Match Previews

Match Day Guide | Ulster v Toulouse

9th December 2020
Here’s everything you need to know ahead of Ulster Rugby's eagerly anticipated showdown with French powerhouses Toulouse in the opening round of the 2020/21 Heineken Champions Cup…
MATCH DETAILS
  • Date: Friday 11 December 2020
  • Kick-Off: 8:00 pm
  • Venue: Kingspan Stadium
  • Competition: Heineken Champions Cup Round 1
  • Match Officials: Ref: Matthew Carley (England) Asst Ref 1: Sean Gallagher (Ireland) Asst Ref 2: Robert O'Sullivan (Ireland) TMO: Joy Neville (Ireland)
  • Live TV: BT Sport
 
SAFE RETURN TO RUGBY
We are delighted to be welcoming 500 supporters to Kingspan Stadium on Friday. To ensure a safe and enjoyable experience for all supporters, staff and stewards, Ulster Rugby has launched a COVID-19 Spectator Code of Conduct. Supporters should also familiarise themselves with the Kingspan Stadium regulations and the NI Executive public health advice at nidirect.gov.uk/coronavirus. Both the entering and exiting of the stadium will be phased to ensure the free flow of supporters.
Entry Phase 1 (7.00-7.30pm):
  • Grandstand: Enter via Mount Merrion Ave
 Entry Phase 2 (7.30-8.00pm):
  • Memorial Stand: Enter via Mount Merrion Ave
Exit Phase 1:
  • Grandstand: Exit via Mount Merrion Ave
 Exit Phase 2:
  • Memorial Stand: Exit via Mount Merrion Ave
  Image removed. Watch the video below for some more details on the measures taken to ensure a safe and enjoyable match-day experience for supporters returning to Kingspan Stadium. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4pAOSm9Lke4  
TICKETS
Supporters attending the game should have your ticket ready for contactless entry when they approach the stadium. You can either:
  • Log in to Account Manager on your smartphone to see your mobile ticket, or
  • Use the print at home option for a paper ticket.
More info on using Account Manager can be found here.  
TEAM NEWS
Here is your Ulster team for Friday's showdown... Image removed. And here is the Toulouse team that will travel to Belfast...  
Official Match Programme
 
Key Stats
  • Ulster and Toulouse have met 10 times before in the Heineken Champions Cup, Ulster hold a narrow head-to-head advantage having won five of those clashes (D1, L4).
  • Ulster have won each of their last nine home games in the Heineken Champions Cup, Bordeaux were the last side to beat them on their own patch (Round 6, 2016/17).
  • Ulster were the only side to not receive a card of any colour in the Heineken Champions Cup last season. In contrast Toulouse were shown three yellow cards and one red in 2019/20.
  • Toulouse averaged the most metres gained (482) in the Heineken Champions Cup last season, as well as the most offloads per game (13.6).
  • Toulouse’s Sofiane Guitoune made the most offloads in the Heineken Champions Cup last season (17), while his teammate Thomas Ramos gained the most metres in 2019/20 (651).
 
STADIUM FACILITIES
There will be limited catering and retail facilities available on Friday. All stadium bars will remain closed. Catering
  • Two food trucks serving hot food and refreshments will be located within the food village.
  Kukri Store
  • Supporters can access the Kukri Store directly before the game and at half-time. Click and collect is also available when pre-ordering at ulsterrugbyshop.com.
 
National Christmas Jumper Day
Friday 11 December is also National Christmas Jumper Day, so we'd love to see some supporters wearing their favourite Christmas jumpers, hats or other accessories at Kingspan Stadium. If they're red and white, even better! If you like, you can also support our official Charity Partner, Extern's Christmas jumper campaign by donating Β£2/€2 at extern.org. The Cool FM Crew will also be in attendance, playing a selection of festive themed music to get you in the spirit! Image removed.  
TEAM TALK
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NEW TOURNAMENT FORMAT
The 2020/21 Heineken Champions Cup will be competed for by 24 clubs with the eight highest-ranked representatives from the Gallagher Premiership, the Guinness PRO14 and the TOP 14 securing their places. The clubs were divided into two pools of 12 by means of a draw and the tournament will be played over eight weekends with four rounds of matches in the pool stage followed by a knockout stage consisting of home and away quarter-finals, semi-finals and the final in Marseille on 22 May 2021. The four highest-ranked clubs in each pool will qualify for the quarter-finals, and the clubs ranked numbers 5 to 8 in each pool will compete in the knockout stage of the Challenge Cup. Image removed. Ulster will face Toulouse and Gloucester, and will play both teams home and away either side of Christmas. Image removed.  
HEINEKEN #SUFTUMATHOME COMPETITION
Image removed. Our partners at Heineken are offering a pair of tickets to a future Ulster Rugby Heineken Champions Cup fixture at Kingspan Stadium plus a Heineken goodie bag to one lucky winner. To be in with a chance of winning, simply post a picture of yourself on Twitter, Instagram or Facebook supporting Ulster at home this weekend, along with the hashtag #SUFTUMAtHome – then we’ll pick the best entry. Create your own match-day - to help you get you started, we’ve created a downloadable #SUFTUMAtHome Heineken Champions Cup Supporters Pack, including Ulster Rugby bunting, flags and other fun decorations and games for all the family. Download: Competitions Terms & Conditions.  
Last Time Out
It has been less than two months since Ulster and Toulouse locked horns in the quarter-finals of the 2019/20 Heineken Champions Cup. On that occasion, the home side powered to an impressive win at the Stade Ernest Wallon to end Ulster's interest in the competition. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hwOu_FSDEcQ