Ulster 19

Bordeaux-Bègles 40

ULSTER WERE UNABLE to live with Bordeaux’s finishing power as the Top 14 side swept to victory at the Kingspan Stadium, scoring six tries to three and consigning Richie Murphy’s men to a second bid defeat to French opposition.

Ulster were unable to score any points in the second half after leading 19-14 at the midway point following tries by Cormac Izuchukwu, Nick Timoney and Werner Kok.

The visitors started quickly and accurately. Some rather soft defending at the front of a lineout from a penalty put to the corner allowed Tevita Tatafu drive over the Ulster line after just two minutes had gone on the clock.

Joey Carbery then added a superb conversion from the touchline and the visitors had got off to the ideal start.

But Ulster struck back, loose ball in Bordeaux’s red zone created the chance for Cormac Izuchukwu to barrel over and Nathan Doak tie things up on six minutes.

And it got better for the Irish province after flanker Marko Gazzotti was yellow-carded in the 17th minute, as Nick Timoney got through from a tap and go to score.

Doak provided the complete set with a well struck conversion.

Then with Bordeaux still down to 14, Maxim Lucu looked as if he had scored however referee Gianluca Gnecchi went upstairs and awarded a penalty try sending David McCann to the bin moments after Gazzotti had returned to the action.

Bordeaux were forced to play with reduced numbers again when Jefferson Poirot was binned for kicking the ball out of a ruck in the 31st minute and moments later, Yoram Moefana followed him after a high shot on Timoney.

Matéo Garcia celebrates with Louis Bielle-Biarrey. Morgan Treacy / INPHO Morgan Treacy / INPHO / INPHO

Ulster’s 14 were now facing 13 but they only got back on the scoreboard when McCann returned to bring Ulster back to full complement and with the clock in red, Werner Kok raced over.

Doak, though, missed the conversion and Ulster trooped off leading 19-14. As things stood, it would be their last points.

The new half began with Bordeaux back up to 15 again, and Ulster on the advance, only for McCann’s poor pass to Aidan Morgan to be knocked on by the home team’s 10 and the moment was gone.

Then on a rare sortie into Ulster’s red zone, the visitors finally found a way through just after the hour and though Kieran Treadwell pulled off a great tackle on the left, the French had numbers right allowing Damian Penaud a walk-in over at the corner.

But Bordeaux came again, this time Penaud providing an inside pass for lock Guido Petti to break tackles and dot down for the bonus point score. Matéo Garcia converted.

It got worse for Ulster: Bordeaux broke out with 10 minutes to go, Louis Bielle-Biarrey racing clear to run it in, Garcia to convert and he also put over the two-pointer when Ugo Boniface finished it all off in the last minute.

Ulster: M Lowry; W Kok, J Postlethwaite, S McCloskey, Z Ward; A Morgan, N Doak; E O’Sullivan, R Herring, T O’Toole; I Henderson (capt), K Treadwell; C Izuchukwu, N Timoney, D McCann.

Replacements: J Andrew for Herring 69mins, A Warwick for O’Sullivan 46mins, S Wilson for O’Toole 69mins, H Sheridan for Henderson 63mins, Marcus Rea for Izuchukwu 55mins, D Shanahan for Doak 55mins, J Humphreys for Morgan 63mins, R Telfer for Lowry 76mins.

Bordeaux Bègles: L Bielle-Biarrey; D Penaud, N Depoortere, Y Moefana, A Retiere; J Carbery, M Lucu; J Poirot (captain), R Laterrade, C Sadie; G Petti, J Gray; M Gazzotti, L Swinton, T Tatafu.

Replacements: M Lamothe for Laterrade 46mins, U Boniface for Tatafu 32-40mins for Poirot 46mins, B Tameifuna for Sadie 46mins, A Coleman for Gray 24mins, A Ricard for mins, B Vergnes-Tallefier for Swinton 53mins, B Tapuai unused, M Garcia for Carbery 64mins.

Referee: G Gnecchi (Ita).