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Simon Zebo in Champions Cup semi-final action for Munster Rugby against his current team, Racing 92.
2018 finalists Racing 92 can take a huge step towards the Heineken Champions Cup last eight with a victory over Ulster Rugby at Kingspan Stadium on Saturday afternoon. The match is live on BT Sport and beIN SPORTS from 15:15 GMT.
- This will be the second meeting between Ulster and Racing 92, with the TOP 14 side winning 44-12 in the Round 2 clash at Paris La Défense Arena.
- Racing are one of just three clubs to have won all four games this season, along with Toulouse and Saracens.
- Ulster and Racing were the only two sides to claim maximum points in this season’s back-to-back matches, both claiming bonus point victories home and away against Scarlets and Leicester Tigers respectively.
- Despite kicking from hand more often than any other side, Racing have made the most metres per game (566) and averaged the most clean breaks (13.8). Ulster have made the fourth most metres this season (474).
🗣Ulster skipper @RoryBest2 is looking forward to another massive challenge this Saturday.
Limited tickets for Ulster v Racing are available at https://t.co/1epuAjw4mP #SUFTUM pic.twitter.com/npZcExrzTk
— Ulster Rugby (@UlsterRugby) January 10, 2019
- No player has made more try assists this season than Ulster’s Billy Burns (4, level with Scarlets’ Gareth Davies and Joe Simpson of Wasps) who has provided two pass assists and two kick assists in his four games.
- Racing prop, Guram Gogichashvili, has made 33 tackles without missing this season, only Newcastle Falcons’ Mark Wilson (36/36) amd Montpellier’s Wian Liebenberg (34) have made more without missing one.
- Ulster’s Jacob Stockdale and Racing 92’s Juan Imhoff have each scored four tries this season, no other player has scored more (level with Sean Maitland of Saracens and Toulouse’s Sofiane Guitoune). Stockdale is the only player to cross the try line in every match this season.
💬 | Les Déclas | @UlsterRugby vs Racing 92
"Il faut garder en tête que l'Ulster est un prétendant à la qualification"
Découvrez les déclas de Ben Volavola, Antonie Claassen, Baptiste Chouzenoux & Laurent Labit avant le déplacement à Belfast ! #ULSvR92 pic.twitter.com/GilrbXdnfE
— Racing 92 (@racing92) January 9, 2019
Jacob Stockdale celebrates his first try of the match
Ulster Rugby enhanced their Heineken Champions Cup quarter-final prospects after a 26-22 Pool 4 victory over Racing 92 at Kingspan Stadium on Saturday.
It was a tremendous start for the home side who won the early penalty kick inside the Racing half, allowing Billy Burns to give Ulster a 3-0 lead.
Robert Baloucoune on his European debut then scored Ulster’s first try of the match, showing great hands and awareness to speed away towards the corner.
The Irish province extended their lead on 13 minutes with a splendid passing move and it eventually found that man Jacob Stockdale who cruised past the final Racing defender and dived over the line.
Racing 92 did hit back immediately through Virimi Vakatawa, breaking three tackles as he battled over the try line but Finn Russell missed the conversion.
Jacob Stockdale is the only player to have scored in all five rounds of the Heineken Champions Cup so far 🙌
He bagged his 5th try of the pool stages early on against Racing 92…
One of the most ruthless finishers in world rugby 👊 pic.twitter.com/5M51LbmjkS
— Rugby on BT Sport (@btsportrugby) January 12, 2019
Minutes later, Ulster had a kickable penalty and Will Addison this time slotted over for three points.
Simon Zebo was the next man to dive over as he managed to weave past Addison and dot the ball down as he was approaching the touchline, staying in play with some superb agility.
A sensational score from Jacob Stockdale opened up the second half as he stepped out of the tackle, clipped a delightful ball over two Racing defenders, beating them both in the chase and dived over the try line.
Jacob Stockdale HAD NO RIGHT to score from there! 😮
Shrugs the defender off…
Chips a beauty through…
Beats 3 defenders to the ball…On a different level 🙌
His 2nd of the game, his 6th in the tournament which makes him the top scorer. pic.twitter.com/AUjjkdNiir
— Rugby on BT Sport (@btsportrugby) January 12, 2019
Racing were not done yet though and scored two quick-fire tries through Brice Dulin and replacement Oliver Klemenczak, but only one of the conversions could be made so Ulster remained one point ahead.
The French side thought they had the go-ahead try with two minutes to play but the final pass went forward, allowing Ulster to see out the final minutes and secure the victory with a successful Addison penalty kick.
Racing 92 can clinch Pool 4 and a spot in the quarter-finals with a win over Scarlets in Round 6, while Ulster will take on Leicester Tigers at Welford Road.
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