Ulster come back to earn quarterfinal berth
MATCH REPORT: Ulster overcame a 14-point deficit to earn a place in the EPCR Challenge Cup quarterfinal stage with a 40-17 victory over Montpellier on Sunday.
Tries from fullback Will Addison, wing Robert Baloucoune, replacement forward Scott Wilson, flank David McCann and outside centre Stuart McCloskey turned the tide after the hosts made an impressive start.
A penalty try completed the rout in the final minute.
Flyhalf John Cooney added a quartet of conversions from the tee for a tally of eight points.
The Irish province were aided by a red card to the TOP14 club’s lock Paul Willemse with the score at 7-17 to the hosts, with further disciplinary indiscretions occurring late in the contest as the TOP14 club were reduced to 12-men for a period.
The French outfit had looked in command in the early stages with Willemse and scrumhalf Aubin Eymeri crossing the whitewash in the first period, flyhalf Louis Foursans-Bourdette adding seven points from the tee.
The victory earns Ulster another trip to the continent next weekend as they travel to the Stade Marcel to take on three-time winners Clermont Auvergne.
Scorers:
For Montpellier:
Tries: Willemse, Eymeri
Cons: Foursans 2
Pen: Foursans
For Ulster:
Tries: Addison, Baloucoune, Wilson, McCann, McCloskey, PT
Cons: Cooney 4
Teams:
Montpellier: 15 Alexandre de Nardi, 14 Gabriel N’Gandebe, 13 George Bridge, 12 Auguste Cadot, 11 Ben Lam, 10 Louis Foursans-Bourdette, 9 Aubin Eymeri, 8 Sam Simmonds, 7 Clement Doumenc, 6 Alex Becognee, 5 Paul Willemse (c), 4 Florian Verhaeghe, 3 Harry Williams, 2 Christopher Tolofua, 1 Gregory Fichten
Replacements: 16 Vano Karkadze, 17 Baptiste Erdocio, 18 Lasha Macharashvili, 19 Tyler DuGuid, 20 Yacouba Camara, 21 Louis Carbonel, 22 Masi Dakuwaqa, 23 Pierre Lucas
Ulster: 15 Stewart Moore, 14 Rob Baloucoune, 13 James Hume, 12 Stuart McCloskey, 11 Ethan McIlroy, 10 Nathan Doak, 9 John Cooney, 8 Nick Timoney, 7 David McCann, 6 Matty Rea, 5 Iain Henderson (c), 4 Alan O’Connor, 3 Tom O’Toole, 2 Rob Herring, 1 Steven Kitshoff
Replacements: 16 Tom Stewart, 17 Andy Warwick, 18 Scott Wilson, 19 Harry Sheridan, 20 Cormac Izuchukwu, 21 Jake Flannery, 22 Jacob Stockdale, 23 Dave Ewers
Referee: Craig Evans (Wales)
Assistant Referees: Adam Jones (Wales), Ben Breakspear (Wales)
TMO: Ben Whitehouse (Wales)
Source @EPCR
