Piutau plays pivotal role
Former All Black Charles Piutau helped Irish province Ulster to the top of their European Champions Cup group after a home win over French league leaders La Rochelle.
Ulster won 20-13 in Belfast after trailing Victor Vito’s French club
6-0 on Saturday (Sunday NZ time). La Rochelle were reduced to 14 men with wing Paul Jordaan yellow carded for taking Piutau out in the air.
The Kiwi fullback – set to earn
$2 million a year at English club Bristol next season – created a break for a crucial second half penalty to keep Ulster in front.
Ireland captain Rory Best opened the try-scoring for Ulster and test wing Jacob Stockdale scored his eighth try of the season.
Halfback Alexi Bales scored all La Rochelle’s point, including a try set up by a Vito break.
Bales was replaced on the hour mark by former All Black Tawera Kerr-Barlow, who departed New Zealand rugby late last year.
La Rochelle – with former All Black Jason Eaton at lock – kept pressing but Vito was held up from a 5m scrum and Ulster’s defence held tight.
Ulster had lost two of their last three Pro14 League matches, including a 44-16 thrashing by Connacht and a 38-7 defeat to Leinster.
But Les Kiss’ team have fared better in Europe.
They now top Pool One, a point ahead of La Rochelle with one game still to be play before the quarterfinalists are determined.
‘‘It was a good effort from us,’’ Ulster assistant-coach Dwayne Peel told BBC Sport.
‘‘You look at La Rochelle’s performances in Europe and what they’ve done in the Top 14.
‘‘They’re a real top side and there was a lot of character shown today in difficult conditions as well,’’ Peel said.
Wasps blew a chance to go top of Pool One after a 33-28 defeat to Harlequins.
Flanker James Chisholm scored a double for Quins while Wasps’ England flanker James Haskell was sent off for a late shoulder charge on Jamie Roberts.
English champions Exeter racked up seven tries in a 41-10 win over Vern Cotter’s Montpellier.
Olly Woodburn bagged a brace for the Exeter Chiefs, who are second in their pool behind Leinster, who meet Dave Rennie’s Glasgow Warriors on Monday (NZ time).
Former Crusaders wing Nemani Nadolo scored Montpellier’s only try against his former club with Aaron Cruden – back from a knee problem – adding a conversion and a penalty.
Cotter told BBC Sport Montpellier ‘‘weren’t effective and we didn’t follow our systems through and paid a heavy price’’.
Two-time European champions Saracens had to settle for a 15-15 home draw in a try-less encounter with Welsh team Ospreys. Lions teammates Owen Farrell (Saracens) and Dan Bigger (Ospreys) traded five penalties.
Northampton Saints made it two wins from two under new Australian coach Alan Gaffney, beating French champions Clermont Auvergne 34-21 after trailing 15-10 at halftime.
Kiwi backs Ken Pisi and Nafi Tuitavake got on the scoresheet for the Saints while ex-All Black Isaia Toeava scored a try for Clermont.
In the European Challenge Cup second-tier competition, Kieran Keane’s Connacht remain a quarterfinal contender after a come-from-behind 24-24 draw with English Premiership strugglers Worcester.
Worcester scored four tries to three, including a double by wing Perry Humphreys.
But Connacht – down by 10 points at halftime – clawed their way back in the second half.
Sale beat Lyon 15-13 and midfield back Theo Brophy-Close nabbed four tries in English Premiership cellar dweller London Irish’s 47-17 home win over Russia’s Krasny Yar.