Latest
Overview
Season so far
Tournament record
There was a lot of frustration and anger flying around in the Ulster Rugby and Exeter Chiefs camps after they fluffed their lines on opening night in the Champions Cup. - 20/10/2016 10:23
There was a lot of frustration and anger flying around in the Ulster Rugby and Exeter Chiefs camps after they fluffed their lines on opening night in the Champions Cup.
Ulster let a 10-3 half-time lead slip from their grasp in Bordeaux, where they slumped to a 28-13 defeat by conceding three tries in the space of six minutes in the final quarter, and their performance drew scathing response from their Performance Director, Bryn Cunningham.
The 1999 European Cup winner called the effort at Stade Chaban-Delmas as “nothing short of atrocious”. Meanwhile, Chiefs head coach Rob Baxter said he wanted to see his team heading to Belfast as a group of “angry men” after their 35-3 home defeat to ASM Clermont Auvergne.
It all adds up to a potentially explosive mix as both teams battle to stay in contention in Pool 5.Uster may be sitting on top of the Guinness PRO12, but they have lost their last two games, were beaten 25-19 by the Chiefs in a pre-season friendly and have lost their first home game in the past two Champions Cup campaigns.
The game will provide two players in the Chiefs back line, Gareth Steenson and Ian Whitten, with a return to their home town and Steenson believes last week’s heavy home defeat could be a blessing in disguise.
“I think we got a really good wake-up call and, strangely, that result is going to work out as a good thing for us moving forward. We now understand what it takes, we want to be a top team and that means playing like it every week,” said Steenson.
“We tasted a wee bit of success last year, albeit we won nothing – and we need to remember that because we didn’t win anything and we have to make sure we want to push on.
“We had a taste of the big stage and it just feels like we are waiting for something to happen, whereas last season was about us going and actually taking it, fighting for everything. We are no longer the underdogs this season, we are almost waiting for that plucky performance when actually we need to go out and put in performances week after week.
“I don’t mind losing, but the manner of the defeat last week – it was just not up to scratch. We seemed to just fold a little bit.”
Match Facts
- This will be the first meeting between the clubs, and Ulster will be the third Irish province Exeter have faced in Europe. They lost twice to Leinster in the Champions Cup in 2012/13, but beat Connacht twice in the Challenge Cup in 2014/15.
- Ulster lost their last home game against Premiership opposition (v Saracens last season), however, they’ve not lost consecutive home games against clubs from England since losing their first four games between 1996 and 2001.
- Exeter have won just twice away from home in the competition (L8), and both of those wins came in Wales.
- Despite suffering their biggest home defeat in the Champions Cup since their first home game in 2012, Exeter had more time in possession than any other side in Round 1 (23m 46s).
- Ulster won their final two home pool games of the 2015/16 campaign by a combined scoreline of 94-3, beating Toulouse and Oyonnax.
En clôture de sa première campagne en Champions Cup
Paddy Jackson’s late drop goal capped a thrilling finish as Ulster edged out Exeter 19-18 in a tense European Rugby Champions Cup Pool 5 clash at the Kingspan Stadium.
Paddy Jackson’s late drop goal capped a thrilling finish as Ulster edged out Exeter 19-18 in a tense European Rugby Champions Cup Pool 5 clash at the Kingspan Stadium.
The boot of fly-half Gareth Steenson looked to have given the visitors the spoils when he added to his five penalties by landing his own drop goal with four minutes remaining.
But Ulster, who scored the only try of the game through flanker Sean Reidy, got back up off the canvas for Jackson, who ended with 14 points, to land the knock-out punch and boost their qualification hopes after defeat in Bordeaux in round 1.
The two fly-halves traded penalties during the early going, with Steenson kicking two to Jackson’s one to give the Chiefs a 6-3 lead.
It was an advantage they held on to during an extended spell of Ulster pressure when a try had appeared certain to arrive. Time and again the Irish province set-up a purposeful driving maul close to the tryline, and time and again it was repelled.
The Chiefs did have to infringe to keep their line intact, but were able to lift the siege by driving the Ulster pack into touch and clearing their lines.
But there was nothing to do to stop Charles Piutau, who ended their European adventure last season, from creating the only try of the game.
The New Zealand international, who scored a late try for Wasps to eliminate Exeter at the quarter-finals stages of last year’s competition, popped up in midfield to weave his way past three tacklers and race into the 22.
The winger released the ball and flanker Reidy was on hand to scoop the ball up and beat Steenson’s attempted tackle to dot down.
Jackson added the conversion and slotted a penalty early in the second half to give the hosts a seven-point advantage.
But the Chiefs were not done and quickly responded with two Steenson penalties, the second of which came after a brilliant take and surge upfield from wing Olly Woodburn.
Jackson and Steenson again exchanged penalties, and the Exeter man looked to have won it with his drop goal, only for Jackson to hold his nerve and reply almost immediately.
Steenson had one last chance to win it, but his attempt at another drop goal just faded wide of the uprights as Ulster held on.
LIVE - TEST - Commentary