UNHAPPY Ulstermen may be grumbling about the impending exit of a favourite son but Newport Gwent Dragons will be keen to see the back of Ruan Pienaar after the Springboks ace tormented them again in their Guinness Pro12 opener in Belfast.

The South African produced an inspired performance to help the title hopefuls to a 29-8, bonus point win at Kingspan Stadium.

It was a timely display after a challenging week when the Irish Rugby Football Union said his stay in Belfast must come to an end, despite the scrum-half and his province being keen on a fresh deal.

Pienaar, who famously denied the Dragons a victory with a last-gasp drop goal in 2011 when the famous ground was called Ravenhill, proved his point on the pitch with a typically probing performance in front of his adoring fans (although thankfully for the visitors he did have an off night from the kicking tee).

For the Dragons it was a case of all their best laid plans going awry. For 20 minutes they were good, for 60 they were comprehensively outclassed and were even slightly flattered by the scoreline after having no ball.

They made an encouraging opening to lead 8-0 after the first quarter but lost momentum and couldn’t get it back, hindered by a raft of injuries that led to hooker Rhys Buckley being a makeshift flanker for a spell in the second half.

Fingers crossed things will go according to the script when they host Zebre on Friday in what is, despite it being September, a must-win game.

There were some bright moments – and Nic Cudd was typically brilliant – but they were mixed in with some soft tries and sloppy moments as the Dragons failed to maintain their bright start.

South Wales Argus:

Kingsley Jones’ men are optimistic of a far better campaign that 2015/16 – it’s unthinkable for it to be worse – and the opening fixture presented a good chance to make a big statement.

Ulster still boasted a strong back line featuring new All Black recruit Charles Piutau at full-back after a stunning season with Wasps, Springboks ace Ruan Pienaar and Ireland internationals Craig Gilroy, Stuart Olding and Stuart McCloskey.

However, they were without some key Test players after Irish summer exertions in South Africa and had a propping crisis that led to academy tighthead Ross Kane making his debut.

That offered a chink of light for a Dragons side who lost all 12 league games away from Newport last season (11 away plus Judgement Day) but could, nay should, have won in Belfast in February.

Coming so close showed that there was nothing to fear and they certainly started that way to go 8-0 up after 12 minutes with fly-half Nick Macleod banging over a penalty and then setting up a first try.

It was a carbon copy of the score against Exeter in pre-season with the former Sale man spotting acres of grass out on the left for wing Pat Howard to score a try on debut, sliding over with a super finish to expose dozy defence.

They visitors were winning the territorial battle but were also true to their pre-season vow to play more, aided by the lovely conditions in Belfast with Howard sharp, Macleod savvy and Jack Dixon and Sam Beard combining nicely in midfield.

But a good first quarter was spoiled when they shipped a soft try in the 22nd minute with turnover ball allowing Pienaar to go on the counter and kick through. Howard should have had it covered but slid over the ball and gifted a try to wing Rob Lyttle.

Pienaaar converted to make it a one-point game and the hosts swiftly gained the lead courtesy of a sustained attack that ended with wing Jacob Stockdale putting a grubber through that he collected.

At 12-8 the Dragons, who had been forced into changes with skipper Lewis Evans replacing flanker Ollie Griffiths, tighthead Lloyd Fairbrother on for Craig Mitchell and Wales international Tyler Morgan on for Sam Beard, needed to gather themselves.

Pienaar – after a troubling week Thankfully tenacious openside Nic Cudd made of stern stuff and he was to the fore defensively as the Welsh side limited the damage from a poor second quarter to 12 points.

They needed to start rapidly from the restart, although they were further hindered by lock Rynard Landman being forced off with a leg injury, albeit Nick Crosswell was a more than able replacement.

Sadly it was that man Pienaar that struck when he charged down compatriot Carl Meyer for another soft try to make it 17-8 after 45 minutes.

It seemed a matter of when, not if, Ulster got their bonus point but the Dragons held firm despite being pinned in their own half.

Yet the final blow came on 65 minutes when an overthrown lineout in the 22 allowed Ulster to go on the charge with Lyttle eventually put over down the right by Piutau.

Still the hosts kept coming with captain and hooker Rob Herring scoring from a driving lineout as they ran amok against the ragged Dragons, who were happy to hear the final whistle.

Ulster: C Piutau (P Marshall 73), C Gilroy (R Lyttle 15), S Olding, S McCloskey (S Windsor 60), J Stockdale, B Herron, R Pienaar, C Black (K McCall 50), R Herring (captain, J Andrew 73), R Kane (A Warwick 37-40), P Browne (R Diack 56), F van der Werwe, C Ross, S Reidy, R Wilson (A O’Connor 56).

Scorers: tries – R Lyttle (2), J Stockdale, R Pienaar, R Herring; conversions – R Pienaar (2)

Dragons: C Meyer, A Warren, S Beard (T Morgan 35), J Dixon, P Howard, N Macleod (A O’Brien), S Pretorius (C Davies 66), S Hobbs (T Davies 47), R Thomas (captain, R Buckley 66), C Mitchell (L Fairbrother 30), C Hill (R Buckley 51-61), R Landman, O Griffiths (L Evans 23), N Cudd, E Jackson.

Scorers: try – P Howard; penalty – N Macleod

Referee: Marius Mitrea (Italy)

Argus star man: Nic Cudd