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Neither side hit the ground running in the opening round of the European Rugby Champions Cup but they came away with very different results. - 23/10/2014 14:23
Neither side hit the ground running in the opening round of the European Rugby Champions Cup but they came away with very different results.
Ulster were caught horribly cold at Welford Road where they conceded three tries to Leicester Tigers in the first-half alone. New head coach Neil Doak will have taken some solace from their recovery in the second-half but knows they cannot afford a similar start this week against the defending champions.
“The first-half against Leicester failed to provide a solid platform. We just didn’t compose ourselves and let them into the game,” said Doak. “We struggled for possession and that’s something have to look at for this week.
“When you don’t have a set-piece then it can be a hard-slog and opponents at this level capitalise on that. We had a couple of chances and got back in the game.
“When we have possession have decent players in space who can cause any team problems. We work hard on being patient and putting the right players on the ball.”
Ulster’s Kingspan Stadium, formerly known as Ravenhill, may have a different name but will present the same challenge for any visiting team. They have only lost twice in their last 18 European games, though were beaten last time out, by Saracens in the quarter-finals.
Toulon got the defence of their title off to a winning start but did not have things their own way at home to Scarlets. At one stage they trailed 10-8 before Steffon Armitage inspired a comeback with yet another man of the match display.
Does this man have enough room in his apartment on the Cote d’Azur to fit all those trophies? It is hard to believe this is only Toulon’s fourth season in Europe’s top tier, having twice lifted the cup, so this will be the first meeting between two clubs.
Toulon director of rugby Bernard Laporte said: “Ulster lost last weekend and do not want to lose at home so we expect a big game. We did not get a bonus point last week but that will not decide qualification, that depends on who wins the most games. This is the European Cup. We know what it is, we have won twice.”
Match Facts
- Cette rencontre sera la première entre les deux équipes en compétition européenne.
- L’Ulster a gagné six de ses sept derniers matches face à un adversaire français et 11 de ses 13 derniers à domicile face aux équipes d’outre-Manche dans la compétition.
- Toulon a affronté des adversaires irlandais à quatre reprises précédemment dans la compétition, s’imposant lors des trois dernières. Toutefois, sa seule défaite est sa plus lourde dans la compétition (18-45 v Munster).
- L’Ulster Rugby peut franchir la barre des 2,500 points contre le RC Toulon; les Irlandais comptent actuellement 2,491 points dans le tournoi.
- Les cinq défaites de Toulon dans la compétition ont toutes eu lieu à l’extérieur.
- L’Ulster a perdu son dernier match à domicile dans la compétition (un quart de finale contre les Saracens en 2013/14). Il n’en a plus perdu deux d’affilée à domicile depuis 2007/08.
- Tommy Bowe a marqué son 25e essai dans le tournoi le week-end dernier, remontant à la 6e place des meilleurs marqueurs d’essais du tournoi.
- L’Ulster a gagné 16 de ses 17 derniers matches à domicile en phase de poules de ce tournoi.
- Le week-end dernier, l’Ulster a perdu son match d’ouverture de la compétition pour la première fois depuis l’exercice 2008/09.
- L’Ulster Rugby a perdu deux matches consécutifs dans ce tournoi pour la première fois depuis 2008/09.
C'est avec la réception de Llanelli que le RC Toulon entame sa campagne européenne
Toulon underlined their status as kings of European rugby with an impressive 23-13 dismantling of Ulster at the Kingspan Stadium.
The French side were not at their best in beating the Scarlets last weekend, but they were back in stride as they overpowered their hosts.
Wings Bryan Habana and Delon Armitage got their tries, with Leigh Halfpenny adding 13 points with the boot.
Craig Gilroy got a late consolation score for Ulster, with replacement Ian Humphreys missing a last-gasp penalty to salvage a bonus point.
It means the hosts have lost their first two Pool 3 games, but Toulon are sitting pretty having picked up two victories.
Halfpenny kicked them into an early lead with two penalties, before a sharp Gilroy break gave Ulster the field position for Paddy Jackson to put them on the board.
But Toulon were in control. Steffon Armitage was a nuisance at the breakdown and Mathieu Bastareaud caused havoc in midfield.
They retained control despite the loss to injury of Juan Martin Fernandez Lobbe and Matt Giteau to injury inside the opening half an hour, with Juan Smith and James O’Connor their replacements.
Toulon ought to have scored the opening try when Delon Armitage was sent clear, only for Halfpenny’s final pass to be ruled forward.
It was a brief reprieve for Ulster. Halfpenny quickly slotted his third penalty and then Habana struck on half-time.
Smith and Chris Masoe both produced excellent offloads to send the Springbok racing in at the corner, with Halfpenny converting.
Ulster came back out with the wind behind them in the second half and Jackson’s second penalty trimmed the deficit to 10 points.
But any hopes of a comeback were killed off by Delon Armitage. The French side’s defence looked in disarray after conceding a turnover, only for Armitage to race out of the line and pick off Nick Williams’ pass to dot down under the posts.
There was no way back for Ulster, although clever footwork from Gilroy did give them a late shot at a bonus point, only for Humphreys to push his final penalty attempt.
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