Bordeaux too strong for Ulster as they come from behind to secure bonus point win

Ulster fall to fourth straight defeat and sit bottom of Pool One. 

STRONG SECOND HALF: Union Bordeaux-Begles Yoram Moefana and Maxime Lucu celebrate Guido Pett’s try. Picture: ©INPHO/Morgan Treacy

Investec Champions Cup: Ulster 19 Bordeaux Bègles 40

Ulster threw everything at this one but were undone by Bordeaux’s finishing power, the French scoring 26 unanswered second half points to consign Richie Murphy’s side to a second straight European defeat.

In the wake of last Sunday's tanking at Toulouse, this was a hugely damaging result for Ulster as it brought the province four straight defeats in all competitions ahead of next week's home clash with Munster.

Ulster ideally needed to score first but instead found themselves seven points down after just two minutes had been played at the Kingspan Stadium.

Number eight Tevita Tatafu powered through from a lineout move around the front from a penalty Bordeaux had planted to the corner. Joey Carbery supplied a superb conversion.

But Ulster struck back, making hay of a loose ball in Bordeaux’s 22 allowing Cormac Izuchukwu barrel over and Nathan Doak tie things up on six minutes.

And after flanker Marko Gazzotti was yellow carded in the 17th minute, Nick Timoney pirouetted through from a dynamic tap and go to score which Doak converted.

Then with Bordeaux still down to 14, the French were awarded a penalty try David McCann making his way to the bin after a deliberate offside at a driving maul as it made its way over and this came moments after Gazzotti had returned to the action.

More cards shortly followed as prop Jefferson Poirot was binned for kicking the ball out of a ruck in the 31st minute and less than a minute later Bordeaux were down to 13 as it was the turn of Yoram Moefana to follow him after the centre hit Timoney with a high shot.

It was now 14 versus 13 but Ulster weren’t able to get the ball over the line from a tap and go and then a move out right when Postlethwaite made a half break.

McCann returned to bring Ulster back to 15 and they finally got the score with the clock in red, Werner Kok being put into space on the edge.

Doak, though, missed the conversion and Ulster trooped off leading 19-14.

The new half began with Bordeaux back up to 15 again, and Ulster on the advance only for McCann’s poor pass to Aidan Morgan to be knocked on by the home team’s 10 and the moment was gone.

Bordeaux finally found a way through just after the hour and though Kieran Treadwell pulled off a great tackle on the left, the French had numbers right allowing Damian Penaud a walk-in.

Penaud supplied an inside pass for lock Guido Petti to break tackles and dot down for the bonus point score. Matéo Garcia converted.

And they weren’t done. Bordeaux broke out with 10 minutes to go, Louis Bielle-Biarrey racing clear to run it in, Garcia to convert. He also kicked the points following Ugo Boniface’s last-minute try.

ULSTER: M Lowry; W Kok, J Postlethwaite, S McCloskey, Z Ward; A Morgan, N Doak; E O’Sullivan, R Herring, T O’Toole; I Henderson (capt), K Treadwell; C Izuchukwu, N Timoney, D McCann.

Replacements: J Andrew for Herring 69mins, A Warwick for O’Sullivan 46mins, S Wilson for O’Toole 69mins, H Sheridan for Henderson 63mins, Marcus Rea for Izuchukwu 55mins, D Shanahan for Doak 55mins, J Humphreys for Morgan 63mins, R Telfer for Lowry 76mins.

BORDEAUX BÈGLES: L Bielle-Biarrey; D Penaud, N Depoortere, Y Moefana, A Retiere; J Carbery, M Lucu; J Poirot (captain), R Laterrade, C Sadie; G Petti, J Gray; M Gazzotti, L Swinton, T Tatafu.

Replacements: M Lamothe for Laterrade 46mins, U Boniface for Tatafu 32-40mins for Poirot 46mins, B Tameifuna for Sadie 46mins, A Coleman for Gray 24mins, A Ricard for mins, B Vergnes-Tallefier for Swinton 53mins, B Tapuai unused, M Garcia for Carbery 64mins.

Referee: G Gnecchi (Ita)