Ulster crash out of Heineken Cup

Ulster 8 Biarritz 24

Ulster’s already slim hopes of Heineken Cup qualification evaporated tonight against Biarritz who look good to secure a home quarter-final.

The result ended the home side’s run of 14 unbeaten games at Ravenhill, which stretched back to 2001. Ulster have now failed to make the quarter-finals since they won the competition in 1999.

The defeat came after David Humphreys managed to become the fifth player in Heineken Cup history to pass the 500 points mark, but Ulster can have little complaint as they failed to take their chances.

Biarritz, who were able to score two tries from Ulster turnovers, looked good for their fourth pool win and had the luxury of bringing on Serge Betsen after they had taken the game beyond Ulster in an eight minute period of the second half.

The home side battled hard, but simply did not have the ability to live with the French side’s talent, even though Biarritz spent periods of the game on the back foot.

The French even had two men sent to the sinbin, with both sides finishing on 14 men after Justin Harrison accompanied Jerome Thion to the bin in second half injury time.

Ulster got off to the perfect start with a 50-metre burst from Neil Best, who legally grabbed a loose ball from the base of a Biarritz ruck leaving the home side deep in French territory.

With Humphreys opting to kick for the corners as Biarritz attempted to kill Ulster’s possession, a Matt McCullough take – off a second successive lineout from a penalty – allowed Rory Best to be driven over after five minutes.

Humphreys missed the tricky conversion but Biarritz quickly closed the gap with a Dimitri Yachvili penalty as the visitors piled on the pressure through their powerful pack, especially in the scrum.

The visitors continued their territorial domination but great blanket defence from Ulster alongside a high error rate brought little reward as Yachvili’s second penalty attempt, after 23 minutes, sailed wide.

With frustration beginning to creep into the French ranks, Ulster looked to be asserting themselves going forward until, just before the half hour, a lost lineout and poor Humphreys kick under pressure allowed Biarritz to counter.

Philippe Bidabe surged past Humphreys and Sereli Bobo made the left corner, the unconverted try standing despite Ulster’s complaints that the Fijian international had a foot in touch.

Biarritz were then reduced to 14 men for the remainder of the half as Thierry Dusautoir was penalised for not rolling away in the tackle as Andrew Trimble made a great surge into the visitors’ 22.

Ulster made too many errors when going forward however, and the half ended with the Pool Four leaders ahead 8-5.

Biarritz weathered the first few minutes of the second half while still down to 14 men but were back to full capacity three minutes in when Yachvili was wide with another penalty attempt.

Humphreys was agonisingly short with a drop goal attempt as Ulster upped the ante again and then, on 50 minutes, he kicked the penalty to draw the sides level and pass the 500 points mark in the competition.

It proved to be Humphreys’ last act of the game as he retired with a knee injury on the hour, which coincided with Ulster’s chances fading.

Imanol Harinordoquy stole an Ulster lineout deep in his own half and Biarritz swept the play up to the home side’s goal line.

From the lineout, Petru Balan was driven over and Yachvili’s conversion made it 15-8 to the French championship leaders two minutes after the hour.

From there, Biarritz turned the screw with two further Yachvili penalties before a snap drop goal from Julien Peyrelongue sailed between the posts to break Ulster hearts.