European Cup Pool Six/Gloucester - 55 Ulster - 13: If Ulster's young pack were looking for a lesson in the harsh realities of the European Cup, they got it in spades at Kingsholm on Saturday. The Gloucester eight looked a different class to the visitors' forward unit and simply bullied Ulster into a painful, six-try submission.

That is not to say Ulster's forwards took a step backwards.

In fact, right from the first whistle, they looked intent on making their presence felt in the early exchanges and the match finished with the visitors' number eight Roger Wilson and Gloucester substitute lock Mark Cornwell shown yellow cards for a running brawl.

But when it boiled down to the basic cornerstones of the contest up front, Gloucester at times enjoyed embarrassing superiority.

Ulster not only lost their first put-in at a scrum against the head, but were also penalised for collapsing it, one of three penalties perfectly converted by Henry Paul to put the home side 9-0 in front.

Ulster's lineout, which has endured more lows than highs this season, also faltered, with Nigel Brady's wayward throwing the major factor. All the while the home pack were able to unleash more power and ball-winning ability to dominate the breakdown.

Given Gloucester's ruthless cutting edge out behind, there could be only one outcome.

And yet the visitors contrived to ensure the script wandered briefly away from the perceived plot with a 20-minute spell midway through the first half to knock Gloucester onto the back foot with the best rugby Mark McCall's side have played all season.

Perhaps realising they could not rely on any quality set-piece ball, Ulster threw caution to the wind and moved the ball wide with purpose.

David Humphreys cut the deficit with a penalty and then he finished off a superb move involving Neil Doak and Kevin Maggs for a try. His conversion nudged Ulster in front and suddenly a creditable contest seemed on the cards.

It would prove short-lived, however, as crucially Ulster could not shut the game out before the break. Paul's fourth penalty restored the lead and then disaster struck for Ulster when Humphreys' wide pass in the Gloucester 22 was intercepted by Duncan McRae, who raced 65 metres for a sensational try.

Humphreys was able to cut the deficit with his second penalty, but his knock-on in his own 22 in first-half injury-time gave Gloucester the attacking scrum from which full back Jon Goodridge was able to slice through the Ulster defence for a second converted try.

The game had suddenly been taken away from Ulster's grasp and when prop Rod Moore was shown a yellow card at the start of the second half for bringing down a rolling maul, the home side hammered home their all-round superiority.

Paul banged over a drop-goal for a 29-13 lead and South African prop Christo Bezuidenhout was driven over from a close-range lineout.

And before Moore could return, Humphreys, completely off his game, saw a second pass intercepted, this time James Simpson-Daniel running in Gloucester's fourth try.

Ulster were now on their knees, and a double strike in injury time, with Marcel Garvey and Adam Balding going over, brought up the half-century of points.

An ankle injury to Paddy Wallace, a late substitute for Humphreys, only added to Ulster's woes. He is expected to be out for four weeks, just as McCall loses Humphreys to the Ireland squad.

At least the opening victory over Cardiff has kept Ulster's hopes alive in the pool, but they must get something out of the daunting trip to Stade Francais in December.

SCORING SEQUENCE: 2 mins: H Paul pen, 3-0; 7: Paul pen, 6-0; 14: Paul pen, 9-0; 17: D Humphreys pen, 9-3; 27: Humphreys try and con, 9-10; 34: Paul pen, 12-10; 37: D McRae try, Paul con, 19-10; 39: Humphreys pen, 19-13; 41: J Goodridge try, Paul con, 26-13; 47: Paul drop-goal, 29-13; 55: C Bezuidenhout try, Paul con, 36-13; 57: J Simpson-Daniel try, Paul con, 43-13; 79: M Garvey try, Paul con, 50-13; 82: A Balding try, 55-13.

GLOUCESTER: J Goodridge; M Garvey, T Fanolua, H Paul, J Simpson-Daniel; D McRae (N Mauger 50), A Gomarsall; C Bezuidenhout, C Fortey, P Vickery (G Powell 79), A Eustace (M Cornwell 50), A Brown, P Buxton, A Hazell, J Forrester.

ULSTER: B Cunningham; T Bowe, K Maggs, P Steinmetz, T Howe; D Humphreys (P Wallace 66, A Larkin 77), N Doak (K Campbell 79); S Best (R McCormack 77), N Brady (P Shields 44), R Moore, G Longwell (R Frost 44), M McCullough, A Ward (C Feather 84), N Best (R McCormack 44-54), R Wilson.

Referee: E Darriere (FRU).