Toulouse 20
Ulster 26
ROBERT BALOUCOUNE’S HAT-trick on his return to the team means Ulster will, incredibly, take a six-point lead back to Kingspan Stadium for the second leg of their Heineken Champions Cup last-16 tie after a 26-20 win over 14-man Toulouse in France.
It was a tale of two wingers at the Stadium de Toulouse as, while Baloucoune was running in a treble, Juan Cruz Mallia left his side facing an uphill battle when he was sent-off in the 11th-minute for upending opposite number Ben Moxham as he leapt to claim a high ball.
The defending champions made a good fist of it in the first half, and they deserved their six-point lead at the interval, but after the break Ulster finally made their numerical advantage pay as Baloucoune rounded off his hat-trick and replacement prop Andrew Warwick also crossed.
With their lead standing at six points returning to Belfast for next Saturday’s second-leg, Ulster could one foot in the quarter-finals, but they will know they still have to get the job done on home soil and, given some of the calls that went against them, Toulouse will be fired up.
There were no complaints over Mallia’s red, but there was plenty of frustration over a disallowed try to Matthis Lebel early in the second half, and Ugo Mola cut an irate figure on the touchline when referee Wayne Barnes did not refer Baloucoune’s hat-trick score to the TMO for a potential offside.
And they gave themselves a crucial lifeline going into the second-leg when Romain Ntamack crossed with just seconds to go and they nearly stole the win when they went the length of the pitch with the clock in the red, only for replacement scrum-half Martin Page-Relo to knock-on.
An utterly enthralling game that left all 15 players on the pitch gasping for air at the full-time whistle and, even more excitingly, they do it all again in seven days’ time.
It had all looked rather concerning for Ulster just seven minutes in when the hosts got on the board as they flexed their forward muscles, Rory Arnold putting in a big carry to set up the platform for his second row partner Emmanuel Meafou to burst the tackles of Marcus Rea and Rob Herring to stretch over the line for the opening score.
But then a moment of madness from Mallia cost him the rest of the game, the winger completely misjudging his contest for the ball and wiping out Moxham at the peak of his jump. The crowd didn’t like the call, but there were no complaints on the pitch.
With the extra man, Ulster struck immediately off the resulting penalty as Billy Burns kicked into the 22, and after some nice carries close to the line by Nick Timoney and Marty Moore to suck in the defence, one more from Duane Vermeulen set up the platform for James Hume to send Baloucoune over untouched in the corner.
The winger nearly added a world class solo effort shortly after when a pop pass out the back from Stuart McCloskey sent him searing through on halfway and up into the 22, but a desperate diving tackle from Thomas Ramos managed to halt him just when it looked like he might go all the way.
Instead it was Ramos himself who got the next score, sending over a penalty to put the hosts 10-7 ahead, and he would add another on the stroke of half-time after a scrum infringement from the visitors to have Toulouse six points to the good at the interval.
That was largely down to how Ulster were failing to hold onto the ball, a combination of their own poor execution in the red zone – such as Eric O’Sullivan’s missed pop pass to McCloskey – and their inability to service the breakdown efficiently, with Rynhardt Elstadt running rampant in the back row.
But what they failed to do in the first half, they achieved just five minutes into the second. Two fine carries from Marcus Rea and O’Sullivan punched the holes in the defence that the backs needed, and when James Hume put Stuart McCloskey through the defensive line, the centre had Baloucoune on his shoulder to take it the rest of the way.
The crowd were moved to jeers four minutes later when Lebel had a try ruled out, the winger finishing off a fine move that started inside their own 22, only for the TMO to point out that Antoine Dupont had knocked the ball on in the build-up, and that feeling of injustice was only heightened when Ulster finally used their numerical advantage to their favour.
First came Warwick’s score, the prop the one to burrow over from close range after a maul was brought down just shy of the try line, and then Baloucoune completed his hat-trick in dramatic style when, with Toulouse seemingly poised to strike in the Ulster 22, he picked off a Dupont pass and ran it the length of the pitch for the third try.
The noise level soared and Mola on the touchline remonstrated with flailing arms but, despite the crowd’s insistence, the try would not be overturned and Cooney chipped over the conversion to open up a 13-point gap.
But the drama was not over yet, and Toulouse deservedly picked up one more try when Ulster’s indiscipline let them back into the 22 and Ntamack skipped over after some nice hands from Richie Arnold, and they almost stole the win when they broke from inside their own 22 off the restart and got back into the red zone.
But a superb covering tackle from Nathan Doak saved the day, and when Page-Relo spilled the ball forward at the base of the ruck, there was a sigh of relief from everyone wearing white inside the stadium.
Not a bad time for Ulster to pick up only their second away knockout win the Heineken Champions Cup. The job is only half done, though.
The scorers:
For Toulouse
Tries: Meafou, Ntamack
Cons: Ramos (2)
Pens: Ramos (2)
For Ulster
Tries: Baloucoune (2), Warwick
Cons: Cooney (3)
TOULOUSE: (15-9) Thomas Ramos; Juan Cruz Mallia, Zack Holmes, Pita Ahki (Sofiane Guitoune 67 (Martin Page-Relo 75)), Matthis Lebel; Romain Ntamack, Antoine Dupont; (1-8) Rodrigue Neti (Cyril Baille 49), Peato Mauvaka, Dorian Aldegheri (Charlie Faumuina 49); Rory Arnold, Emmanuel Meafou (Richie Arnold 58); Rynhardt Elstadt (Anthony Jelonch 58), Thibaud Flament, Francois Cros (Alban Placines 64 (Guillaume Cramont 67)).
Red card: Juan Cruz Mallia (11′)
ULSTER: (15-9) Mike Lowry; Robert Baloucoune, James Hume, Stuart McCloskey (Luke Marshall 50), Ben Moxham (Rob Lyttle 11); Billy Burns, John Cooney (Nathan Doak 72); (1-8) Eric O’Sullivan (Andrew Warwick 56), Rob Herring (Bradley Roberts 80), Marty Moore (Tom O’Toole 50); Alan O’Connor (Kieran Treadwell 54), Iain Henderson; Marcus Rea (Jordi Murphy 54), Nick Timoney, Duane Vermeulen.
Man of the Match: Robert Baloucoune (Ulster)
Referee: Wayne Barnes (England).
Ulster are a credit to Irish rugby. A proper run club with a proper head coach !
@Darren Mullins: maybe Leinster have departed the island? Have I missed something? I’m from Munster btw.
@Thomas Meaney: I don’t think the poster was claiming Ulster are better than Leinster or the best team in Ireland. Just that they are a credit to Irish rugby and a well run club. I’d add that they play an attractive brand of rugby and compete for every inch. Good luck to Munster today BTW.
@Darren Mullins: explain. Haven’t a clue what you are trying to say.
That’s a Brilliant result. Fair play to them
@Niall Gannon: I think it’s a pretty poor result against 14 !! Hope I’m wrong but not sure the lead will be enough if Toulouse can keep 15 players on the pitch for the return leg!
@Niall Gannon: Didn’t get to see the game ,but wow,that’s brilliant, what a result, ow it’s over to you Ravenhill
@BMJF: begrudgery, a sad trait of a sad person. Can you not just be pleased to watch an Irish province defeat the champions of Europe in their own back yard?
What a result fair play to them!
@Pat O’Leary: against 14 is it enough with return leg to come?
The job is only half done but all we wanted was to be still in the tie come full time. I wasn’t able to watch it due to family circumstances, and had to follow it on the Belfast Telegraph, but I can’t wait to watch whatever’s on YouTube. Toulouse will be tough at Ravenhill but we’ve given ourselves a great opportunity.
@Sustainable Hedgehog: definitely in with a good shout at home – arguably 6points against 14 men isn’t a great return, and Toulouse will be a different prospect with 15 but Ravenhill a hard place to win
@BMJF: I disagree when its a winger thats red carded, its prob the player that makes the least difference, if it was a forward maybe you would have a point. Munster proved that when a winger is red carded, a team can still go on and win. Ulster did very well, just a shame its not a 13point lead.
@BMJF: what are you actually talking about? A 6 point win away from home not a great return? Against the European Champions? Are you near solid?
Missed the game but we’ll done ulster . They are defying the odds yet again , trophies can’t be far off for this team .
Anyone think Baloucoune should be considered for NZ tour in the summer ?
@Declan Moran: How he has only got 2 caps and didnt get starting in the 6 nations is a mystery. He really is Ireland’s most complete winger.
@Declan Moran: Yes. Which back 3 player from 6N squad would you leave at home?
@Michael Killian: Farrell has already said it will be an extended squad traveling so that decision is moot
@Michael Killian: None of the 6 nations back 3 players should be left at home, and Balaucoune was in that squad. We’ve three tests against the Abs and two games against the Maoris so we should bring a big squad and give everyone some sort of game time. Realistically we should be aiming for at least one win in the tests and giving international experience to RB, Lowry, Coombes, Hume, O’brien etc.
@Kingshu: the 2 wingers in situ not only played really well for ireland but both had fine games yesterday. I’d say there’s a bit of debate as to who’s Irelands most complete winger. Not saying your wrong but it’s not as clear cut as you make out.
@Chris Mc: We need depth in every position so it’s all good. I think Lowe and Hansen are better at coming infield and looking for the ball but Balaucoune is the most lethal in space. There’s no shortage of good backs in Ireland, bar out half, and we could have a spate of injuries prior to the WC and be glad we’ve blooded the back ups. But whoever looks best in NZ will claim the starting berth. Plus we’ve Stockdale to come back.
@Chris Mc: I really like Hansen, but when Conway was injuried instead of moving the left winger over to the right, I thought RB would have got the game and its a shootout between Hansen and Lowe for the left wing position. Tbh I thought RB would have been starting ahead of Conway orginally but Conway is in good form. Will be intresting when Stockdale comes back and isnt used at fullback and get a run on the wing.
@Declan Moran: absolutely think he would be on the plane. Hansen Lowe and Baloucoune have been very entertaining (and effective) to watch. More of this please!
Delighted to see this after a poster yesterday said Ulster would be wiped out.
@Trevor Johnston: He just didn’t want you on his bridge. It’ll be interesting to see if he posts today.
@Trevor Johnston: they did play against 14 men for 70mins – a bit of perspective
@Sustainable Hedgehog: he’ll post that it was against 14 men for 70 mins
@Trevor Johnston: he did also say he wasn’t sure about Ulsters backs 10-14, Im sure he will have changed his opinion now especially of Balacoune.
@Sustainable Hedgehog: Yes I expected them to be wiped out in Toulouse. I also posted Ulster forwards would do fine and they did. I thought 10-14 would struggle and should have said 10-13. Baloucoune defended really well and some more. Was Hume playing? Whatever, second fixture of tie will be very interesting. Not sure Toulouse travel all that well. You can only play what’s in front of you. Wishing Ulster more good luck, they deserve it on today’s showing.
@Michael Killian: Hume setup the first 2 baloucoone tries, great hands for the first and footwork for the second to set mccloskey away. Sure why let the facts get in the way of some random narrative!
Number of really good performances in the pack to stem the flow of their massive ball carriers and Marcus Rae has been the find of the season.
Line out has an issue or two to resolve and I don’t know why they didn’t go to a two man option, which would at least secure the ball, even if it doesn’t give an attacking platform.
Hope the last minute try doesn’t come back to bite us but a six point advantage going home is a good place to be, considering most of us would have been reasonably happy with a six point deficit before the game.
I for one hope it rains and maybe even snows next week because Toulouse are more than capable of winning by 7 or more.
Important that we get off to a good start next week to snuff their confidence.
Home support is worth 7-10 points so hopefully that will do
All to do in 2nd … Should be a humdinger
@Charles Mander: Way better to be 6 up going into a home second leg rather than having to chase a result.
As Ireland showed against England it’s very hard to get a result if you have to play 70 minutes a man down. Toulouse will be pleased the gap is only 6 in the circumstances.
Hopefully Ulster can finish the job at the Kinkspan.
Great Credit to Ulster today to go to France and beat the aristocrats of French rugby is no mean feat and should have won by more. Well done Ulster
Ulster were lucky though to have the man extra. You’d have to fear if Toulouse were at full tilt with 15 by the laws of average Ulster wouldn’t have had a hope. Even at 14 Toulouse could have taken that game.
@Thomas Meaney: Hard luck fella. Maybe you’ll see the result you’re looking for next weekend.
@Thomas Meaney: The red appears to have been justified and sorry if Ulster’s win put a dampener on your day.
@Thomas Meaney: I don’t see any luck in a team going down to 14. He deserved a red and ulster played great rugby.
@Sustainable Hedgehog: He’s an aptronym
@rugbyanbeer: bravo sir!
@rugbyanbeer: I had to look that one up lol. Good weekend for the Irish R&B.
@rugbyanbeer:
Had to Google it but yes, well done you are spot on
@Thomas Meaney: Toulouse did have 15. One of them choose to get sent off.
@Thomas Meaney: Aw, aye you OK petal? You OK to dry your eyes? Ulster must have really done you dirty in the past…
@rugbyanbeer: perfect, lol. Thank you R&B, and Google.
Unfortunate to see the game decided by Mallile’s terrible decision making so early on. However, If any team French team could overturn a 6 point deficit away it is Tollhouse, should make for exciting 2nd game.
@Conor HF: *Toulouse
@Conor HF: Not unfortunate for Irish rugby fans, maybe for you French ;)