There was no fairytale ending for Andrew Trimble on his record-breaking 222nd appearance for Ulster this afternoon on the Atlantic coast, as European Champions Cup newcomers La Rochelle built on their impressive first round away victory with a five-try tour de force.
With 10 first-half points from Christian Lealiifano, Ulster held their own until a third quarter where the unrelenting force of the Rochelais front eight simply wore the travelling defence out, and four tries in 15 minutes put the outcome beyond any doubt.
Tommy Bowe’s score 10 minutes from time offered scant consolation for the Ulstermen, who now lie six points adrift of the French side in Pool One, with Wasps and Harlequins still to play before the second round is complete.
Director of Rugby Les Kiss prioritised experience over youth in his starting XV, particularly in a backline whose average age totalled 30, and where two of the most notable performers of the campaign to date – Jacob Stockdale and John Cooney – made way for seasoned European veterans Bowe and Paul Marshall.
Two further changes among the backs brought Trimble in for Louis Ludik and Darren Cave in place of Luke Marshall at centre, while full-back Charles Piutau, centre Stuart McCloskey and out-half Lealiifano retained their places.
In the front row Callum Black replaced Kyle McCall at loosehead, lining up alongside Rob Herring and Wiehahn Herbst. Kieran Treadwell continued in the engine room, this time partnered by Alan O’Connor with captain Iain Henderson moving to the back row alongside the returning Chris Henry and Number Eight Sean Reidy.
Notable entrants from the bench were Robbie Diack, only the third player in history to earn 200 caps for the province, and Rory Best, back in action for the first time this term after sustaining a hamstring injury in training.
La Rochelle had issued a stern warning with their bonus-point victory at Harlequins in Round One, and after weathering an early storm from Ulster led by Piutau, grounded their first try within three minutes, Jérémy Sinzelle the scorer after a perilously high pass from Trimble to Lealiifano was intercepted in midfield.
Out-half Ryan Lamb converted, but was soon limping off after a heavy knock to be replaced by Paul Jordaan. Ulster made the most of the unexpected disruption to the La Rochelle gameplan, striking back masterfully in the ninth minute through a move started and finished by Lealiifano, assisted by a fine pull-back pass from Cave and a final one-two between the out-half and Bowe.
Sustained Ulster pressure soon saw Lealiifano add a penalty to his conversion, but into the second quarter, which very much belonged to the hosts, Alexi Bales’s kick levelled the scoreboard at 10 - 10 after a Gabriel Lacroix touchdown had been ruled out by referee Nigel Owens for a forward pass.
The Frenchmen mauled their way to within inches of the line where an Ulster offside presented Bales with three more points, and as the hosts enjoyed their best phase of possession and pressure in the half, Ulster were thankful for the breathing space afforded them by a crooked lineout put-in and an early engagement at the resulting scrum.
Half-Time Score La Rochelle 13 Ulster 10
An uncharacteristic knock-on from Piutau put Ulster under the cosh seconds from the restart, and although a fine wrap-up from McCloskey and Cave on Bales bought Ulster some time, side entry then an offiside as they frantically defended their line against the behemoths of the La Rochelle pack brought the threat of a yellow card from Owens.
However a crooked feed to the scrum from Bales immediately got Ulster out of jail – although their task became more difficult again as an injury to Lealiifano forced him off, replaced by Cooney. As Ulster had done in the first half, La Rochelle capitalised on the readjustment at half-back, with a scything run from Lacroix and quick hands from Geoffrey Doumayrou undoing the Ulster defence to allow Victor Vito through the middle for the try.
Stockdale soon followed Cooney into the fray in place of Trimble, but another misplaced pass, this time from the makeshift out-half, looked to have sealed Ulster’s fate on 55 minutes, only for the TMO to confirm that Bowe’s tackle had just forced Jordaan into touch as he dove over by the left-hand corner flag.
It was a mere reprieve, however, as the inevitable came on 59 minutes, Kevin Gourdon bundling over after a seemingly interminable phase of close-range mauling from the men in black and yellow.
As the strain finally took its toll Ulster collapsed just after the hour mark, letting Pierre Aguiilon dart in for the bonus-point try, then lock Jason Eaton for the fifth moments later.
A neat grubber from Piutau got Bowe in for his 29th European try with 10 minutes remaining, but as the match closed out the prospect of two more tries for a bonus point was never a realistic target, as indeed it was the hosts who looked more likely to add to their account.
Ulster return to Guinness Pro14 duty next, with interprovincial rivals Leinster the visitors to the Kingpsan Stadium on Saturday 28 October.
Full-Time Score La Rochelle 41 Ulster 17
La Rochelle (15 – 9) Vincent Rattez; Gabriel Lacroix, Geoffrey Doumayrou, Pierre Aguillon, Jeremy Sinzelle; Ryan Lamb, Alexi Bales
(1 – 8) Dany Priso, Hikario Forbes, Uini Atonio, Jason Eaton (c), Jone Qovu Nailiko, Botia Veivuke, Kevin Gourdon, Victor Vito
Replacements (16 – 23) Pierre Bourgarit, Mike Corbel, Vincent Pelo, William Demotte, Romain Sazy, Jean-Victor Goillot, Paul Jordaan, Elliot Roudil
Ulster (15 – 9) Charles Piutau; Andrew Trimble, Darren Cave, Stuart McCloskey, Tommy Bowe; Christian Lealiifano, Paul Marshall
(1 – 8) Callum Black, Rob Herring, Wiehahn Herbst, Kieran Treadwell, Alan O’Connor, Iain Henderson (c), Chris Henry, Sean Reidy
Replacements (16 – 23) Rory Best, Andrew Warwick, Rodney Ah You, Robbie Diack, Matt Rea, John Cooney, Luke Marshall, Jacob Stockdale
With 10 first-half points from Christian Lealiifano, Ulster held their own until a third quarter where the unrelenting force of the Rochelais front eight simply wore the travelling defence out, and four tries in 15 minutes put the outcome beyond any doubt.
Tommy Bowe’s score 10 minutes from time offered scant consolation for the Ulstermen, who now lie six points adrift of the French side in Pool One, with Wasps and Harlequins still to play before the second round is complete.
Director of Rugby Les Kiss prioritised experience over youth in his starting XV, particularly in a backline whose average age totalled 30, and where two of the most notable performers of the campaign to date – Jacob Stockdale and John Cooney – made way for seasoned European veterans Bowe and Paul Marshall.
Two further changes among the backs brought Trimble in for Louis Ludik and Darren Cave in place of Luke Marshall at centre, while full-back Charles Piutau, centre Stuart McCloskey and out-half Lealiifano retained their places.
In the front row Callum Black replaced Kyle McCall at loosehead, lining up alongside Rob Herring and Wiehahn Herbst. Kieran Treadwell continued in the engine room, this time partnered by Alan O’Connor with captain Iain Henderson moving to the back row alongside the returning Chris Henry and Number Eight Sean Reidy.
Notable entrants from the bench were Robbie Diack, only the third player in history to earn 200 caps for the province, and Rory Best, back in action for the first time this term after sustaining a hamstring injury in training.
La Rochelle had issued a stern warning with their bonus-point victory at Harlequins in Round One, and after weathering an early storm from Ulster led by Piutau, grounded their first try within three minutes, Jérémy Sinzelle the scorer after a perilously high pass from Trimble to Lealiifano was intercepted in midfield.
Out-half Ryan Lamb converted, but was soon limping off after a heavy knock to be replaced by Paul Jordaan. Ulster made the most of the unexpected disruption to the La Rochelle gameplan, striking back masterfully in the ninth minute through a move started and finished by Lealiifano, assisted by a fine pull-back pass from Cave and a final one-two between the out-half and Bowe.
Sustained Ulster pressure soon saw Lealiifano add a penalty to his conversion, but into the second quarter, which very much belonged to the hosts, Alexi Bales’s kick levelled the scoreboard at 10 - 10 after a Gabriel Lacroix touchdown had been ruled out by referee Nigel Owens for a forward pass.
The Frenchmen mauled their way to within inches of the line where an Ulster offside presented Bales with three more points, and as the hosts enjoyed their best phase of possession and pressure in the half, Ulster were thankful for the breathing space afforded them by a crooked lineout put-in and an early engagement at the resulting scrum.
Half-Time Score La Rochelle 13 Ulster 10
An uncharacteristic knock-on from Piutau put Ulster under the cosh seconds from the restart, and although a fine wrap-up from McCloskey and Cave on Bales bought Ulster some time, side entry then an offiside as they frantically defended their line against the behemoths of the La Rochelle pack brought the threat of a yellow card from Owens.
However a crooked feed to the scrum from Bales immediately got Ulster out of jail – although their task became more difficult again as an injury to Lealiifano forced him off, replaced by Cooney. As Ulster had done in the first half, La Rochelle capitalised on the readjustment at half-back, with a scything run from Lacroix and quick hands from Geoffrey Doumayrou undoing the Ulster defence to allow Victor Vito through the middle for the try.
Stockdale soon followed Cooney into the fray in place of Trimble, but another misplaced pass, this time from the makeshift out-half, looked to have sealed Ulster’s fate on 55 minutes, only for the TMO to confirm that Bowe’s tackle had just forced Jordaan into touch as he dove over by the left-hand corner flag.
It was a mere reprieve, however, as the inevitable came on 59 minutes, Kevin Gourdon bundling over after a seemingly interminable phase of close-range mauling from the men in black and yellow.
As the strain finally took its toll Ulster collapsed just after the hour mark, letting Pierre Aguiilon dart in for the bonus-point try, then lock Jason Eaton for the fifth moments later.
A neat grubber from Piutau got Bowe in for his 29th European try with 10 minutes remaining, but as the match closed out the prospect of two more tries for a bonus point was never a realistic target, as indeed it was the hosts who looked more likely to add to their account.
Ulster return to Guinness Pro14 duty next, with interprovincial rivals Leinster the visitors to the Kingpsan Stadium on Saturday 28 October.
Full-Time Score La Rochelle 41 Ulster 17
La Rochelle (15 – 9) Vincent Rattez; Gabriel Lacroix, Geoffrey Doumayrou, Pierre Aguillon, Jeremy Sinzelle; Ryan Lamb, Alexi Bales
(1 – 8) Dany Priso, Hikario Forbes, Uini Atonio, Jason Eaton (c), Jone Qovu Nailiko, Botia Veivuke, Kevin Gourdon, Victor Vito
Replacements (16 – 23) Pierre Bourgarit, Mike Corbel, Vincent Pelo, William Demotte, Romain Sazy, Jean-Victor Goillot, Paul Jordaan, Elliot Roudil
Ulster (15 – 9) Charles Piutau; Andrew Trimble, Darren Cave, Stuart McCloskey, Tommy Bowe; Christian Lealiifano, Paul Marshall
(1 – 8) Callum Black, Rob Herring, Wiehahn Herbst, Kieran Treadwell, Alan O’Connor, Iain Henderson (c), Chris Henry, Sean Reidy
Replacements (16 – 23) Rory Best, Andrew Warwick, Rodney Ah You, Robbie Diack, Matt Rea, John Cooney, Luke Marshall, Jacob Stockdale