Holders Toulouse, spearheaded by Dupont, secure dominant victory over Ulster

Holders Toulouse, led by Antoine Dupont, achieved a significant win against Ulster in the Investec Champions Cup. Toulouse (40) 61 Tries: Lebel, R Ntamack, Meafou 2, Capuozzo 2, Dupont, Chocobares, penalty try Cons: Ramos 7 Ulster (14) 21 Tries: McCormack, Moore, Henderson Cons: Doak 3 The reigning champions, Toulouse, delivered a precise and formidable performance, overcoming Ulster 61-21 in their initial European Cup fixture. The home team registered six tries during the first half at the Stade Ernest-Wallon, establishing a 40-14 advantage by halftime. Lock Emmanuel Meafou scored two tries, while Matthis Lebel, Romain Ntamack, Dupont, and Ange Capuozzo also crossed the try line. Ulster, commendably, maintained their resolve despite the intense pressure in their own 22, managing to score through James McCormack and Stewart Moore. Santiago Chocobares contributed a seventh try for the hosts following the restart. Dupont then demonstrated his skill once more, identifying Capuozzo wide on the field and delivering an impeccably placed kick directly into the Italian wing’s hands. Iain Henderson secured Ulster’s third try with 13 minutes remaining, marking a rare offensive play for the visiting side. However, Toulouse had the final say, being awarded a penalty try with the match’s concluding action. “Ulster will take ‘big learnings’ from Toulouse defeat – Murphy”. Few anticipated that a youthful and inconsistent Ulster squad would pose a significant challenge to the titleholders, even though the United Rugby Championship team had triumphed on their previous visit to the Stade Ernest-Wallon in 2022. Nevertheless, any initial optimism quickly dissipated after just 90 seconds when Toulouse scored the first of their six tries in the opening 40 minutes. Dupont was central to this offensive surge, sending Chocobares through the middle before the ball was moved wide to Lebel, who executed a superb finish in the corner. Ntamack was the next to score from close range, receiving a pass from Dupont, signaling a potentially challenging afternoon for the visitors. Despite this, Richie Murphy’s young team responded, with McCormack touching down in the 12th minute after Scott Wilson was halted just short of the line, as persistent drizzle continued to fall in southern France. McCormack’s try offered only a brief reprieve as Toulouse attacked again, with Meafou extending over the line for their third score. Ntamack believed he had secured the bonus point midway through the half by scampering over from a scrum, but the score was disallowed due to an infringement during the set play. Ulster had a rare opportunity to build an attacking platform when Aidan Morgan attempted to kick for the corner from a penalty, but his kick went directly into the in-goal area, resulting in play being brought back. Toulouse displayed their clinical precision and capitalized on this error. From the subsequent lineout, which granted Toulouse possession, the French team moved the ball through their players, allowing Thomas Ramos and Lebel to sprint down the line. The wing then passed it inside to Ange Capuozzo for another spectacular score. A fifth try followed almost immediately when Lebel was tackled just short of the line, but Dupont reacted fastest to ground the ball. Ulster refused to yield, and after another penalty advantage, Morgan’s pass bypassed three defenders, enabling Moore to race under the posts. Toulouse powered forward, with Meafou crashing over in the final play of the half, and the dominant Ramos successfully converted his fifth kick. The pressure persisted after the restart, with Italy international Capuozzo nearly scoring with an agile run. A seventh try materialized when Chocobares completed another devastating attacking sequence that originated from the halfway line. Dupont’s impressive crossfield kick found Capuozzo with 24 minutes remaining in the game. The influential Frenchman was subsequently substituted in preparation for their upcoming match in Exeter. Moments after the ball was held up over the line during Ulster’s first foray into Toulouse’s 22 of the second half, replacement Henderson identified a gap and managed to squirm over the line. Ulster maintained more possession as they sought a bonus point score, but a penalty try awarded to Toulouse in the final play compounded their difficulties. Murphy’s beleaguered side will aim to rebound at home against Bordeaux next weekend. Toulouse: Ramos; Capuozzo, Barassi, Chocobares, Lebel; R Ntamack, Dupont (capt); Ainu’u, Mauvaka, Aldeheri; Flament, Meafou, Willis, Banos, Roumat Replacements: Marchand, Neti, Merkler, T Ntamack, Graou, Costes, Mallia Ulster: Moore; Kok, Carson, McCloskey, Lowry, Morgan, Doak; Warwick, McCormick, Wilson; O’Connor (capt), Sheridan; Matty Rea, Marcus Rea, McNabney Replacements: Herring, O’Sullivan, O’Toole, Henderson, Izuchukwu, Shanahan, Postlethwaite, Timoney