European Cup / Pool Four / Biarritz 23 Ulster 19: Ulster discovered the truth of the adage about lies, damned lies and statistics as the figures from this European Cup meeting in the south of France grossly failed to do them justice.
The result will show Biarritz went top of Pool Four thanks not only to a victory but also to a bonus point as they outscored their less flamboyant visitors by four tries to two. Ulster have now lost their last seven games away from home in the European Cup and are already chasing Biarritz and Saracens for qualification.
But what the result fails to illustrate is how close Ulster came to pulling off a shock that would have registered across Europe.
For more than half an hour of the second half, they had the reigning French champions seriously worried in their own back yard, where they have only once lost in European competition.
Having recovered from a horrendous start - conceding three tries inside 15 minutes - Ulster returned to their game plan and duly brought the contest back to life. To the amazement of everyone inside Parc des Sports Aguilera, they twice came to within a try of victory right up until the 73rd minute.
Ultimately, they were denied by Biarritz's sheer weight and power as well as an exasperating stroke of misfortune.
Neil Best got the fightback underway as early as the 17th minute when he dived over following several shoves from a lineout close to the Biarritz line. His brother Simon followed from an almost identical position after the break, but the defeat means Ulster must target both of their back-to-back games against Saracens in December.
"We've taken a step back in terms of qualification because we let them get a bonus and we failed to get one ourselves but we're definitely not out of it by a long way," said Neil Best.
"We still have to play Saracens, who have also yet go down to the south of France, where any side will struggle to come away with anything. Plus Biarritz still have to come to Belfast, and we will know that we can beat them.
"The first 15 minutes were critical. We let them score three pretty easy tries . . . and it doesn't matter who you are playing against, that is very hard to come back from.
"But we did and in the end we just didn't take the chances that could have won the game. We can take a lot of pride from that."
The simple truth is that Ulster were ultimately made to pay for that disastrous opening.
Ulster have never won in France. Nor did they look like winning this one after Philippe Bidabe had crossed twice - the first time after just 70 seconds - and Romanian prop Petru Balan also scored. Thankfully, Dimitri Yachvili was having an off day with the boot.
Yet Ulster never buckled and as soon as their backrow trio got to grips with Thomas Lievremont, Imanol Harinordoquy and Steve Malonga, the Irish were back in the game.
Lievremont in particular had been the catalyst during the early blitz. But Best, Roger Wilson and Neil McMillan dug their heels in and reversed the momentum.
"They slowed us down very well and in the first half they just seemed to have the ball constantly. It's very hard to play when you haven't got the ball," admitted Neil Best.
The decisive moment came seven minutes from time when Jean-Baptiste Gobelet profited from a dropped pass that put the Ulster defence momentarily out of kilter and the huge wing was given a clear path to the try line.
Yachvili converted and Julien Peyrelongue dropped a goal to give the score a deceptive look.
BIARRITZ: N Brusque; P Bidabe, F Martin Aramburu, M Gaitan, JB Gobelet; J Peyrelongue, D Yachvili; P Balan, B August, K Lealamanua; J Thion, D Couzinet; S Malonga, T Lievremont (capt), I Harinordoquy. Replacements: S Bobo for Martin Aramburu (66 mins); M Carizza for Malonga (70 mins); S Ormaechea for Lealamanua (76 mins); B Noirot for August (78 mins). Tries: P Bidabe (2), P Balan, JB Gobelet. Cons: D Yachvili (2). Pens: D Yachvili (2). Drop goal: J Peyrelongue.
ULSTER: B Cunningham; T Bowe, K Maggs, A Trimble, J Topping; D Humphreys, K Campbell; J Fitzpatrick, R Best, S Best (capt); J Harrison, M McCullough; N Best, R Wilson, N McMillan. Replacements: P Steinmetz for Topping (47 mins); B Young for Fitzpatrick (66 mins); F Campbell for McMillan (80 mins). Tries: N Best, S Best. Pens: D Humphreys (3).
Referee: N Whitehouse (Wales).
