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Champions Cup: Racing 92 v Ulster

Champions Cup: Racing 92 v Ulster

Ulster aim to build on last weekend's win over Leicester in their first ever meeting with Racing 92

Eamon Donoghue Sat, Oct 20
 
LIVE: Champions Cup: Racing 92 v Ulster

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  • 17:10

    Hello and Welcome . . .  Ulster take on Racing 92 in the Defense Arena this afternoon. They're hoping for a second win in as many matches in pool 4 of the Champions Cup - this week's trip to the French capital however will be a step up from last weekend's defeat of the visiting Leicester Tigers.    

    Heineken Champions Cup Pool 4: Racing 92 v Ulster

    Kick off:    Saturday, 5.30pm.  Venue:    La Defense Arena, Paris.  How to follow:  Live on BT Sport and The Irish Times liveblog.

  • 17:10

    RACING 92:  S Zebo; T Thomas, O Klemenczak, H Chavancy (capt), J Imhoff; F Russell, X Chauveau; G Gogichashvili, Ce Chat, C Gomes Sa; D Bird, L Nakarawa; W Lauret, B Le Roux, A Claassen.  

    Replacements:  T Baubigny, V Kakovin, C Johnston, F Sanconnie, J Joseph, T Iribaren, B Volavola, L Paris.  

    ULSTER:  M Lowry; C Gilroy, W Addison, S McCloskey, J Stockdale; B Burns, D Shanahan; A Warwick, R Best (capt), M Moore; I Henderson, K Treadwell; M Coetzee, J Murphy, N Timoney.

    Replacements:  A McBurney, E O’Sullivan, R Kane, A O’Connor, S Reidy, J Stewart, J McPhillips, A Kernohan.  

  • 17:14
  • 17:16

    Gerry Thornley's lowdown

    Referee:  Pascal Gauzère (France).
    Previous meetings:  None.  
    Results so far:  Racing – W 14-13 v Scarlets (a). Ulster – W 24-10 v Leicester (h)
    Betting  (Paddy Powers): 1/9 Racing, 25/1 Draw, 11/2 Ulster. Handicap odds (Ulster +15pts) 10/11 Racing, 25/1 Draw, 10/11 Ulster.
    Forecast: Racing to win

  • 17:16
  • 17:18
  • 17:22

    Munster’s all-time record try-scorer Simon Zebo is fullback on the Racing 92 team and has already scored six tries in five outings for his new employers:


    "The policy of only picking players based in Ireland with the provinces is fairly cast in stone, and may have in part contributed to Zebo’s good mate  Conor Murray  recently penning a three-year extension with the IRFU and Munster. But Zebo will perhaps be additionally motivated to show his ability on the Heineken Champions Cup stage against an Irish province."


    Read Gerry Thornley's preview in full here (he's in Paris this week)

  • 17:30
    Marty Moore makes his first start for Ulster, Kieran Treadwell comes into the secondrow and David Shanahan comes in for John Cooney who has been ruled out at scrumhalf. Kick off a minute away
  • 17:32
    Racing 0 Ulster 0 (2') Billy Burns gets us underway. Simon Zebo gets an early first touch and returns the kick before Burns finds the corner. Racing gather their lineout cleanly and work it out to halfway
  • 17:35
    Racing 0 Ulster 0 (4') Racing work it over the 10m line, Rory Best is feeling his shoulder after a big hit but seems to be fine. Teddy Thomas gets a fortunate bounce on a kick and chase and Chauveau makes a bustling break - but Racing knock it on. Scrum Ulster
  • 17:38
    Racing 0 Ulster 5 (6') Burns and then Lowry break off a solid scrum, the latter brings Ulster into the Racing 22. Superb offload by Addison and young David Shanahan finishes excellently. What a try
  • 17:40
    Racing 3 Ulster 7 (8') Conversion added but Ulster fail to deal with the restart and Racing get it back and within a minute they have a penalty to cut the lead to four . . . which Finn Russell slots
  • 17:43

    Racing 3 Ulster 7 (10') Zebo comes out on top in an aerial contest with Craig Gilroy but after some kick tennis Ulster have it on halfway and win a penalty for the Racing tackler failing to release.

    Racing win Ulster's first lineout though. A poor set piece in a very promising attacking area after a good kick to touch from the penalty

  • 17:47

    Racing 3 Ulster 7 (14')  Kieran Treadwell hacks at a loose Racing pass and follows up with an excellent tackle. Racing forced to scramble and clear their lines to half way. This time Ulster win the lineout and chip into the corner where Zebo is alert and breaks out

  • 17:51

    Racing 3 Ulster 7 (15')  Double whammy for Ulster. Burns kicks out on the full. And they lose Nick Timoney for a tip tackle. Yellow card because the Racing man landed on his shoulder. Racing kick to the corner and win the lineout

  • 17:54

    Racing 3 Ulster 7 (18')  Racing's attack is ended after a dangerous clearout on Jacob Stockdale. Ulster bring the play into the host's half with the resultant penalty

  • 18:01

    Racing 3 Ulster 12 (22')  Ulster edge into the Racing 22, Burns with a superb crossfield kick to Gilroy who had to offload the ball to Lowry but holds on. It comes back to Burns who does it again with a kick into the other corner and Stockdale storms over the line for a second Ulster try.

    Another beautiful try to silence the home support. Burns slices the conversion

  • 18:02

    Racing 3 Ulster 12 (23') This time they deal with the restart well and win a penalty as Nakarawa pulls down the Ulster maul. Burns kicks up the line  

  • 18:03

    Racing 3 Ulster 12 (25') Racing scrum on halway after Jordi Murphys knocks on in the contact

  • 18:06

    Racing 3 Ulster 12 (27') Racing return the favour with a knock on after a strong scrum. Before Stockdale does the same with a handling error at the end of the advantage. In his own 22

  • 18:08

    Racing 10 Ulster 12 (29') Powerful scrum from the hosts and Iribaren - who they've just brought on at scrumhalf. He sneaks down the blindside to score a try that was far too easy from Ulster's perspective. Russell adds the extras

  • 18:12

    Racing 17 Ulster 12 (33') And they're in again. A series of big breaks and perfect offloads. Started by Klemenczak on halfway and ended by Wenselas Lauret. Russell kicks the conversion

  • 18:13

    Racing 17 Ulster 12 (35') Excellent pressure from Coetzee, forcing Racing to hold on. The lineout inside the Racing half is a sloppy one but they still gather and work it inside the host's 22

  • 18:15

    Racing 17 Ulster 12 (36') Stockdale knocks on in the corner trying to get the final pass away. Excellent defence from Zebo. Racing scrum in their own 22

  • 18:15
  • 18:19

    Racing 17 Ulster 12 (39') Racing clear and Munster knock on again at halfway. The Racing scrum has been very strong so far in this half, giving them an attacking platform every time. This time they win a penalty and Russell has a chance from nearly 50m to extend their lead

  • 18:21

    HT Racing 20 Ulster 12 He splits the posts and for all Ulster's excellent attacking rugby, handling errors and a total mismatch at scrum and lineout time is killing them.  

  • 18:38

    Racing 20 Ulster 12 (41')  We are underway for the second half. Coetzee gathers the restart and Stockdale kicks deep into the corner. Racing win the lineout and clear their lines but Ulster cannot do likewise and squander another lineout opportunity.

  • 18:40

    Racing 20 Ulster 12 (43')  A cheeky chip into the corner from Iribaren doesn't bounces out of touch and Ulster are better from their defensive lineout. They clear to halfway but Racing come again

  • 18:43

    Racing 27 Ulster 12 (45')  Out of nothing, Klemenczak makes a brilliant break (poor missed tackle), and Imhoff runs in for Racing's third try. Russell nails the conversion to continue his perfect ratio as McPhillips replaces Burns

  • 18:45

    Racing 30 Ulster 12 (49') Ulster's two big problems in the first half have continued. Sloppy set pieces and handling errors. This time Gilroy knocks on inside his own 22 and Russell taps the penalty over.

  • 18:52

    Racing 30 Ulster 12 (52') Racing really growing in confidence, but despite a poor pass giving Ulster possession back, it's kicked out on the full and the home team have a lineout now just outside of Ulster's 22

  • 18:53

    Racing 30 Ulster 12 (54') Racing holding possession after a clean lineout win, without making much ground though. Patient play

  • 18:56

    Racing 30 Ulster 12 (57') Jordi Murphy comes in off his feet and concedes a penalty. Racing go to the corner but Ulster win the lineout and are away. Addison frees up Lowry who kicks and chases . . . but waiting for it is Zebo and he comes out and clears. The most relaxed man in Paris

  • 19:02

    Racing 30 Ulster 12 (58') As the replacements begin to flow in for both teams, McCloskey makes a big tackle to force a knock on. The resultant scrum is just about won and Ulster clear to the 10m line

  • 19:05

    Racing 30 Ulster 12 (60') Adam McBurney comes on for Rory Best and makes a big off the ball hit on Zebo as he tries to make himself available for a quick lineout. Nigel Owens lets it go. Another Ulster replacement - Sean Reidy - then does excellent work at the breakdown to force a turnover and Ulster have it on halfway

  • 19:08

    Racing 30 Ulster 12 (64') Ulster edge inside the Racing 22 in pursuit of the losing bonus point. With options available to him McPhillips chips to the corner but it's over hit. Mark is called by Imhoff and he puts Ulster back to halfway

  • 19:13

    Racing 30 Ulster 12 (67') Superb by Addison, twice, to make breaks and get his pass away in the tackle. But Ulster's attack is again ended by a knock on. Scrum for Racing in their own 22

  • 19:16

    Racing 37 Ulster 12 (68') Both teams have taken chances in possession and it's made for a really exciting game with some fantastic tries. This is the best yet. Beautiful chip and gather by Russell (off the side of his boot), and he then pops inside to Thomas for the bonus point try. The Scot then adds the conversion

  • 19:16
  • 19:20

    Racing 37 Ulster 12 (73') Racing ease through the phases again, and a little flick on from Zebo inside the Ulster 22 doesn't find a team mate. Ulster knock on in the lineout though and hand the hosts another chance.

  • 19:24

    Racing 44 Ulster 12 (77') Simon Zebo scores his seventh try in six matches for Racing. Off the back of another strong scrum the French club quickly get the ball out wide where they have numbers waiting, and the Irishman is the one to cross over. Nigel Owens has words with him for his little dance celebration and makes him apologise.

    Narrow defence from Ulster but their heads are well down at this stage

  • 19:26

    Racing 44 Ulster 12 (79') Addison again at the heart of a threatening Ulster break, but his offload to Gilroy is stolen by Imhoff who read it like a book. No consolation try

  • 19:30

    FT Racing 44 Ulster 12  So that's that. In a really exciting encounter Racing made far less errors and were dominant at lineout and scrum time. Despite a dream start for the Irish province it turned out a very one sided encounter.


    Gerry Thornely's match report is on the way, and we'll be back tomorrow for Leinster's clash with Toulouse. Until then, thanks for joining us.