European Rugby Champions Cup: Ulster no match for Toulon
Last Updated: 26/10/14 12:54pm
Ulster’s hopes of reaching the knockout stages of the European Rugby Champions Cup took another blow as they lost 23-13 to Toulon at Kingspan Stadium.
The reigning champions made it two wins from two at the start of this season’s competition, controlling the contest throughout and scoring tries through Bryan Habana and Delon Armitage.
Ulster, who also lost their opening Pool 3 contest against Leicester, struggled to make an impact offensively and only managed a late consolation score through Craig Gilroy.
The French side had the first scoring opportunity after two minutes, but Leigh Halfpenny's wind-assisted penalty from inside his own half - which came just after Juan Fernandez Lobbe had gone off injured - drifted wide.
The Wales star was on target seven minutes later, though, and the lead became 6-0 on 13 minutes when Halfpenny nailed his second penalty after Ulster were penalised for not releasing
Ulster hit back on 20 minutes with Paddy Jackson's first penalty, which came after Louis Ludik was illegally wrapped up in a tackle, and Toulon then lost fly-half Matt Giteau to a leg injury.
The first try looked to have been scored just after the half-hour mark as Toulon moved the ball wide at pace from a lineout and Halfpenny put Armitage clear to dive over in the right corner, only for the final pass to be called forward.
Killer blow
Halfpenny made it 9-3 with two minutes of the half remaining after Ulster's scrum again fell foul of referee Wayne Barnes, but the killer blow then came on the stroke of the interval when Habana scorched over in the corner after a fine offload from Chris Masoe.
The TMO was consulted but awarded the try, which came after Toulon had injected pace into a sweeping move which went left and right. Halfpenny nailed a brilliant conversion and the half ended with the visitors leading 16-3.
Ulster needed to score first after the sides resumed and Jackson did just that on 44 minutes after Armitage's high hit on Stuart Olding was penalised.
Halfpenny was then off-target with a 51st-minute penalty into the wind and four minutes later Jackson did the same.
The game’s decisive score came when Armitage intercepted a Nick Williams pass before racing away upfield to dot down under the posts.
Halfpenny's conversion of the 58th-minute try made it 23-6 to the French side, but the hosts raised hopes of a losing bonus point when Gilroy swept in for a consolation try late on.
Jackson drop-kicked the conversion to narrow the visitors' lead to 23-13 and they saw out the remaining minute without Habana, who was yellow-carded for a deliberate knock-on.
All that remained was Ian Humphreys' penalty shot from halfway for the losing bonus, but it fell short.
