Soper Calls for Ulster Recovery After Significant Toulouse Loss

Ulster experienced a significant loss against Toulouse in their initial Champions Cup fixture. Following the 61-21 defeat by the reigning champions Toulouse in their first Investec Champions Cup match, assistant coach Dan Soper stated that Ulster needs to “get up and go again”. Richie Murphy’s team, characterized by its youth and numerous injuries, conceded nine tries at the Stade Ernest-Wallon. This result means they have secured only two victories in their last 11 Champions Cup matches. The team aims for a recovery at home against Bordeaux this Saturday. Soper described their return to training as “tough” in the wake of the substantial loss. Soper commented, “We were off yesterday so everyone has gathered their thoughts and there were a few home truths today.” He added, “Toulouse are a hell of a team and it was a tough ask, but there were some areas where we let ourselves down and we are disappointed with that.” Soper expressed his view that the rapid succession of games, having played on Sunday, means Ulster cannot afford to linger on the defeat. However, he emphasized the necessity of correcting errors committed in France. Another challenging encounter awaits them at Kingspan Stadium this Saturday, where they will host a Bordeaux team currently ranked second in France’s Top 14 league. He further stated, “We’ve been out on the pitch today so you can’t dwell too much on things you have to get up and go again.” Soper also noted, “It’s a young group and they’re learning all the time, but we need to start putting in performances.” Despite a substantial list of injured players, Soper remains hopeful that Ulster can react positively to the decisive loss against Toulouse and deliver a commendable performance at home. He remarked, “There’s always pressure and expectation on Ulster playing at home this time of year, but that’s a privilege of what we do, and we will be turning up on Saturday expecting to perform and get a result.” He also emphasized, “Whatever structure there has been in Europe, a home game has usually been a must-win if you think you have a chance of progressing.” Bordeaux, currently second in the Top 14, commenced their European campaign with a notable 42-28 away victory over Leicester on Sunday. Soper expressed caution regarding the dangers they present. Soper elaborated, “This might sound ridiculous given Toulouse have Antoine Dupont but in transition, they are even more dangerous, some of their broken-field attack is frighteningly good.” He added, “They’re another top calibre side so limiting their opportunities to do their thing will be important.” Furthermore, Soper is of the opinion that Ulster should concentrate more on their own performance this week rather than becoming preoccupied with Bordeaux’s tactics. He reflected, “As a coaching group I don’t know how long we spent saying to the players ‘this is what Toulouse do and this is what to be wary of’ instead of saying ‘this is us’.” Soper concluded, “We’ve looked at Bordeaux, but we’re trying to get the focus on us and what we didn’t do well enough and what we are in control of doing better.”