Fixture News

Report | Toulouse 20 Ulster 26

9th April 2022
Ulster claimed a crucial away win over Toulouse in the Heineken Champions Cup Round of 16 First Leg, giving them a six-point advantage before the return leg at Kingspan Stadium next Saturday.

The visitors had to contend with spending the opening few minutes inside their half as Toulouse had a couple of early penalties. The French side probed Ulster’s defences and eventually, they broke the deadlock as second row Emmanuel Meafou stretched out the arm to score. Thomas Ramos made the conversion to put them 7-0 up.

Toulouse were down to 14 on 10 minutes for the remainder of the game when Juan Cruz Mallía took out Ben Moxham in the air; Moxham being forced off as a result of the collision and Rob Lyttle was introduced to the fray.

It didn’t take long for Ulster to capitalise as they looked to put the ball out wide, with James Hume making a lovely flick to Robert Baloucoune who raced home in the corner. John Cooney fired over the conversion to draw level.

The hosts got their noses in front again four minutes later through a Thomas Ramos penalty. They had another shot just a few minutes later but Ramos’s kick was off-target.

After waves of Ulster pressure and two successive penalties to the corner, the men in white looked to be in a great position to score, but Toulouse made the counter-ruck to get out of immediate danger.

The first scrum of the game came just before half-time, and the home side got the upper-hand to earn the penalty. Thomas Ramos made the kick at goal to put them six points ahead at the break.

Ulster – and Robert Baloucoune- struck for their second try four minutes into the second half, with Stuart McCloskey making a fantastic break to send the winger in for an unconverted brace.

The French side looked like they replied through Matthis Lebel, after moving the ball quickly through the hands, but there was a knock-on from Antoine Dupont in the preceding ruck.

The Ulster men took the lead on 58 minutes, after a torrent of pressure from the visitors, pounding the Toulouse line. Andrew Warwick did really well to hold on to the ball and dive over Toulouse bodies for the try.

Seven minutes later, Ulster found themselves deep inside their own 22, but Robert Baloucoune made a fantastic read to pick off the intercept and nobody was there to catch him as he made his hat-trick, putting 13 points between the two sides.

It took until the 79th minute for Toulouse to reply with a converted Romain Ntamack try, meaning it’s all eyes on Belfast for the Second Leg next Saturday, as Ulster take a six-point advantage to Kingspan Stadium.

Full-time score: Toulouse 20 Ulster 26

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Star of the Match

Scorers

Toulouse

Tries: Emmanueal Meafou, Romain Ntamack

Cons: Thomas Ramos (2)

Pens: Thomas Ramos (2)

 

Ulster

Tries: Robert Baloucoune (3), Andrew Warwick

Cons: John Cooney (3)

Line-ups

Toulouse

(15-9)  Thomas Ramos, Juan Cruz Mallía, Zack Holmes, Pita Ahki, Matthis Lebel, Romain Ntamack, Antoine Dupont (Capt.);

(1-8) Rodrigue Neti, Peato Mauvaka, Dorian Aldegheri, Rory Arnold, Emmanuel Meafou, Rynhardt Elstadt, Thibaud Flament, Francois Cros.

Replacements: Guillaume Cramont, Cyril Baille, Charlie Faumuina, Richie Arnold, Anthony Jelonch, Alban Placines, Martin Page Relo, Sofiane Guitoune,

Ulster

(15-9) Mike Lowry, Robert Baloucoune, James Hume, Stuart McCloskey, Ben Moxham, Billy Burns, John Cooney;

(1-8) Eric O’Sullivan, Rob Herring, Marty Moore, Alan O’Connor, Iain Henderson (Capt.), Marcus Rea, Nick Timoney, Duane Vermeulen.

Replacements: Brad Roberts, Andrew Warwick, Tom O’Toole, Kieran Treadwell, Jordi Murphy, Nathan Doak, Luke Marshall, Rob Lyttle.

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