Reigning champions Toulouse obliterate Ulster with nine-try rout

Antoine Dupont made his presence felt throughout his time on the pitch, finding holes in Ulster’s struggling defence, creating scores and even bagging his own.

Emmanuel Meafou and Ange Capuozzo both claimed braces as Ulster wilted against Toulouse’s power game and skills-set.

Matthis Lebel, Romain Ntamack and Santiago Chocobares also crossed the Ulster line, the game ending with Toulouse being awarded a penalty try.

Thomas Ramos also had a good day with the boot, kicking seven conversions. James McCormick, Stewart Moore and Iain Henderson scored tries for Ulster.

Just a minute had gone when Toulouse scored through Matthis Lebel as Toulouse swept up field, Antoine Dupont involved in the move which ultimately saw the winger make the corner.

Thomas Ramos missed the conversion.

Ulster had been warned but six minutes later Toulouse had try number two, coming from a driving maul when Dupont provided the assist for Romain Ntamack to break two tacklers.

This time Ramos converted, and Toulouse led 12-0.

But Ulster struck back when they took a tap from an 11th minute penalty, James McCormick adjudged to have made the line after Scott Wilson’s strong carry.

Nathan Doak converted, and Ulster were back in the game though their respite was brief as the champions used their physicality to see Emmanuel Meafou surge through from close range. Ramos again converted to make 19-7.

Romain Ntamack then had a score ruled out for being offside and Ulster survived conceding the bonus point on 20 minutes.

But seven minutes later they had it when Ange Capuozzo was put away by Lebel off a scrum, Dupont again involved in the first phase move. Ramos put the ball between the sticks for 26-7.

It was Dupont's turn next. Ulster left the ball free at the base of a ruck and the Olympic gold medallist hared off down the left wing, fed Lebel, who was held up by Werner Kok, only for Dupont to take the recycle to score. Again, Ramos did the needful to now make it 33-7 with not even half an hour gone.

Ulster battled back again though and after the pack had taken the ball to the line, Aidan Morgan picked out Stewart Moore who scored under the sticks, Doak converting.

But with the clock in red, Toulouse came again to further twist the knife just as Ulster might have reckoned they could avoid conceding 40, Meafou scoring his second as the TMO overturned Adam Leal’s initial decision that it was no try.

Ramos hit the two from the tee and the sides trooped off in the rain with Toulouse 40-14 in front.

It took 10 minutes for Toulouse to get going again, turning Ulster over at a lineout and then moving the ball wide with Lebel giving Santiago Chocobares the chance to score try number seven.

Ramos made it six conversions from seven.

Dupont then provided an exquisite cross-kick for Capuozzo to claim his second in the corner and Toulouse’s eighth of the day. Ramos, yet again, converted as the scoreboard hit 54 points for the home team.

After some sloppy handling from the hosts, Ulster managed to camp on their line and after being repelled several times, Iain Henderson found a way to burrow through and bring Ulster their first points since the 36th minute, the conversion coming from Doak to take Ulster beyond 20 points.

The Irish province now had the prospect of potentially taking a point from a try bonus but it didn’t happen and with the clock in red, Toulouse were awarded a penalty try just to rub further salt in Ulster’s already deep wounds.

Scorers for Toulouse

Tries: Meafou (2), Capuozzo (2), Lebel, R Ntamack, Dupont, Chocobares (pen try).

Cons: Ramos (7).

Scorers for Ulster

Tries: McCormick, Moore, Henderson.

Cons: Doak (3).

TOULOUSE: T Ramos; A Capuozzo, P-L Barassi, S Chocobares, M Lebel; R Ntamack, A Dupont (capt); D Ainu’u, P Mauvaka, D Aldegheri; T Flament, E Meafou; J Willis, L Banos, A Roumat.

Replacements: J Marchand for Mauvaka (44), R Neti for Ainu’u (48), J Merkler for Aldegheri (48), J Brennan for Meafou (59), T Ntamack for Willis (59), P Graou for Dupont (59), P Costes for Chocobares (57), J C Mallia for R Ntamack (61).

ULSTER: S Moore; W Kok, B Carson, S McCloskey, M Lowry; A Morgan, N Doak; A Warwick, J McCormick, S Wilson; A O’Connor (capt), H Sheridan; Matty Rea, Marcus Rea, J McNabney.

Replacements: J Postlethwaite for Carson (21), R Herring for McCormick (ht), T O’Toole for Wilson (ht), C Izuchukwu for Matty Rea (52), N Timoney for McNabney (52). E O’Sullivan for Warwick (58), I Henderson for O’Connor (58), D Shanahan for Morgan (59).

Referee: A Leal (England).