Ulster end Toulouse’s bid
Hammett named coach of Japan’s Sunwolves
Exeter’s English wing Jack Nowell (center), is tackled during the European Champions Cup rugby union match Clermont vs Exeter at the Michelin Stadium in ClermontFerrand, central France on Dec 20. (AFP) Former All Blacks hooker Mark Hammett (right), shares a light moment with rugby player Yuki Yatomo (wearing hisnew jerseys), during a press conference in Tokyo on Dec 21. Hammett was unveiled as the head coach of Japan’s new Super Rugby side the Sunwolves, along with an experienced 34-man squad. (AFP)
PARIS, Dec 21, (Agencies): Ulster kept their European Champions Cup hopes alive with their first ever win away to Toulouse on Sunday to knock the record four-time titleholders out of the competition.
The Irish province still trail runaway Pool 1 leaders Saracens by 10 points, albeit with a game in hand, after the English side crushed Oyonnax 55-13 on Saturday.
But a second victory from three games for Ulster keeps them in the quarter-final race while the 25-23 reverse on Sunday ended Toulouse’s interest after three defeats from four matches.
Tries from Ruan Pienaar, Andrew Trimble and Luke Marshall put Ulster in the driving seat despite home scores from Gael Fickou and Louis Picamoles. Ulster captain Rory Best hailed his teammates’ commitment. He said: “We knew it was going to be a very tough place to come and win and that proved to be the case.
Toulouse came into the game smarting from last weekend’s humiliating 38-0 reverse in Ireland.
But despite dominating ball and territory in the first half, they paid for a lack of subtilty.
Fly-half Paddy Jackson kicked an early penalty for Ulster, who then defended doggedly to keep a predictable Toulouse at bay.
And when the Irish province made a rare foray into the French 22, they made it count.
Ulster’s forwards bludgeoned their way up to the line until confusion reigned in the Toulouse defence, allowing South African scrum-half Pienaar to pick the ball up from the back of a ruck and dive over unopposed.
Jackson, who converted the try, was then sin-binned for a deliberate knock-on as Toulouse rumbled towards the Irish line.
Sebastien Bezy kicked a penalty for the hosts but disaster almost struck for Toulouse right at the end of the half against the 14 men.