Challenge Cup final: Montpellier 59 Ulster 26
Here is Gerry Thornley’s report from Bilbao. That’s all from me, good night! Back tomorrow for Leinster’s final against Bordeaux. Should be a good one.
Ulster captain Nick Timoney on Premier Sports: Our defence wasn’t good enough. We made it too easy for them with penalty advantages. We were down, we know we could score but once we conceded at the start, it was tough from there, they were too good.
Richie Murphy: We couldn’t handle the power game, we missed an exit in the corner at the start. Once it became a set-piece dominated game, we couldn’t deal with that power. The heat, the difficulty to move the ball was considerable with the sweat on the ball. The positive is we’ve made it to the final, we’re a very young team, in relation to the future, we need to be better at the set-piece.
Here are the player ratings from Nathan Johns. Rob Baloucoune one of the stars for Ulster, but there weren’t enough shining lights.
The trophy presentation to Montpellier:
79 mins: Try for Montpellier! One more for the road, Arthur Vincent this time. Power and then creating space and it’s a thrashing. Conversion is missed to avoid 60 points.
Full-time: Montpellier 59 Ulster 26
Montpellier are Challenge Cup winners! Ulster can have no complaints, completely outplayed on the night. The heat wouldn’t have helped but they will be disappointed with that performance.
73 mins: Try for Ulster! Ulster still battling away and they have several phases inside the 22. After crisp passing, it’s the electric Baloucoune who makes the important carry before offloading to Lowry to score in the corner. Brilliant conversion from Flannery.
Montpellier 54 Ulster 26
Here was one of the few bright moments for Ulster, Baloucoune’s try:
64 mins: Montpellier have this game pretty much won but they are not holding back, looking for 50, 60 points for the most emphatic win possible. The heat is not helping Ulster and they’re truly second best.
Try for Montpellier! Hounkpatin the latest one. From the lineout, they don’t go for a lineout. Nouchi nearly gets it over again, and then the replacement prop is just too hard to stop.
Montpellier 54 Ulster 19
60 mins: From the kick-off, Bryn Ward drops the ball, where you don’t need to be an advanced lip-reader to know Richie Murphy watching on was not happy with that one. The pressure is relentless from Montpellier and they go for another maul.
Try for Montpellier! Too easy, absolutely rampant maul and a try within a few seconds. Baptiste Erdocio scores and it’s converted by Coly.
Montpellier 47 Ulster 19
57 mins: Try for Ulster! Super try by Baloucoune, that’s why he’s world-class!. From a quick pass, he accelerates through a gap, jinks past another and over the line at pace. Doak converts.
Montpellier 40 Ulster 19
55 mins: Good effort by Baloucoune after Lowry kicked in behind, Baloucoune with a good kick on the ground, then another but didn’t get the best bounce and went out of play.
50 mins: Try for Montpellier! Vunipola influential again as Nouchi scores. Too strong, gaining with every carry, then Vunipola with a lovely short pass to Nouchi who finished well. Miotti converts.
Montpellier 40 Ulster 12
46 mins: Ulster struggle under pressure and concede a penalty.
Try from Montpellier! Incredible finish by Taofifenua, who acrobatically dives for the line from right on the sideline, and then Miotti converts to put them further ahead.
Montpellier 33 Ulster 12
42 mins: From the kickoff, Baloucoune knocks the ball on and Montpellier win a penalty from the scrum.
44 mins: Then some very sharp passing by Montpellier, a great grubber kick by Taofifenua and Lowry has to make a brilliant last-ditch interception to stop N’Gandebe touching over. Five-metre scrum though.
Half-time: Montpellier 26 Ulster 12
Ulster had a half-chance of a score at the end after winning a free-kick from a scrum but they were turned over and it’s somewhat the story of the half. It hasn’t been a terrible performance by Ulster, but they have been ruthlessly punished by Montpellier when they have made mistakes. That’s why they’re second in France’s top 14.
38 mins: Try for Montpellier! Bécognée makes it four tries from four entries for the French side, ultimate efficiency. They had gone for a maul after the lineout and Ulster give away a penalty advantage. They couldn’t deal with the physicality. Miotti misses the conversion, but Ulster are well behind.
Montpellier 26 Ulster 12
37 mins: Ulster with a dicey lineout again but they just about rescue it, Doak gives it back to them, then Ward is a bit too casual with the ball in behind and is caught by N’Gandebe. He does well enough to escape the tackle and not get turned over, but Hume has to kick it out and then Izuchukwu is penalised for offside.
33 mins: Try for Montpellier! It’s Vunipola who is up and fit again, pure power with the carry from short range he was unstoppable after good play by the French side, Banks making plenty of ground and Miotti pulling the strings. Miotti converts, that’s three for three for him too.
Montpellier 21 Ulster 12
30 mins: Try for Ulster! Cormac Izuchukwu shows his power and pace as he carries brilliantly to the line after some sharp passing and running by Ulster. Great attacking rugby. Unfortunately Doak misses the kick, so they’re still two behind.
Ulster 12 Montpellier 14
27 mins: Ulster get a scrum after Montpellier kick it out on the end line, but Ulster are penalised. But they get it back after Montpellier are penalised from their throw from the lineout. Montpellier captain Vunipola is receiving treatment, which would be a blow to them if he goes off.
21 mins: Great carries by McCann and Postlethwaite gets into the 22. Several phases but Ulster end up well outside their 22 and Montpellier then win a penalty. Stale play by Ulster but great line speed by Montpellier.
17 mins: Try for Montpellier! Sadly a terrible error by Ulster, Stewart’s overthrow from the lineout gifts the ball to the French side. Vincent had put Ulster under pressure with a kick to the 5-metre line. Miotti played an excellent pass to Faofifenua to easily score. A fine conversion by Miotti too and Montpellier lead by seven. Ulster can’t afford mistakes like that.
Ulster 7 Montpellier 14
14 mins: Jude Postlethwaite is being strapped up after he was struggling following a breakdown. Zac Ward hasn’t made the best start, not the most convincing for the Montpellier try and drops the ball to concede a scrum.
10 mins: Baloucoune’s first big action as he fields very well and Ulster win a penalty with a turnover, offside again by Montpellier. Murphy kicks to touch, five metres out and another good chance for the Irish province. Then almost a try, Harry Sheridan had looked to have scored but Uelese put a big tackle in to force a knock-on. Electric start to this match.
7 mins: Try for Montpellier! The lead didn’t last long. Vunipola involved as Cadot breaches the defensive line, beats a few players and offloads it to N’Gandebe, who can’t be caught and runs down the line. Miotti converts, back level.
Montpellier 7 Ulster 7
4 mins: Try for Ulster! Captain Nick Timoney gets it over, Ulster had advantage but after many phases they eventually go over. Ideal start as Doak converts.
Ulster 7 Montpellier 0
2 mins: Ulster win an early penalty for offside after the kick off, the referee Carley being firm from early on. Then a kick into the air from Doak is missed by Montpellier fullback Banks and falls nicely for Augustus who carries a good distance into the 22. Quick ball from Ulster. And they keep pushing forward to five metres.
The teams are coming out on a hot night in Bilbao, kick-off is in five minutes.
Rob Baloucoune is back after being missing for Ulster since the Six Nations for Ireland. There, he was outstanding particularly against England and has a big-game mentality. He could be key tonight.
Some fan pictures from before the game:
Nathan Johns writes that his namesake Nathan Doak will be key for Ulster from scrumhalf. In the URC, HE leads individual players for kicks in play. Of 373 Ulster kicks this season, he has been responsible for 147. He also leads the league in try assists with 11. He dictates Ulster’s play.
Here is Gerry Thornley’s preview of tonight’s match:
Attitudes toward the Challenge Cup can vary, be it from teams that take the competition indifferently or seriously, or those whose interest heightens the further they progress. But come the final, there’s no doubting the Challenge Cup’s importance for the last two teams standing.
First and foremost, this is a chance to win a trophy, as Montpellier have twice demonstrated in the past. For Ulster, winning the Challenge Cup would see them win silverware for the first time since their 2006 Celtic League success – the longest trophy drought of any of the four Irish provinces.
Winning the Challenge Cup also offers an alternative route into next season’s Champions Cup for Ulster.
Hello and welcome to live coverage of Ulster against Montpellier in the Challenge Cup final. Kick-off at the San Mamés Stadium in Bilbao is at 8pm. Ulster are going for their first European trophy since 1999 on a sweltering hot night in northern Spain, where they are underdogs against a strong Montpellier side, who are currently second in France’s Top 14. There’s no Stuart McCloskey or Jacob Stockdale either through injuries, but they have been boosted by the return of Robert Baloucoune, the Irish star has been missing since the Six Nations.
Here are the teams:
ULSTER: Michael Lowry; Robert Baloucoune, James Hume, Jude Postlethwaite, Zac Ward; Jack Murphy, Nathan Doak; Angus Bell, Tom Stewart, Tom O’Toole; Harry Sheridan, Cormac Izuchukwu; David McCann, Nick Timoney (capt), Juarno Augustus.
Replacements: James McCormick, Eric O’Sullivan, Scott Wilson, Charlie Irvine, Bryn Ward, Conor McKee, Jake Flannery, Ethan McIlroy.
MONTPELLIER: Tom Banks; Gabriel N’Gandebe, Arthur Vincent, Auguste Cadot, Donovan Taofifenua; Domingo Miotti, Ali Price; Enzo Forletta, Jordan Uelese, Mohamed Haouas; Florian Verhaeghe, Tyler DuGuid; Lenni Nouchi, Alex Becognee, Billy Vunipola (capt).
Replacements: Lyam Akrab, Baptiste Erdocio, Wilfrid Hounkpatin, Adam Beard, Marco Tauleigne, Leo Coly, Thomas Darmon, Jon Echegaray.
Referee: M Carley (Eng).
