Grounds for frustration for Ulster and Ronan O'Gara

Ulster insisted the pitch was ready to play by Saturday morning, hours before the 5.30pm kick-off, but the decision had already been made to go with Dublin

DULIN DELIGHT: La Rochelle full back Brice Dulin gets the grounding in the corner for the visitor's first try. Pic: Dan Sheridan, Inpho

Ulster 29 La Rochelle 36 

Park all the controversy and the bitterness and the declared rights and wrongs over the switch of venue from Belfast to Dublin for a moment and the overwhelming sense is one of regret that a special occasion failed to materialise in Kingspan Stadium on Saturday.