Sam Prendergast on RTÉ: “I don’t think we will be overly happy with that. They are a tough team, very pragmatic in style. We were looking to kick on after second half, but they kept us out, we had to get to two scores and just see it out from there.”
Caelan Doris: “It was a messy win, far from our best. We know as we get deeper in the competition, we need to be a hell of a lot better. Two big interpros coming up, we’re going to need to keep improving.”
Jordie Barrett: “Very scrappy, but that’s the Champions Cup. At times we made it hard ourselves, it’s one of those games where you take the win and run away to get to next week. I loved the aerial battle. It’s amazing, the support here was awesome. I’m grateful for every opportunity I get. I’m loving my time here. These French sides are so physical, you have to adapt and change every week.”
80 mins: Gunne didn’t touch the ball in the touch and go, silly error there and it’s a Clermont scrum. One last chance for a losing bonus point for Clermont but they’d have to go the length of the pitch.
Clermont drop the ball and it’s over.
Full-time: Leinster 15 Clermont 7
Thrilling first half, no tries in the second for either team where it was quite the slugfest. Leinster were sloppy at times, plenty of errors. Set pieces are a worry. Some moments of quality, particularly from Prendergast who continues to improve. A lot to work on.
78 mins: Prendergast has been named man of the match, he looks quite surprised!
Another attack by Leinster, within five metres with a penalty advantage but Clermont hang on.
Leinster 15 Clermont 7
75 mins: Nice pick from Snyman and he makes ground but drops it, been a mixed performance from him off the bench. Only three points scored this half by either team.
Leinster 15 Clermont 7
72 mins: Leinster’s lineout has been a bit of a shambles, not thrown straight again. Several of their lineouts have broken down here.
Leinster 15 Clermont 7
68 mins: Short direct lineout to the prop by Clermont and they make good ground but Deegan turns it over. A slugfest in this second half.
Leinster 15 Clermont 7
65 mins: Nice kick well into Clermont territory by Barrett, whose catching and kicking hwas been spot on.
Clermont break, Massa makes significant ground and after a few passes but they can’t get through as Porter makes a great defensive intervention at pace. Off comes Prendergast and Gibson-Park. Byrne and Gunne on.
Leinster 15 Clermont 7
62 mins: Yato comes back on. Scrappy spell of the game without much rhythm. Barrett fires a pass at Snyman’s head that he couldn’t have expected to hold onto, has a good laugh about it.
Leinster 15 Clermont 7
54 mins: An attacking lineout for Clermont but they drop the ball, Snyman manages to disrupt it.
Leinster 15 Clermont 7
49 mins: Great carry by Ryan get Leinster well up the pitch. Then Prendergast tries a chip and chase. Yato cuts him off with a late tackle and yellow card for Clermont. On comes Slimani, Gus McCarthy and Snyman, showing their quality in depth.
Penalty scored by Prendergast! They extend their lead
Leinster 15 Clermont 7
46 mins: Another scrum penalty conceded by Leinster, set piece continues to be an issue.
Leinster 12 Clermont 7
43 mins: Another lineout goes amiss for Leinster at the start of the half. But Leinster turn it over quickly and Prendergast kicks to five metres touch... which Leinster overthrow once again.
Leinster 12 Clermont 7
Half-time: Leinster 12 Clermont 7
End-to-end entertaining fare. Leinster will be happy to be ahead, some issues with their set-pieces but Prendergast and Barrett impressed among others.
39 mins: Chaotic game so far, Clermont turned the ball over but Ringrose blocks down a kick and back to Leinster, but then again turned over for Porter not releasing.
Leinster 12 Clermont 7
36 mins: Controversial moment as Urdapilleta blocks the run of van der Flier that isn’t penalised at first but the ref admits his error in the replay.
Leinster 12 Clermont 7
30 mins: Clever kick forward by Ringrose, he collects and passes to McCarthy but it’s knocked on. Very fast pace to this game.
Leinster 12 Clermont 7
25 mins: Thrilling piece of play by Clermont, the length of the pitch. and they nearly score a try, just losing control of the ball in hand a metre from the line. Then Leinster go up the other side of the pitch and Turney within 5 metres! Hard to keep up. Pass to nobody and back for a penalty for offside.
Try for Leinster! Clermont on their feet, goes to Barrett, another great quick pass from Prendergast and he shows great determination and gets a big hit for his troubles but he’s over the line. Prendergast hits the post with the conversion.
Leinster 12 Clermont 7
22 mins: Better lineout from Leinster and they get within five metres under the posts. Clermont hanging on but penalty advantage. More great play by Leinster and it’s Try for Leinster! Henshaw with a nice pass to Prendergast, to Ringrose and he scores. Prendergast converts.
Leinster 7 Clermont 7
18 mins: More class from Prendergast under pressure switches direction and picks a pass nobody saw on the wing. Leinster give away yet another lineout, Kelleher’s throw wasn’t straight. Moala getting treatment after being hit by Barrett’s elbow. Didn’t look intentional though.
Leinster 0 Clermont 7
15 mins: Massive kick by Prendergast to five metres but the lineout is not good and turned over again.
Leinster 0 Clermont 7
10 mins: Chance for Leinster start to ping the passes around, although Clermont’s line speed is very notable already. Knocked on but it’s going to be a tough game.
Tap and go from Leinster after a scrum penalty. But Clermont turn it over.
Leinster 0 Clermont 7
6 mins: Try for Clermont! Simone tries a grubber kick in that bounces really nicely for them off Deegan’s boot, they take it in front of the posts and they take that opportunity. Raka gets it over, powerful play and they convert the try.
Leinster 0 Clermont 7
3 mins: A familiar face on the Clermont team today, Michael Ala’alatoa. Good first take from the air at fullback from Barrett.
Leinster 0 Clermont 0
Usual pyrotechnics and big build-up in action at the Aviva as Clermont kick off.
Here is the match preview by John O’Sullivan before we start:
“Something old, something new, something borrowed and all things blue, might be a nice rhyming analogy for head coach Leo Cullen’s team selection as he tries to marry game time for the wider squad without compromising Leinster’s capacity to continue their winning ways in the Champions Cup.”
Next up is Leinster against Clermont Auvergne. Here are the teams:
Leinster: J Barrett; L Turner, G Ringrose, R Henshaw, J O’Brien; S Prendergast, J Gibson-Park; A Porter, R Kelleher, T Clarkson; J McCarthy, J Ryan; M Deegan, J van der Flier, C Doris. Replacements: G McCarthy, C Healy, R Slimani, RG Snyman, J Conan, F Gunne, R Byrne, A Osborne.
Clermont Auvergne: A Newsome; L Tauzin, P Fouyssac, G Moala, A Raka; I Simone, B Jauneau; E Falgoux, E Fourcade, M Ala’alatoa; P Yato, R Simmons: K Tixeront, A Fischer, F Lee (capt). Replacements: B Massa, G Akhaladze, C Ojovan, O Rixen, A Chalus-Cercy, S Bezy, B Urdapilleta, T Giral.
Referee: L Pearce (England)
79 mins: Try for Bordeaux! Boniface gets it down as Ulster lose heart. Smashing through the breakdown and winning their battles. Seems a harsh result but only one team showed up in this second half. Garcia misses but that’s game over.
Full-time: Ulster 19 Bordeaux Bègles 40
Ulster scoreless in the second half as they were destroyed by the Top 14 team in the closing stages. Another big defeat for Richie Murphy’s men, even if it was a far better performance in the second half. The French side upped their level, Penaud getting particularly involved, and Ulster simply couldn’t live with them.
76 mins: Tatafu is named man of the match, with Ulster just left to play for a fourth try.
Ulster 19 Bordeaux Bègles 35
72 mins: Better from Ulster, good passing from Ulster, Lowry with some bright play, Postlethwaite with a nice kick in behind and Bielle-Biarrey scrambles to clear. Attacking lineout is long and cleanly taken, but Bordeaux turn it over and pull off a thrilling counter, quick passing and it’s
Try for Bordeaux! Bielle-Biarrey with his try. One end of the pitch to the other. That’s the end of that. Garcia converts.
Ulster 19 Bordeaux Bègles 35
69 mins: Try for Bordeaux! Bonus point try, Petti with it, just sustained pressure on Ulster, phases after phase, Penaud with a lovely behind the back offload to Petti who is too strong and quick to stop. Ulster had been hanging on since Shanahan had failed to clear out of play. Garcia, on for Carbery, converts.
Ulster 19 Bordeaux Bègles 28
67 mins: Bordeaux growing into this half and asserting their authority on the game. Retiere makes a great carry and they ease towards the line, moving Ulster around the pitch. Ulster turn it over a few metres from the line.
Ulster 19 Bordeaux Bègles 21
63 mins: Try for Bordeaux! Ulster under rpessure as Moefana makes plenty of ground and they go from wing to win. Penaud offloads and Bordeaux within five metres. Four quick passes, Carbery starting and then finishing with Penaud, one of the best finishers in the game. Big kick for Carbery from wide, he scores and then puts his ear up to give it back to the crowd. Big moment.
Ulster 19 Bordeaux Bègles 21
60 mins: No score in this half so far, less free-flowing and more gritty.
Ulster 19 Bordeaux Bègles 14
57 mins: Ulster win a penalty from the scrum and kick to touch. The ball wasn’t thrown straight though, pity. Shanahan and Rea on for Izuchukwu and Doak.
Ulster 19 Bordeaux Bègles 14
54 mins: Lowry with a key interception as Bielle-Biarrey gets in a dangerous area. Kok manages to get a hold of him and Lowry is put out of play but try avoided. Ulster then survive, winning a few small battles. Back on the ball with the scrum near the midfield.
Ulster 19 Bordeaux Bègles 14
49 mins: Some big counter rucking by both teams, Bordeaux win it back, then Ulster do, but a few moments later, Bordeaux win a penalty, the French side showing their physicality.
Ulster 19 Bordeaux Bègles 14
46 mins: Bordeaux win a scrum penalty and Carbery kicks to halfway. Bordeaux backs get going, Retiere with a good carry, as does Penaud who is finally getting into the game. But Ulster turn it over, Timoney turns it over.
Ulster 19 Bordeaux Bègles 14
43 mins: Early possession for Ulster at the start of the second half. They get within 22 metres with some good carries as the crowd roars, but a pass too short to Morgan by McCann and he knocks on.
Ulster 19 Bordeaux Bègles 14
40 mins: Lineout and maul but not making much ground. McCloskey to Lowry, who backed his pace to get there but caught in the tackle. They go back the other wing, great hands by Morgan to McCloskey and it’s Kok who gets it down! Try for Ulster! Doak misses the conversion.
Half-time: Ulster 19 Bordeaux Bègles 14
Exciting half there, lots of incidents, cards, tries and a much improved performance by Ulster. Some fine performances in the back-line in particular. Can they keep it up in the second half and record a significant win in the Champions Cup?
39 mins: Morgan kicks to Ward and he’s away again, had an excellent 10 minutes. An Ulster penalty. Well into touch by Doak. One last go for this half.
Ulster 14 Bordeaux Bègles 14
37 mins: Ward makes another great break, showing his Sevens skills but again Bordeaux turn over the ball sadly. Bordeaux win a penalty from the scrum and they’re well up the pitch for the first time in a while. McCann is back on so Ulster two up for the next few minutes.
Ulster 14 Bordeaux Bègles 14
33 mins: Yellow card for Bordeaux! Moefana gets away with just a yellow after some hard contact, but mitigation from the tackle. But Bordeaux down to 13, Ulster 14. Some space then for Ward to make 20 metres after Bordeaux had cleared. But Bordeaux turn it over, Bielle-Biarrey saves the day and they survive.
Ulster 14 Bordeaux Bègles 14
31 mins: Referee gets in the way with Ulster in attack, so it’s a scrum, but Ulster won’t mind that, scrum has been solid today. Not far from the Bordeaux line.
Timoney takes from the base of the scrum to five metres. Bordeaux battling hard to get the ball, but yellow card for Bordeaux! Poirot with a silly penalty with a stray boot. Could be another one after Moefana went in hard on Timoney, shoulder to head contact.
Ulster 14 Bordeaux Bègles 14
29 mins: A maul from the lineout is very strong and overwhelms Ulster at pace. It ends up with the scrumhalf Lucu who gets to the line, TMO check if he grounded it. Looks like Timoney held it up.
But penalty try for Bordeaux, yellow card for Ulster. McCann with illegal play when trying to prevent the maul.
Ulster 14 Bordeaux Bègles 14
27 mins: Penalty for Bordeaux after Ulster had done well to limit the French side’s attack, penalised for being off their feet. Carbery into touch at the 22.
Ulster 14 Bordeaux Bègles 7
24 mins: Delay in the game as Bordeaux player gets his boots changed before a scrum. Maybe the French side taking some momentum out of the game, been a great 20 minutes from Ulster. Massive improvement on last week’s performance against Toulouse.
Ulster 14 Bordeaux Bègles 7
20 mins: Try for Ulster! They immediately punish the yellow card, Timoney picks the ball up, does a 360 turn and fools the defence and taps it down. Nicely done. Doak converts from near the sidelines, great kick. Ulster lead!
Ulster 14 Bordeaux Bègles 7
18 mins: Belfast crowd roars as Izuchukwu picks up the ball and kicks into space, bounces nicely and forces the Bordeaux player out of play. Not the best lineout but they keep the ball eventually. Postlethwaite with another great break, Bordeaux penalised for a cynical arm. Yellow card for Bordeaux, Gazzotti gone to the bin.
Ulster 7 Bordeaux Bègles 7
13 mins: McCloskey having a good game so far, good energy about Ulster. Up to the 22 again. Lowry with a long pass to McCloskey and into five metres but Bordeaux turn it over. Doak limping around, looks like he picked up a knock.
Ulster 7 Bordeaux Bègles 7
10 mins: Ulster getting their backs on the ball, McCloskey makes 25 metres, Timoney makes a good carry as well into the Bordeaux half. Then Postlethwaite finds a gap, picks the ball and carries a long distance, back to Doak but knocked on. Pity as it was a nice bit of play.
Ulster 7 Bordeaux Bègles 7
7 mins: Better play by Ulster, they win a penalty and the lineout is good, they go to the backs, Kok bursts through a few players, they go to the sideline but out of play. Bordeaux then miscue the lineout and McCloskey collects five metres from the line under the posts and nearly gets to the line. A few phases for Ulster then...
Try for Ulster! Izuchukwu powers through and Doak converts. Back even.
Ulster 7 Bordeaux Bègles 7
3 mins: Try for Bordeaux! Tatafu bulldozes through after a short lineout to the front, barely even a maul and then Tatafu gets through several players to get the ball down. Terrible start for Ulster. Had been early possession for Bordeaux and win an early penalty, Carbery kicked for touch after infringement from a lineout. Carbery converts nicely.
Ulster 0 Bordeaux Bègles 7
A big win for Northampton over the Bulls in Pretoria this morning, they came on top 30-21. The English champions are in Munster’s group. Munster lost last night 16-14 to Castres.
Gerry Thornley has a great profile of Joey Carbery in the paper today. The ex-Leinster, Munster and Ireland outhalf has warned his team-mates what to expect when they lock horns with a chastened Ulster at the Kingspan Stadium.
“It’s worth noting that Johnny Sexton was 28 when he went to Paris for his two-year sojourn to Racing 92, and like Eric Elwood, David Humphreys and Ronan O’Gara before him, he played his best rugby in his 30s.”
Let’s see how the 29-year-old Carbery gets on today.
[ Joey Carbery embracing his new challenge at Bordeaux BèglesOpens in new window ]
John O’Sullivan’s match preview:
“There is no hiding place after last Sunday’s 61-21 defeat in Toulouse, where everything that could go wrong did, from moment one. The home side were excellent at times but facilitated by an Ulster that panicked and ultimately submerged in a morass of basic mistakes. It happens, it’s sport.”
“Ulster head coach Richie Murphy has made 10 changes with just Michael Lowry — he switches from wing to fullback to replace the injured Stewart Moore — Werner Kok, Stuart McCloskey and halfbacks Aidan Morgan and Nathan Doak remain from last week’s starting team. The entire pack is changed. Erstwhile Ireland Sevens player Zac Ward will make his senior debut on the left wing.”
[ Ulster revival required in Champions Cup tie against Bordeaux-BeglesOpens in new window ]
Hello and welcome to live coverage of Ulster’s clash with Bordeaux Bègles in the Champions Cup, live from the Kingspan Stadium in Belfast. Kickoff is at 3.15pm. Afterwards, we have Leinster against Clermont Auvergne, kickoff at 5.30pm in the Aviva.
Top of the French Top 14 side Toulouse thrashed Ulster 61-21 last Sunday, now is the turn of second in the French Top 14 Bordeaux Bègles, a tricky prospect for Richie Murphy’s men. It is a stronger team this time though with the likes of Iain Henderson, Cormac Izuchukwu and Rob Herring starting this time, Murphy has targeted this one as the one they might compete better in. No easy task against the likes of Penaud, Bielle-Biarrey and the interesting challenge of facing former Irish outhalf Joey Carbery.
Ulster: M Lowry; W Kok, J Postlethwaite, S McCloskey, Z Ward; A Morgan, N Doak; E O’Sullivan, R Herring, T O’Toole; I Henderson, K Treadwell; C Izuchukwu, N Timoney, D McCann. Replacements: J Andrew, A Warwick, S Wilson, H Sheridan, Marcus Rea, D Shanahan, J Humphreys, R Telfer.
Bordeaux-Begles: L Bielle-Biarrey: D Penaud, N Depoortere, Y Moefana, A Retiere; J Carbery, M Lucu (capt); J Poirot, R Latterrade, C Sadie: G Petti, J Gray; M Gazzotti, L Swinton, T Tatafu. Replacements: M Lamothe, U Boniface, B Tameifuna, A Coleman, A Ricard, B Vergnes, R Janse van Rensburg, M Garcia.
Referee: G Gnecchi (Italy).
