La Rochelle 7 Ulster 3
Ulster’s losing run continued but not as anyone had anticipated as the northern province were agonisingly seconds away from victory when Joel Sclavi bludgeoned over in the game’s last play to ensure La Rochelle’s qualification.
At a weather-blasted Stade Marcel Deflandre, Dan McFarland’s side mounted an admirably cussed performance in the atrocious conditions, holding the European champions to 0-0 until Nathan Doak appeared to have put them in a winning position through his 62nd-minute penalty.
In the end, Ulster suffered further last-gasp misfortune, even though they took what was seen as an unlikely losing bonus point from the Atlantic coast which keeps them in with a chance of getting through should they beat Sale next weekend.
In the end McFarland’s side failed to prevent their losing run from reaching six defeats from seven games just when it seemed their misfortune was over.
After Nick Timoney had won turnover ball, Rob Herring was jackaled at the next phase which led to Antoine Hastoy opting for the posts, though his 18th-minute kick in the wind and rain hit an upright and stayed out.
Five minutes later, Ulster had their own penalty – won after Gregory Alldritt hit Doak in an offside position – though Doak’s wind-assisted effort just sailed wide of the posts.
On the half-hour, Ulster managed to get position in La Rochelle’s 22 and really put the squeeze on. Timoney lost the ball in the act of going over as Ulster persistently went to the corner before launching their maul.
Paul Boudehent was shown yellow in the 32nd minute as Ronan O’Gara’s side kept infringing and then after Rob Lyttle’s footwork saw him touch down, the try was disallowed due to Jacob Stockdale’s assist pass having flown forward.
Still, Ulster kept pounding away in the corner only for Herring to be jackaled by Remi Picquette from yet another maul launch, allowing La Rochelle to clear their lines and hold out to ensure the first half was scoreless.
Now with the conditions behind them, La Rochelle held out for the first few minutes allowing Paul Boudehent’s return to bring them up to a full complement.
Not that the theme altered much as Ulster – with Iain Henderson winning a turnover on the ground and at a lineout both near his own line – showed admirable application to go toe-to-toe with their hosts.
On 62 minutes, an Ulster visit to La Rochelle’s 22 won them a penalty which Doak slotted to score the game’s first points just after Henderson had gone off.
It looked like a massive moment and the French reacted as if it could be a winning score as they then camped in the same corner as Ulster had managed in the opening half.
But Ulster held firm despite Alldritt’s best efforts to get over and the pressure was lifted when La Rochelle were penalised at a scrum.
With two minutes remaining, Andy Warwick was penalised on the deck and the hosts kicked for the corner. Their last chance, they manoeuvred their way to the line and with the clock red, Sclavi was driven over at the posts.
Ulster were furious but the score stood, and the final act was Hastoy’s conversion.
LA ROCHELLE: B Dulin; T Thomas, UJ Seuteni, J Favre, Pierre Boudehent; A Hastoy, T Berjon; T Paiva, S Legrange, G-H Colombe; U Dillane, R Picquette; R Bourdeau, Paul Boudehent, G Alldritt (capt).
Replacements: J Sclavi for Paiva (9 mins), T Kerr Barlow for Bergon, R Rhule for Thomas (both h-t), R Sazy for Dillane (61), Q-L Brettes for Legrange (65), A Kuntella for Colombe, T Lavault for Picquette (both 74). Not used: P Popelin.
ULSTER: M Lowry; R Lyttle, S Moore, L Marshall, J Stockdale; I Madigan, N Doak; R Sutherland, R Herring, J Toomaga-Allen; A O’Connor, K Treadwell; I Henderson (capt), N Timoney, D Vermeulen.
Replacements: B Moxham for Marshall (26 mins), H Sheridan for Treadwell (58), E O’Sullivan for Sutherland, D McCann for Henderson (both 61), J Andrew for Herring (65), A Warwick for Toomaga-Allen (70). Not used: M McDonald not used, E McIlroy not used.
Referee: N Amashukeli (Georgia).
