Ulster get off the mark with comfortable victory over the Dragons

Ulster ran in six times in an opening 42-21 victory over Dragons.

The Welsh visitors got off to the perfect start with a converted try from Aaron Wainwright inside the opening minute but the home side finished as comfortable winners, with Nathan Doak scoring 15 points.

Doak converted Cormac Izuchukwu’s 12th-minute try as Ulster drew level but Jared Rosser quickly put the Dragons back in front, Tinus de Beer again kicking the two points.

Ulster finished the first half in control, though, thanks to tries from Nick Timoney, Dave McCann and Zac Ward, securing the bonus point.

Doak then converted his own try two minutes after the break before Shane Lewis-Hughes ended the run of points against Dragons with a try in the 49th minute.

No further scores were added for half an hour until Tom Stewart had the final say with an added-time sixth for the home side.

Despite the defeat, the visitors matched their opponents for much of the game and can take the positives from that as they head into a run of three home games in their next four fixtures.

Thrashed

Elsewhere, defending United Rugby Championship champions Leinster were thrashed by Stormers on the opening night of the 2025-26 season, with the hosts running up a 35-0 scoreline in Cape Town.

Jurie Matthee was at the heart of a surprisingly one-sided result, kicking 15 points and sliding over for the last of his side’s four tries.

Leinster, without their British and Irish Lions contingent, simply never got going and were blown away in the second half as Stefan Ungerer, Evan Roos, Ruan Ackermann and Matthee all went over to seal a bonus point.

Stormers held a modest 6-0 lead at the interval, Matthee slotting two penalties but missing two more as well as a drop-goal attempt.

Scoring threat

But the Irish side’s inability to offer any scoring threat cost them as their South African opponents broke things open in the 44th minute, Seabelo Senatla stealing a loose kick and feeding Ungerer, who forced his way under the posts for the first try of the new campaign.

Max Deegan and Tommy O’Brien both collected yellow cards as things continued to go awry, Roos and Ackermann taking advantage of the space. Matthee converted both then added his own finishing touch nine minutes from time.

Bonus-point win

Glasgow Warriors also got off to a winning start as they completed an impressive bonus-point win over the Sharks, clinching a 35-19 scoreline on home turf.

It was a strong first outing for Franco Smith’s side, who finished three points behind their third-placed opponents in last year’s URC table.

The South Africans drew first blood when Edwill van der Merwe went over in the ninth minute but fought their way into a 14-12 lead at half-time as George Horne converted scores from Kyle Rowe and Stafford McDowall.

Rory Darge applied the finishing touch to a rolling maul and Horne slotted the extras but Lukhanyo Am shot back to keep the gap at just two points.

Glasgow made the decisive move with 10 minutes to go, Horne putting Jamie Dobie through to finish under the posts and a late penalty try added the gloss.