Ulster complete back-to-back Champions Cup wins over Toulouse
By Louise Warr
Last Updated: 21/12/15 9:45am
Ulster remain on course for the Champions Cup quarter finals after a 25-23 victory over Toulouse in Pool One.
Tries from Ruan Pienaar, Andrew Trimble and Luke Marshall put Ulster in the driving seat despite Toulouse fighting back through scores from Gael Fickou and Louis Picamoles.
Ulster had the perfect start at the Stade Ernest Wallon when Paddy Jackson slotted a penalty for hands in the ruck after just four minutes.
The first try of the game also went the way of the away side when patient build up from Les Kiss' side set up camp on the Toulouse line before Pienaar spotted a chink of daylight at the ruck and dived over to score.
Sebastien Bezy got his side on the scoreboard shortly before half-time when Jackson saw yellow for a deliberate knock on but it was Ulster who looked to have finished the first forty with a bang.
Trimble pounced on a loose ball at the ruck to race down the wing leaving the Toulouse defence in disarray before a series of swift offloads allowed Rory Scholes to stroll over the line unopposed.
JP Doyle called upon the services of the television match official who denied the Irish side the length of the field score for an earlier forward pass, Ulster left to be content with a 10-3 lead at the break.
Bezy slotted a further three in the opening minutes of the second forty before Ulster replied with their second try of the match. Centre Stuart McCloskey sliced through the Toulouse defence going just metres short of the line, the ball was quickly recycled to Trimble and the winger displayed his world-class finishing skills to score in the corner.
Trimble's effort sparked the home-side into life and after numerous phases knocking on the door of the Ulster defence through the Toulouse forwards their persistence paid off when the ball was spun wide allowing Fickou to finish the move and reduce the deficit to just two.
Jackson struck a further three points before Marshall sealed the away victory for Ulster when he received an inside ball from centre partner McCloskey and raced over under the posts.
Toulouse gave themselves a glimmer of hope in the dying minutes of the match when Picamoles was the beneficiary of a strong driving maul but it was too little too late for Fabien Pelous' side.