Ulster Rugby overcame a 14-point deficit to earn a place in the EPCR Challenge Cup quarter-final stage with a 40-17 victory over Montpellier Hérault Rugby at the GGL Stadium on Sunday.
Tries from full-back Will Addison, wing Robert Baloucoune, replacement forward Scott Wilson, flanker David McCann and outside centre Stuart McCloskey turned the tide after the hosts made an impressive start. A penalty try completed the rout in the final minute.
Fly-half John Cooney added a quartet of conversions from the tee for a tally of eight points.
The Irish province was aided by a red card to the TOP14 club’s lock Paul Willemse with the score at 17-7 to the hosts, with further disciplinary indiscretions occurring late in the contest as the TOP14 club was reduced to 12 men for a period.
The French outfit had looked in command in the early stages with Willemse and scrum-half Aubin Eymeri crossing the whitewash in the first period, fly-half Louis Foursans-Bourdette adding seven points from the tee.
The victory earns Ulster Rugby another trip to the continent next weekend as they travel to the Stade Marcel-Michelin to take on three-time winners ASM Clermont Auvergne.
Scorers:
Montpellier Hérault Rugby: Tries: Paul Willemse, Aubin Eymeri. Conversions: Louis Foursans-Bourdette (2). Penalty: Louis Foursans-Bourdette.
Ulster Rugby: Tries: Will Addison, Robert Baloucoune, Scott Wilson, David McCann, Stuart McCloskey. Conversions: John Cooney (2).
Teams:
Montpellier Hérault Rugby: 15 Alexandre de Nardi, 14 Gabriel N’Gandebe, 13 George Bridge, 12 Auguste Cadot, 11 Ben Lam, 10 Louis Foursans-Bourdette, 9 Aubin Eymeri, 8 Sam Simmonds, 7 Clement Doumenc, 6 Alex Becognee, 5 Paul Willemse (c), 4 Florian Verhaeghe, 3 Harry Williams, 2 Christopher Tolofua, 1 Gregory Fichten. Replacements: 16 Vano Karkadze, 17 Baptiste Erdocio, 18 Lasha Macharashvili, 19 Tyler DuGuid, 20 Yacouba Camara, 21 Louis Carbonel, 22 Masi Dakuwaqa, 23 Pierre Lucas
Ulster Rugby: 15 Stewart Moore, 14 Rob Baloucoune, 13 James Hume, 12 Stuart McCloskey, 11 Ethan McIlroy, 10 Nathan Doak, 9 John Cooney, 8 Nick Timoney, 7 David McCann, 6 Matty Rea, 5 Iain Henderson (c), 4 Alan O’Connor, 3 Tom O’Toole, 2 Rob Herring, 1 Steven Kitshoff. Replacements: 16 Tom Stewart, 17 Andy Warwick, 18 Scott Wilson, 19 Harry Sheridan, 20 Cormac Izuchukwu, 21 Jake Flannery, 22 Jacob Stockdale, 23 Dave Ewers
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