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Heineken Cup heavyweights Ulster Rugby and Leicester Tigers go head-to-head in Belfast on Friday night in one of the most mouth-watering contests in this year's competition. - 08/10/2013 10:49
Heineken Cup heavyweights Ulster Rugby and Leicester Tigers go head-to-head in Belfast on Friday night in one of the most mouth-watering contests in this year’s competition.
Both teams are former European Champions, with Ulster claiming the continent’s top prize in 1999 and Leicester following suit in 2001 and 2002. Both are also recent losing finalists after the Tigers were beaten by London Wasps and Leinster in 2007 and 2009, before Ulster also lost out to Leinster two seasons ago.
The sides met in Europe in the 2011/12 campaign, with Leicester winning 20-9 at Welford Road in Round 2 but Ulster taking revenge with a thumping success at Ravenhill in Round 5.
Ulster were in superb form on that occasion, bagging a crucial bonus point as they handed Richard Cockerill’s men their heaviest Heineken Cup defeat courtesy of a 41-7 scoreline.
Leicester will no doubt have revenge in the back of their minds as they return to Northern Ireland looking to build on last season’s narrow quarter-final defeat to eventual champions RC Toulon.
Ulster also reached the last eight earlier this year and they too were beaten on the road at Saracens. Victory for both sides would have set up a semi-final showdown in Dublin but they have instead had to wait a further six months to square up once again in European competition, although they did meet in a pre-season friendly this summer.
Both teams head into the Heineken Cup in decent form, with Ulster fourth in the RaboDirect PRO12 and Leicester third in the Aviva Premiership.
Ulster have won their last three fixtures after slipping to successive defeats at the start of the season, with their latest victory coming on the road at the previously unbeaten Ospreys.
Leicester drew the East Midlands derby at home to Northampton last weekend and have won one of their two away fixtures after beating Exeter at the end of September.
Match notes
The two clubs have met on four occasions in the Heineken Cup, claiming two wins apiece.
Their last encounter was at Ravenhill in January 2012 when Ulster romped to a 41-7 victory – their third largest win margin in the tournament.
Overall, Ulster have a modest record against English opponents in this tournament, winning 13 and losing 20.
Ulster have won 14 of their last 15 home matches in the Heineken Cup (L1).
The Tigers have won just one of their last six (14-13 v Treviso) away from home in the tournament, losing four and drawing one.
The English club have lost three of their last four against Irish opposition, with their sole win in this run coming against Ulster in November 2011.
Overall, Leicester have won nine and lost 10 against Irish provinces, but just three of those victories have come on Irish soil.
Ulster had the poorest lineout success rate in the Heineken Cup last season, winning just 73% of their own throws.
Ulster’s goalkicking accuracy rate was just 58%, well below the 70% average in the 2012/13 Heineken Cup.
Rory Best won a competition high 14 turnovers in last season’s tournament – five more than any other player.
Ulster Rugby kicked off their Heineken Cup campaign with a hard-fought win over Leicester Tigers. - 11/10/2013 22:45
Ulster Rugby kicked off their Heineken Cup campaign with a hard-fought win over Leicester Tigers.
Logovii Mulipola crashed over inside six minutes at a sold-out Ravenhill but Ulster battled back.
Tommy Bowe hit-back and Paddy Jackson booted Ulster out of reach as the hosts took control of the second-half.
The victory sees Ulster climb straight to the top of Pool Five, while the English champions were able to pick up a losing bonus-point.
Ulster almost scored inside two minutes as the encounter began at a ferocious pace. After a sublime counterattack, the ball was spread wide but Bowe was unable to find Darren Cave.
And within minutes Leicester went in front. A Toby Flood break laid the foundations and Dan Bowden found Mulipola with a sublime pass.
Flood converted but Ulster battled back and levelled the scores after Bowe leapt about Niall Morris to collect Paddy Jackson’s cross-kick with the fly-half converting.
Flood responded once more but Jackson nailed a pair of penalties to hand the hosts a 13-10 half-time lead.
Within three minutes of the restart Jackson intercepted Tom Young’s pass and raced the length of the pitch but Romain Poite adjudged the fly-half to be offside and called play back.
Flood drew level and Ulster were denied once more when they had a try ruled out on 48 minutes.
Luke Marshall released Payne superbly and he sent Cave over but the penultimate pass was ruled forward by the TMO
But Ulster took control of the encounter and Jackson booted the hosts out of reach.
Toby Flood missed a penalty on his own and Owen Williams struck the uprights with a drop-goal but the Welsh fly-half salvaged a losing bonus-point at the death.
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