ASIDE FROM his rugby ability, there are other aspects to the Ulster and Ireland flanker Stephen Ferris that are endearing. He’s candid. He’s unafraid of holding an opinion. He’s a big, honest, straight-talking player. Ferris came in after the match with marks around his face and a scrape mark under his right eye.

The wounds may have been from the trench warfare that is central to his game but then again they may not have been from that at all. What we know first hand from the flanker is that a French player stuck fingers into his eyes when he was lying helplessly exposed on the ground. It was not seen by the referee but Ferris was certain of what happened and he was not at all pleased.

“I don’t want to name him but I felt fingers in my eyes,” he said. “I didn’t know who it was when I was on the ground. I felt numerous fingers in my eyes. You’re just fuming. I was furious. I was trying to grab a hold of his fingers to see who it was. I didn’t see it on the television replay but a friend of mine did. He said it is quite plain to see what happened and who it was.

“At the time I thought it was . . . you know my eyes were streaming. There was argy bargy throughout the game and I don’t mind that. Rugby is a physical game. I’d hate to get anyone cited and if someone hit me a dig in the jaw, I’d take it and get on with the game but not when someone goes for your eyes. There was no apology afterwards. All he said to me on the pitch was ‘I did not do anything, nothing happened’ and I just walked off. But that’s all I want to say about it. I will let the citing commissioner sort it out.”

Coach Brian McLaughlin saw nothing and really from the stands it was impossible. But as usual the cameras did and with the first-hand account from Ferris, there is a French player in deep trouble. When asked, the Ulster coach played for time until he had a chance to look at the video.

“I can’t comment. I’m sorry. I haven’t seen the video. I’m behind the posts so I can’t see anything from the side. Until I see the video I can’t make comment,” said McLaughlin.

“I went straight to Sky and came straight in here and I haven’t had a chance to speak to him yet. To be honest the touch judge had his flag up. That’s all I know. I’ll watch the video. If we need to we’ll comment on it early next week.”

On the match the coach was more certain. It was a big result for Ulster and McLaughlin was not hiding from his approval of the side.

“We said if you are going to play Stade here you are going to hassle them, you’ve got to worry them every time they’ve got the ball and I think we did that very, very well,” said McLaughlin. “It wasn’t a perfect performance by any means but by goodness it was a great one, if that makes sense.”