Ciarán Kennedy
Reports from Affidea Stadium
Ulster 41
La Rochelle 24
ON A PIG of a night in Belfast, Ulster fans might have kept themselves warm with dreams of a May weekend in Bilbao.Â
Tonight Ulster were too strong for a depleted La Rochelle, winning by 17 points, and they’ll now face either Benetton or Exeter in the last four. A tough task either way, but Ulster have momentum and are playing with confidence, producing some lovely scores in a quarter-final they never looked like losing.
This was a mature, controlled Ulster performance that suggests they can continue their Challenge Cup push.
And it came on a horrible night for rugby, the wind and rain driving toward the Nevin Spence Memorial Stand, the biting cold freezing the fingers of those sitting in it.
Luckily for those hardy souls it was worth leaving the comfort of the couch, Ulster led smartly by the outstanding Nathan Doak as they put six tries on their visitors, who battled hard and tested Ulster, but just lacked the quality to make more of their limited opportunities.
La Rochelle were far removed from the glamour of the Champions Cup, a competition they’ve won twice under Ronan O’Gara, but of course, this was only La Rochelle light. With a heavy injury list and the pressures of the Top14 deemed more pressing – they’re currently ninth and play Bordeaux (fourth) next weekend – this was a shadow La Rochelle side, similar to the one deployed against Newcastle last weekend. Young players who are ‘under the radar’, as O’Gara put it. Others were square pegs shoved into round holes. Tonight they started tighthead prop Aleksandre Kuntelia in the second row.
Ulster, by comparison, had a far more familiar look, with everyone in their right place. Playing into that strong wind in the first period, they had to weather some early La Rochelle pressure before striking the first blow through a beautifully-executed move four minutes in.
La Rochelle head coach Ronan O’Gara. Alamy Stock Photo
Alamy Stock Photo
Have pushed up the field thanks to a series of penalties, David McCann claimed a lineout, Tom Stewart peeled away and Zac Ward snapped in on a brilliant line to race through, Doak adding the conversion.
Ten minutes in La Rochelle got on the board as out-half Diego Jurd drilled a fine long-range penalty through the posts.
The conditions made it hard for any rugby to break out, but Ulster managed to look reasonably comfortable, eventually adding to their lead in the 24th minute. After a good chase resulted in an Ulster scrum on the edge of the tryline, Richie Murphy’s men were patient in their tight carries before Tom O’Toole got the ball down, with Doak again converting.
Ulster then lost Zac Ward to a yellow card for a dangerous tip-tackle, and while the incident helped carry La Rochelle deep into Ulster territory, poor handling saw them butcher a chance with the tryline calling.
The home side went back on the offensive, a massive Werner Kok tackle forcing a penalty in the La Rochelle 22. Ulster attacked from the lineout and won another penalty, the short tap carrying them to the line where Cormac Izuchukwu eventually managed to power over and mark his 50th Ulster cap with a score. Doak, again, made no mistake off the tee.Â
Zac Ward is tackled by La Rochelle’s Hoani Bosmorin and Diego Jurd. Laszlo Geczo / INPHO
Laszlo Geczo / INPHO / INPHO
With the last play of the half, La Rochelle closed the gap, Judicaël Cancoriet going over from close range with Jurd adding the extras.
Still, Ulster will have felt good about taking a 24-10 lead in at the break, knowing that wind would be behind their backs for the second 40.
They would quickly go about using that wind to their advantage, Jacob Stockdale executing a monster 50:22, the wind now shaking the stands. From the lineout Ulster worked their way across the La Rochelle 22, Angus Bell producing a smart offload, before a Jack Murphy kick sent Zac Ward over for his second. The conversion asked a lot of Doak, and this time, his kick sailed just wide.
La Rochelle managed to cling in, replacement hooker Tolu Latu using his fresh legs to score a beauty, with Jurd converting.
Iain Henderson wins a lineout. Laszlo Geczo / INPHO
Laszlo Geczo / INPHO / INPHO
Yet Ulster’s response was immediate, Stockdale catching his own kick before the Ward brothers combined down the left – Zac accelerating up the pitch, Bryn supplying the finishing flourish. Doak shot for the posts but the wind carried his kick well wide.
Approaching the final 10 minutes La Rochelle were parked in front of the Ulster line, ready to try force a way through from a tap-penalty. The initial drive was good and carried the French side over the line, but a determined Ulster defensive effort held the ball up – Hollie Davidson’s call greeted as heartily as any of Ulster’s tries. The pushing-and-shoving that followed carried into the next passages of play, Stewart losing his shirt in a scuffle as play carried on without him.
It was a sign of La Rochelle’s frustration. Before the game was out Ulster would hit 40 points, James McCormick scoring in the corner and Jake Flannery nailing a beautiful conversion.
But La Rochelle continued to battle away, as they had all night, Joel Sclavi’s late score a frustrating end for the hosts.Â
Not that it matters in terms of the bigger picture. Ulster are a step closer to giving their supporters a special weekend in Bilbao.
Ulster scorers:
Tries – Zac Ward [2], O’Toole, Izuchukwu, Bryn Ward, McCormick.
Penalty – Doak [1/1]
Conversions – Doak [3/5], Flannery [1/1]
La Rochelle scorers:
Tries – Cancoriet, Latu, Sclavi
Penalty – Jurd [1/1]
Conversion – Jurd [3/3]
ULSTER: Jacob Stockdale; Werner Kok, James Hume (Jude Postlethwaite, 66), Stuart McCloskey, Zac Ward; Jack Murphy (Jake Flannery, 72), Nathan Doak (Conor McKee, 74); Angus Bell (Sam Crean, 55), Tom Stewart (James McCormick, 72), Tom O’Toole (Scott Wilson, 59); Iain Henderson (capt), Cormac Izuchukwu; Dave McCann, Nick Timoney (Bryn Ward, HT), Juarno Augustus (Harry Sheridan, 59).
Yellow card: Ward 28
LA ROCHELLE: Ihaia West; Ugo Pacome, UJ Seuteni (Sacha Elissalde, 68), Adrien Seguret, Hoani Bosmorin; Diego Jurd, Thomas Berjon (capt); Louis Penverne (Christian Luaki, 47), Gabin Garault (Tolu Latu, 47), Karl Sorin (Joel Sclavi, 47); Thomas Lavault, Aleksandre Kuntelia (Alexandre Kaddouri, 47); Edouard Richer, Judicaël Cancoriet (Oscar Jegou, 68), Lucas Andjisseramatchi (Nikoloz Sutidze, 39).
Referee: Hollie Davidson