Ulster annihilate Toulouse on special Ravenhill night
This time, the four-times champions got the their second-biggest stoking in Europe as a rejuvinated Ulster opened their account in Pool 1 with a five-try flourish that was one of their best performances in the tournament. It was simply one of those Ravenhill nights.
Toulouse were already reeling at the break trailing 17-0. Ulster finished the job off after the break in exquisite fashion with Stuart McCloskey, Luke Marshall and Chris Henry adding to first-half tries by Nick Williams and Andrew Trimble. Paddy Jackson finished with a 100% kicking effort with four conversions and a penalty.
Toulouse dominated possession early on though, with only handling errors spoiling any chance to getting the scoreboard ticking along.
On a still, dry, but cold evening both teams were attempting to break down defences through the hands. No real bish-bash in the early stages, but Ulster were certainly making the hits, which was emphasised when Toulouse lost the influential number 8 Louis Picamoles when attempted to make ground.
After they saw off the initial push by Toulouse, it was Ulster who brought some concerted driving, opening their account in the 23td minute.
Robbie Diack gave Williams a quick pass and big No.8 barged over with Jackson adding the extras.
Toulouse were coming under intense pressure and scrum-half Sebastien Bezy was yellow-carded after getting a hand in at a ruck, and Jackson caressed over the penalty in 28th minute.
Williams, unfortunately, let emotions get the better of him, when he charged at pace into a ruck and flattened Vincent Clerc. It was unnecessary, as Toulouse were going nowhere. However, that seemed to galvanise Ulster and they blasted further ahead on the stroke of half-time.
A slip at a ruck by man-of-the-match Ruan Pienaar appeared to unsettle Toulouse and his pass to Trimble saw the winger find a hole, kick ahead and he got the bounce to slide over. Jackson again converted and Ulster were 17-0 to the good at the break.
Ulster virtually wrapped up the game five minutes after the restart. First Craig Gilroy had all but touched down in the left-hand corner only for Vincent Clerc to stripped the ball out of his arms. But it mattered little as Ulster kept their hold on the game and after the visitors’ defence wasted possession again, Pienaar had time at the base of a ruck to step back and pick out Marshall out wide for the centre to easily score.
Jackson converted and also added the extras, as Ulster again cut shreds in the Toulouse defence for McCloskey to bag the bonus try. Fourteen points with 14 men is not a bad return.
It was easy in the end, as Ulster, despite having to do a little defensive work, managed to go down and score their fifth try through a driving maul, with Henry getting the touch down. Humphreys added more insult by converting from out wide on a night to remember for Ulster.
Tries: Williams, Trimble, L. Marshall, McCloskey, Henry. Cons: Jackson 4, Humphreys. Pens: Jackson.
L Ludik; A Trimble (Scholes, 79), L Marshall, S McCloskey, C Gilroy; P Jackson (Humphreys, 64), R Pienaar (Marshall, 64); K McCall (Warwick, 60), R Best (capt)(Herring, 54), W Herbst (Lutton, 64); A O’Connor, F van der Merwe, R Diack, C Henry , N Williams (Wilson, 52).
C Poitrenaud; V Clerc, G Fickou (Palisson, 64), T Flood, A Boneval; L McAlister, S Bézy (Doussain, 55); V Kakovin (Bailie, 47), C Flynn (Marchland, 47), C Johnston (Aldegheri, 47); Y Maestri, J Tekori; Y Camara, T Dusautoir (capt), L Picamoles (Gala, 17).
W Barnes (England)
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