Live Updates From Ulster Rugby Vs. Toulouse At Kingspan Stadium
Live Updates From Ulster Rugby Vs. Toulouse At Kingspan Stadium
Follow the live updates from Ulster match with Stade Toulousain at the Kingspan Stadium in Belfast for Round 3 of the 2023-2024 Investec Champions Cup.
Ulster center James Hume is set to make a comeback from his foot injury, lining up for the upcoming Investec Champions Cup clash against Toulouse on Saturday.
This match is not just another game; it's a milestone event marking the 25th anniversary of Ulster's historic European triumph in 1999 and the centenary of their Ravenhill home.
The team, under Dan McFarland's leadership, is undergoing strategic changes following a narrow, yet historic, 22-21 victory against Leinster on New Year's Day in Dublin.
Ulster's lineup sees four crucial alterations, headlined by the absence of Ireland hooker Rob Herring, who sustained an injury during training. Stepping up to fill his boots is Tom Stewart, starting at hooker, with John Andrew ready off the bench.
The squad is further bolstered by the return of Dave Ewers, Hume himself and Michael Lowry.
Ewers will be a key player in the back row, replacing Matty Rea, while Hume's recovery allows him to join Stuart McCloskey in the center. Lowry's inclusion as fullback is another strategic move, substituting Will Addison.
Toulouse, led by captain Antoine Dupont, also is making significant shifts in the team composition, following their overwhelming 45-0 victory over Lyon.
Dupont, a talismanic figure for Toulouse, has his sights set on the rugby sevens at the upcoming Paris Olympics, taking a hiatus from France's Six Nations campaign.
Toulouse, currently leading Pool 2 with two emphatic bonus-point wins, is introducing Cyril Baille and Peato Mauvaka into the front row, while England's Jack Willis is relegated to the bench, making way for Alexandre Roumat in the back row. The back line sees Blair Kinghorn stepping in for Setareki Bituniyata, with Juan Cruz Mallia shifting from full-back to wing to accommodate Kinghorn.
This match is more than a game; it's a confluence of historical significance, strategic shuffles and a test of resilience and tactical prowess for both teams.
As Ulster seeks to continue its resurgent form with another victory over French opposition, the stage is set for an enthralling encounter at Kingspan Stadium.
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When Is The Investec Champions Cup Final?
The Investec Champions Cup final is scheduled for Saturday, May 25 at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in London.
Who Won The Investec Champions Cup In 2023?
French Top 14 side Stade Rochelais secured its second successive title, beating Leinster Rugby for the second time in a row in the final at the Aviva Stadium in Dublin.
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Team Lineups
Ulster: Lowry; Baloucoune; Hume, McCloskey; Stockdale; Burns, Cooney; Kitshoff, Stewart, O'Toole, Treadwell, Henderson (captain), Ewers, Reffell, Timoney.
Replacements: Andrew, Warwick, Moore, O'Connor, Matty Rea, Doak, Marshall, Addison.
Toulouse: Kinghorn; Mallia; Delibes, Ahki; Lebel; Ramos, Dupont (captain); Baille, Mauvaka, Aldegheri; Arnold, Meafou; Cros, Jelonch, Roumat.
Replacements: Marchand, Ainu'u, Laulala, Brennan, Willis, Graou, Chocobares, Bituniyata.
Match Action
Hello, and welcome to FloRugby's live coverage of Ulster Rugby's home clash with Toulouse in the Investec Champions Cup.
The fixture promises to be a barn-burner between two sides very much in the running for the top seed in the pool.
The fixture is set to be one of Antoine Dupont's final matches for his club, before he switches his focus toward the French 7s team in a bid to win an Olympic medal in Paris later this year.
For Ulster, center James Hume returns from injury, while hooker Rob Herring has pulled out due to injury. Tom Stewart will replace him in the starting lineup. Kickoff is at 8 p.m. GMT, so stay tuned until then.
Min 0: Ulster fly-half Billy Burns gets the proceedings underway with a long and high kickoff.
Min 2: Ulster has come out swinging with several half breaks, with Hume making the most significant of these breaks. Eventually, Steven Kitshoff has a knock-on, and we are set for a big scrum contest.
Min 4: Toulouse is making its first attacking prods here. Ulster stands fast and forces the visitors out over the touchline.
Min 7: Play stops, as Ulster back row Dave Ewers takes a nasty knock, and the referee insists on him getting checked. At first glance, it looks like he caught a shot to the head from Toulouse lock Emmanuel Meafou. Ewers leaves the pitch, and Matt Rea comes in.
Min 8: Penalty to Toulouse, as the Top 14 champions show their power at the scrum and kick toward Ulster's 22-meter line.
Min 9: TRY! Thomas Ramos kicks cross-field to find Matthis Lebel, unmarked on the wing for the first score of the evening. Ramos converts ULS 0 - TLS 7.
Min 11: Penalty! Ulster strikes back through John Cooney. The Ulster pack driving through a Toulouse ruck created the score, creating havoc. ULS 3 - TLS 7.
Min 18: Penalty! Toulouse regains its seven-point advantage, as Thomas Ramos slots one directly in front of the posts. Worrying signs for Ulster. As Toulouse rolled through the phases, they just held on, but that was ominous for the visitors. ULS 3 - TLS 10.
Min 20: Penalty to Toulouse; Peato Mauvaka latches onto the ball and wins a great turnover, as Ramos kicks to the corner.
Min 21: Another penalty to Toulouse, as they get a dominant maul rolling. Ulster captain Iain Henderson is warned by the referee that there will be a yellow card if there is another infringement. Toulouse goes to the corner again.
Min 23: Exceptional from Ulster here! Nick Timoney rips the ball away, and John Coony puts a pinpoint clearance onto Lebel, who knocks on and sets up an Ulster scrum.
Min 26: Ulster has built nicely through the phases here, with Henderson making a second powerful burst through the Toulouse defense. Billy Burns begins to probe with his kicking game, and the home side is wrestling back some momentum.
Min 30: TRY! Toulouse gets its second try, and it is Mauvaka who crashes over from the maul. ULS 3 - TLS 15. Ramos misses the conversion, but the five-time champions are flexing their muscles.
Min 34: Toulouse is ratcheting up the pressure; Ulster fullback Michael Lowry just gets back in time to touch down.
Min 35: TRY! Toulouse gets its third, and Jelonch makes the initial break, before finding Mauvaka, who in turn, finds Dupont. Ramos converts. ULS 3 - TLS 22.
Min 37: Ulster has a chance to get a score before halftime here with a scrum just outside the Toulouse 22.
Min 40: Penalty to Ulster! This is much better from the home side, which has launched waves of attack and set up a maul from a quick tap penalty.
Min 40: TRY! Tom Stewart does it again! The hooker continues his impressive try-scoring record to get the home side back into the contest at halftime. Cooney converts ULS 10 - TLS 22.
Halftime Report
Outside of the final three minutes, it has been pretty much one-way traffic from the off in Belfast this evening, as the Toulouse pack has held the upper hand in the physical stakes.
Spearheading the Toulouse attack has been its superstars Peato Mauvaka, Antoine Dupont and Thomas Ramos, who have all been integral to everything they have done this evening.
Once again highlighting his importance to the Toulouse attack, Dupont's imminent departure for the French 7s program will be a significant loss.
Scoring on the stroke of halftime, Ulster, at the very least, has a foothold in the game and has shown it can break through the normally resolute red-and-black defensive line.
Min 40: Ramos gets us back underway in Belfast.
Min 41: A worrying injury for Ulster, which loses a second backrow, with Sean Reffell departing. Veteran Alan O'Connor enters the action.
Min 43: The home side has started the second half well. First, it was a break from Stewart, and now they are pressuring Toulouse back into their own half. Unfortunately, James Hume pushes Lebel into the advertising boards and concedes a penalty, and Toulouse is now back on attack.
Min 44: The noise has gone up a notch here, as the Ulster crowd is urging its team on.
Min 46: TRY! Dupont bags a second, but that one is completely on the Ulster defense, as Kieran Treadwell shoots out of the line to make a tackle, only to be stepped by Blair Kinghorn to make a clean break before finding Dupont. Ramos converts ULS 10 - TLS 29.
Toulouse has secured a bonus point through its fourth try.
Min 49: Dupont looks like he is already playing 7s, as he once again rips through the Ulster defense, having taken a deft offload off the shoulder of Meafou.
Min 50: Some reprieve for Ulster, as Kitshoff wins a turnover penalty, and Burns clears for touch.
Min 51: USA international David Ainu'u enters the contest for Toulouse as a replacement for Cyril Baille.
Min 52: Mauvaka wins a brilliant penalty and brings the Ulster attack to a halt.
Min 52: TRY! Once again, it is Dupont and Mauvaka combining, as the hooker gets his second try of the evening. Ramos misses a second conversion ULS 10 - TLS 34.
Min 56: TRY! Toulouse is shredding Ulster here; Dupont again makes the break and then offloads to Lebel, who finds Roumat. Ramos converts this time ULS 10 - TLS 41.
Min 58: Joshua Brennan, who is the son of former Irish international Trevor, comes onto the pitch.
Min 59: Ulster wins a scrum penalty, and Billy Burns goes for the corner quickly.
Min 61: TRY! Will Addison comes off the bench and scores immediately following some great work from the Ulster pack, which was awarded a penalty and took a quick tap. Nathan Doak converts ULS 17 - TLS 41.
Min 64: Penalty to Ulster; Kinghorn kicked the ball straight into the air but did regather it. Meafou is pinged for being offside and gives Ulster a chance to get into the Toulouse half. Steven Kitshoff departs the action at the same time.
Min 66: A forward pass brings an end to a promising Ulster attack, and it will be Toulouse ball on their own 5-meter line.
Min 68: TRY! Nick Timoney gets over for Ulster. Can they chase down a bonus point or maybe even two here? Doak converts ULS 24 - TLS 41.
Min 71: Ulster has taken off the shackles and is ripping into Toulouse here. Can they get these important points?
Min 73: Penalty to Toulouse; they win a scrum penalty and survive the Ulster attack.
Min 74: The referees were assessing Setareki Bituniyata's hit on Addison that led to the Ulster fullback knocking on. They confirm there is nothing in it, and play resumes.
Min 78: Penalty to Toulouse, which drives Ulster into the ground at scrum time. In the same breath, it is announced that Dupont is the player of the match, unsurprising, really, given he was once again world-class.
Min 80: TRY! Toulouse ended the match as it started - with a try; this time, it was Meafou, and Kinghorn knocks over the easiest of conversions. ULS 24 - TLS 48.
Thank you for tuning in to our live updates of tonight's match.
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