European Champions Cup: Toulon qualify for quarter-finals with demolition of Ulster
Last Updated: 17/01/15 10:28pm
Toulon showed why they are the team to beat in Europe with a devastating 60-22 win over Ulster at Stade Felix Mayol on Saturday.
The win meant that Toulon became the first side this season to qualify for the quarter-finals, with a round still to go in the pool stages.
Toulon, looking to become the first team to win three European titles in a row, scored eight tries as Steffon Armitage scored a hat-trick and Nicolas Sanchez, Bryan Habana, Mathieu Bastareaud, Martin Castrogiovanni and Mamuka Gorgodze all went over.
Leigh Halfpenny also waded in with the boot, converting seven of the eight tries and adding two penalties for a individual tally of 20 points.
Toulon hit their straps early on when Maxime Mermoz put outside-half Sanchez under the posts with less than three minutes on the clock. Halfpenny kicked the conversion and then first penalty before Ulster forced their way back into the contest with a try from fly-half Paddy Jackson.
Halfpenny added a second penalty before Ulster grabbed their second try when flanker Mike McComish touched down from a driving line-out. Ulster were then dealt a double blow when Jackson suffered a shoulder injury and, with the visitors temporarily down to 14 men, Bastareaud found Habana forToulon's second try.
Bastareaud then got on the score sheet when he rolled his way over from five metres just before half-time to give Toulon a 17-point advantage at the break.
Toulon sealed the bonus point on 49 minutes when Castrogiovanni went over near the touchline and it sparked a superb final half-hour from the home side.
Try of the season?
First, Armitage grabbed try No 5 before a wonderful passage of play between forwards and backs was finished off by replacement Gorgodze for a contender for try of the season.
Castrogiovanni created the overlap by drawing defenders and putting the backs in space. Habana broke free before his pass found Gorgodze who scored.
Armitage got his second of the afternoon when he was driven over from a set piece with 15 minutes to go before Ulster salvaged a bit of pride with a third try from Jared Payne. McComish then got the bonus point for the visitors with his second try.
However, it was not enough to save Ulster and there was still time for Armitage to secure his hat-trick as Toulon condemned Ulster to their heaviest defeat in European history while booking themselves a home quarter-final.
