Toulouse’s stars show class to upstage Ulster

Colin Newboult
Add as a preferred source on Google

Toulouse’s big players came to the fore as last season’s semi-finalists began the 2020/21 Champions Cup with a 29-22 victory over Ulster at Kingspan Stadium.

South African star Cheslin Kolbe touched down twice, while France’s outstanding scrum-half Antoine Dupont also scored, as Les Rouge et Noir edged past Dan McFarland’s battling side.

The province were without some key performers, including second-row Iain Henderson, pivot Billy Burns and backs Will Addison and Luke Marshall, but they showed tremendous spirit and kept themselves in the contest through Rob Herring, who went over twice, and Ian Madigan tries.

However, their remarkable 25-match winning streak at home is now over with Toulouse’s stars showing their quality at key stages in the encounter.

Ulster had led 12-0 thanks to Herring’s early try and Madigan’s score which soon followed.

But Toulouse battled back to lead 14-12 at half-time and the game remained in the balance until the closing stages, with Maxime Medard having been yellow-carded just before the 70th minute.

Click here for teams and scorers

Ulster had the opening score on 13 minutes after a lineout maul was driven over the line aided by backs Jacob Stockdale and Stuart McCloskey, with Herring touching the ball down.

John Cooney’s conversion was good, though he missed a much more difficult effort three minutes later when Madigan slid over for Ulster’s second try.

Ulster were 12-0 up just 16 minutes in, but the visitors showed how dangerous they are going forward and hit back when Kolbe was given some space.

The South African chipped the ball forward before collecting and sliding over, with Thomas Ramos providing a superb touchline conversion to cut Ulster’s lead to five points.

There was no further movement on the scoreboard until the final minutes of the half, when Ulster lost the lead with the last play.

Stockdale cleared up a difficult ball from Dupont and though Ulster drove him forward, the maul was held up and Toulouse were awarded a scrum.

Despite the visitors’ set-piece looking messy and it appearing that there might have been a knock on, Dupont broke clear and from close to the halfway line drew Ulster’s scramble defence before scoring at the posts.

That tied the scores, but Ramos easily slotted the two points to put Toulouse 14-12 ahead at the break.

An early infringement and chat back to the referee helped Ulster nudge back in front again on 43 minutes, Cooney kicking the straightforward penalty before firing wide from a greater distance two minutes later.

Toulouse then bagged their third try on 51 minutes as, following a scrum penalty, Rory Arnold was the player to touch down after the inevitable maul.

Ramos’ conversion was good, putting Toulouse ahead again at 21-15.

But Ulster came back again with a carbon copy of their opening try, as Herring again broke clear from a driving maul for his second score. Cooney’s conversion of the 56th-minute try put the hosts one point in front.

Eight minutes later and the lead changed hands again. Ramos’ kick-pass released Romain Ntamack, whose inside pass nearly had Medard through.

Toulouse recycled and moved the ball to the right, where Kolbe got the better of Stockdale to cross for his second and Toulouse’s bonus-point.

Ramos missed the touchline conversion, but the visitors now led 26-22 with 16 minutes to play.

Ulster came again and, after Stockdale had caused mayhem from a kick-pass, Medard was yellow-carded, though the home side were unable to profit from two lineouts near the Toulouse line.

Ramos then added a final touch with a 76th-minute penalty from long range to secure the win.

 

Investec Champions Cup