Beauxis keeps Stade top

Stade Francais took control of Heineken Cup Pool Four thanks to a 29-16 win over Ulster at Stade Jean Bouin.

France fly-half Lionel Beauxis put in a superb display to kick 19 points with his boot, landing seven from seven attempts.

The 24-year-old struck five penalties and converted tries from Dimitri Szarzewski and Benjamin Kayser to put his side in control.

Ian Humphreys kicked 11 points and Andrew Trimble went over with a solo try in the second-half, but Ulster were condemned to their second Heineken Cup loss of the season.

The contest had been scheduled to take place in Brussels on Saturday but snow forced the postponement and the fixture was switched to Stade's Paris home.

The move proved to be the perfect tonic for Jacques Delmas and Didier Faugeron's men, who bossed the game throughout.

There was the prospect of bad blood between the sides following last weekend's 23-13 win for Ulster at Ravenhill - a result that was overshadowed by two instances of eye-gouging.

France scrum-half Julien Dupuy was banned for six months for his attack on Stephen Ferris, while replacement prop David Attoub could also face a ban after being cited for eye-gouging the Ireland and British and Irish Lions flanker.

The clash went without incident tough, and Ulster put the previous game's hostilities behind them to start the brighter of the two sides and take the lead.

Half-time advantage

They drew first blood when Humphreys kicked a penalty but Beauxis soon replied with three points of his own as Stade punished the visitors' indiscipline.

Stade had the momentum and took control of the match when they went in front for the first time, a fine forward effort finished off by Szarzewski.

Beauxis converted to increase the lead before Ulster spurned a chance to get cut the deficit, Humphreys missing the penalty attempt.

The visitors' fly-half made amends soon after to make it 10-6, but another infringement at the breakdown allowed Beauxis to kick his fourth penalty.

Humphreys again continued to impress and keep his side in the clash, the former Leicester Tigers man adding another three points as Stade took a 19-9 half-time advantage.

In the second period Beauxis kicked his fifth penalty to extend the advantage to 13 points as Ulster slipped further behind.

Stade claimed a second try in straightforward fashion as Kayser - a replacement for Szarzewski - touched down to cap a forward drive, Beauxis unsurprisingly converting.

Ulster's faint hopes were boosted when Trimble burst onto Humphreys' pass and powered around Ollie Phillips.

Humphreys converted to cut the gap to 13 points with 11 minutes remaining, although his side could not forge a fightback as Stade held on.