit, a penalty from John Cooney followed by yet another Stockdale score.

Attacking off a solid scrum — only a recent addition after such early season struggles — Addison broke through the tackles of his opposing midfielders and gave the ball to his winger.

Brushing past Gareth Davies and through Steff Evans, his long stride carried him home despite the despairing tackle of James Davies.

Discipline was a real focus for Scarlets coming in, having given away 17 against Glasgow in the league last week but the five blasts of the referee’s whistle in the opening quarter were giving Ulster a real foothold.

Twice though they couldn’t take advantage, first when the wind again took Cooney’s effort of the tee and then from a turned over lineout.

Even when under-par, Scarlets are a side who punish such mistakes and, after the latter, Ulster didn’t see the ball again before Steff Evans was across the whitewash. Patchell’s conversion gave his side a lead.

Scarlets looked for the swift follow up but, after a period of high tempo rugby showing off their forwards’ skills, they found an unlikely breakdown nemisis in the shape of Henry Speight.

The Wallaby wing spoke midweek about his desire to belatedly show Ulster fans his best form