Challenge Cup: Ulster 61 Racing 92 7
Ulster delivered the anticipated result with a thumping nine-try victory over a much-rotated Racing side, finding themselves after half-time to surge clear and score a stonking 61 unanswered points.
Zac Ward and Jacob Stockdale bagged two tries each in the massacre on an evening Angus Bell debuted while Jack Murphy kicked eight conversions.
Seven minutes in and Antoine Gibert collected an intercept from a promising looking Ulster attack and ran in unopposed under the posts.
The outhalf converted his own effort and Racing – who had come to Belfast with a much-rotated side – suddenly had belief surging through them.
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But Ulster quickly hit back, this time working the ball well through some strong carries, before James Hume was the supplier for Jacob Stockdale on 14 minutes. Jack Murphy converted and the scores were tied.
Ulster then had a narrow escape after Sam James burst clear and fed Wilfried Hulleu only for Zac Ward to stop the winger short of the line and Ward was on hand again, intercepting what appeared to be a scoring pass for the Parisians.
The next clear scoring chance fell to Racing, though Gibert was wide with a 26th-minute penalty.
Ulster put a 33rd-minute penalty to the corner and the maul had momentum allowing Rob Herring to score. Murphy converted again.
But Racing weren’t for lying down and it took a saving tackle from Robert Balocoune to put Vladi Ashvetia into touch in the corner.
However, Ulster failed to lift the siege and after Herring’s throw was called crooked, Racing attacked off the set-piece, Will Rowlands making the line.
However, the score was ruled out for obstruction though Racing went straight to a penalty after Ulster had strayed offside. Two tap-and-go penalties followed in Ulster’s red zone but, right under the posts, the hosts won a crucial turnover penalty to end the half without conceding again.
Clearly Ulster needed to begin the new half in a positive manner and Tom O’Toole used his strength to score on 42 minutes after a strong run by Ward.
This time Murphy was wide, but Ulster were off to an ideal start.
Three minutes later they had their bonus point when Tom Stewart, on at half-time for Herring, broke off from a maul and powered through three tacklers to make the line.
Murphy added the two and Ulster now led 26-7.
This was quickly followed by flanker Fabien Sanconnie being yellow carded, and just before he returned, and shortly after Angus Bell had come on for his debut, Ulster had their fifth try, Scott Wilson making the line and Murphy adding his fourth conversion.
The 40 points duly arrived for Ulster when Stewart Moore put Jake Flannery clear, Murphy, once again, bisecting the posts.
Ward was then a deserving try scorer, with Charlie Irvine and David McCann handling. Murphy converted.
They got all the way to 61, late scores from Stockdale and Ward further emphasising their dominance.
Ulster: J Stockdale; R Baloucoune, J Hume, J Postlethwaite, Z Ward; J Murphy, N Doak; S Crean, R Herring, T O’Toole; H Sheridan, C Irvine; D McCann, N Timoney (capt), J Augustus.
Replacements: S Moore for Postlethwaite (24 mins), T Stewart for Herring (40 mins), A Bell for Crean, S Wilson for O’Toole, B Ward for Timoney, J Flannery for Baloucoune (all 53 mins), J Hopes for Augustus (60 mins), C McKee for Doak (63 mins).
Racing 92: G Prisciantelli; N Donguy, S James, V Ashvetia, W Hulleu; A Gibert, K Labarbe; E-J Njocke, Y Basse, G Kharaishvili; J Kpoku, W Rowlands (capt); F Sanconnie, N Zinzen, L Tagitagivalu.
Replacements: D Escobar for Basse (46 mins), H Coetzee for Njocke, L Leota for Kharaishvili (53 mins), L Carbonneau for Labarbe (55 mins), A Albuisson for Tagitagivalu, A Espeut for James (69 mins).
Referee: B Breakspear (Wales).
