Trimble seals Ulster comeback
Ireland wing Andrew Trimble ran in a last-gasp try to complete the late fightback that earned Ulster a share of the spoils in a 32-all draw at Scarlets as the new Pro12 campaign began with a bang.
Scarlets, who finished two places below their Irish visitors last season, surrendered a 14-point advantage in the closing stages and ended the match with 14 men after Liam Williams saw red.
The pair's expansive styles earned both an opening day bonus-point and showed they possess enough firepower to exploit any weak defences they come across this term.
For the fourth season in a row Parc y Scarlets staged a season opener and the contest was only three minutes old when Harry Robinson - a summer recruit from Cardiff Blues - touched down and Rhys Priestland added the extras.
But just six minutes later Ulster were back on level terms. New signing Franco van der Merwe crossed for last season's PRO12 semi-finalists and fellow debutant Ian Humphreys nailed the conversion.
Priestland's penalty briefly edged Scarlets back in front, but on 14 minutes Ireland international lock Dan Tuohy went over.
This to-and-fro contest swung back the way of the Welsh region on 26 minutes though when No.8 Rory Pitman ran in and Priestland again converted.
A Humphreys penalty reduced the deficit, but Gareth Davies ran in the first of his two tries and Priestland kept up his 100 per cent record off the tee to give Scarlets a 24-15 at half-time.
The Welsh region won last season's corresponding contest 17-9 and head coach Wayne Pivac had declared in the build-up there was: "no better team to have first up at home".
That sentiment looked further justified when the home side pulled clear when Davies ran in for his second score on 63 minutes, after both Priestland and Humphreys had landed another three points each.
But, with 12 minutes remaining, Ulster got the reward for intense pressure.
Camped deep inside the Scarlets half for the most part, full-back Louis Ludik was first to profit, with his first points since the summer switch from Agen. Humphreys kicked the extras.
But once Williams was sent off for Scarlets the momentum was most definitely with the visitors.
And they made the most of their man advantage to claim an unlikely draw, as well as a bonus point, through Trimble, before Humphreys held his nerve with the conversion.
* In other action on Saturday Stuart Hogg's last-kick penalty gave Glasgow Warriors a narrow win as they avenged last season's Pro12 Final defeat to Leinster in their new season's opening game.
* Connacht flyhalf Jack Carty masterminded an opening day Pro12 victory for his side as Newport Gwent Dragons were left to rue two second half yellow cards.
Scores and scorers:
Scarlets 32-32 Ulster
The scorers:
For Scarlets:
Tries: Robinson, Pitman, Davies 2
Cons: Priestland 3
Pens: Priestland 2
For Ulster:
Tries: Van der Merwe, Tuohy, Ludik, Trimble
Cons: Humphreys 3
Pens: Humphreys 2
Yellow cards: Dan Tuohy (Ulster, 45), Liam Williams (Scarlets, 46)
Red card: Liam Williams (Scarlets, 77)
The teams:
Scarlets: 15 Liam Williams, 14 Harry Robinson, 13 Regan King, 12 Scott Williams, 11 Michael Tagicakibau, 10 Rhys Priestland, 9 Gareth Davies, 8 Rory Pitman, 7 John Barclay, 6 Rob McCusker, 5 Johan Snyman, 4 Jake Ball, 3 Rhodri Jones, 2 Ken Owens (captain), 1 Phil John
Replacements: 16 Emyr Phillips, 17 Rob Evans, 18 Peter Edwards, 19 Richard Kelly, 20 Aaron Shingler, 21 Rhodri Williams, 22 Steven Shingler, 23 Gareth Owen
Ulster: 15 Louis Ludik, 14 Michael Allen, 13 Jared Payne, 12 Stuart Olding, 11 Chris Gilroy, 10 Ian Humphreys, 9 Paul Marshall, 8 Roger Wilson (captain), 7 Chris Henry, 6 Robbie Diack, 5 Franco van der Merwe, 4 Dan Tuohy, 3 Wiehahn Herbst, 2 Rob Herring, 1 Callum Black
Replacements: 16 John Andrew, 17 Andrew Warwick, 18 Declan Fitzpatrick, 19 Louis Stevenson, 20 Nick Williams, 21 Michael Heaney, 22 Luke Marshall, 23 Andrew Trimble.
Referee: Peter Fitzgibbon (Ireland)
Assistant Referees: Ian Davies (Wales), Jon Mason (Wales)
TMO: Tim Hayes (Wales)
Connacht 16-11 Newport Gwent Dragons
For Connacht:
Tries: McKeon, Poolman
Pens: Leader 2
For Newport Gwent Dragons:
Try: Cudd
Pens: Tovey 2
The teams:
Connacht: 15 Shane Layden, 14 Niyi Adeolokun, 13 Darragh Leader, 12 Dave McSharry, 11 Danie Poolman, 10 Jack Carty, 9 Ian Porter, 8 Eoin McKeon, 7 Jake Heenan, 6 John Muldoon (captain), 5 Quinn Roux, 4 Mick Kearney, 3 Nathan White, 2 Dave Heffernan, 1 Denis Buckley.
Replacements: 16 Sean Henry, 17 Finlay Bealham, 18 Rodney Ah You, 19 George Naoupu, 20 Willie Faloon, 21 Kieran ,Marmion 22 Miah Nikora, 23 Conor Finn.
Newport Gwent Dragons: 15 Lee Byrne (captain), 14 Tom Prydie, 13 Tyler Morgan, 12 Jack Dixon, 11 Aled Brew, 10 Jason Tovey, 9 Jonathan Evans, 8 Andy Powell, 7 Nic Cudd, 6 Lewis Evans, 5 Rynard Landman, 4 Andrew Coombs, 3 Lloyd Fairbrother, 2 Elliot Dee, 1 Boris Stankovich.
Replacements: 16 T. Rhys Thomas, 17 Owen Evans, 18 Dan Way, 19 Ian Gough, 20 Taulupe Faletau, 21 Dorian Jones, 22 Geraint Rhys Jones, 23 Barney Nightingale.
Referee: Marius Mitrea (Italy)
Assistant Referees: Leo Colgan (Ireland), Mark Connolly (Ireland)
Yellow cards: David McSharry (Connach, 29), Lee Byrne (Newport Gwent Dragons, 48), Tyler Morgan (Newport Gwent Dragons, 53)
Glasgow Warriors 22-20 Leinster
The scorers:
For Glasgow Warriors:
Tries: Horne, Gray, Strauss
Cons: Pyrgos 2
Pen: Hogg
For Leinster:
Tries: McGrath, Denton
Cons: Gopperth 2
Pens: Madigan, Gopperth
The teams:
Glasgow: 15 Peter Murchie, 14 Tommy Seymour, 13 Mark Bennett, 12 Alex Dunbar, 11 Lee Jones, 10 Peter Horne, 9 Henry Pyrgos, 8 Josh Strauss (captain), 7 Chris Fusaro, 6 Rob Harley, 5 Jonny Gray, 4 Leone Nakarawa, 3 Euan Murray, 2 Fraser Brown, 1 Alex Allan.
Replacements: 16 Pat MacArthur, 17 Gordon Reid, 18 Rossouw de Klerk, 19 Tim Swinson, 20 Adam Ashe, 21 Niko Matawalu, 22 Stuart Hogg, 23 Sean Lamont.
Leinster: 15 Zane Kirchner, 14 Fergus McFadden, 13 Brendan Macken, 12 Noel Reid, 11 Darragh Fanning, 10 Jimmy Gopperth, 9 Isaac Boss, 8 Sean O'Brien (captain), 7 Shane Jennings, 6 Dominic Ryan, 5 Mike McCarthy, 4 Ben Marshall, 3 Mike Ross, 2 Sean Cronin, 1 Cian Healy.
Replacements: 16 Bryan Byrne, 17 Jack McGrath, 18 Tadhg Furlong, 19 Tom Denton, 20 Kevin McLaughlin, 21 Luke McGrath, 22 Ian Madigan, 23 Mick McGrath.
Referee: Nigel Owens (Wales)
Assistant Referees: Neil Paterson (Scotland), Bob Nevins (Scotland)
TMO: Fergus Neil (Scotland)