Heineken Rugby Cup: Losses for Ulster and Connacht

Ulster have become the first Irish provincial side to suffer a defeat in this year’s Heineken European Cup after they lost disappointingly to Stade Francais in Paris today.

An Ulster win against the early tournament favourites was always unlikely but it was the nature of the Ulster loss that they will be most disappointed with.

The Irish side, without out-half David Humphreys and internationals Jeremy Davidson and Gary Longwell, managed to keep pace with their illustrious opponents in the first half, even managing to score the first try of the game.

But in the second period, a Diego Dominguez-inspired Stade side ran away with the game and eventually won by 40 points to 11.

After the success of last weekend against England and of Munster and Leinster last night in the European Cup some disappointments should have been expected and Ulster’s loss was added to by the defeat of Connacht by Sale Sharks.

The Irish province was always going to be up against it after they lost half of their first-choice forwards through injury.

They also found themselves up against a team that is in excellent form in the English Premiership and despite missing Bryan Redpath and Jason Robinson the English side proved to have too much in reserve for the Irish side.

The final score in Galway was Connacht 30, Sale Sharks 33.