Yahoo Finance Cheslin Kolbe stars as Toulouse comprehensively beat Ulster in Champions Cup quarter-final
Toulouse 36 Ulster 8
This proved to be a step too far for Ulster, who extended their wretched record in France to six games without a win, as Toulouse coasted into the Champions Cup semi-finals.
On paper, this was always the least attractive of the quarter-finals, with Toulouse unbeaten in la ville rose for the past 22 matches in all competitions and with Ulster’s dire French record, and for much of the game it lived up to that billing; a scrappy affair that failed to match the tumult and intensity of Saturday’s two quarter-finals, despite the presence of 5,000 fans in the Stade Ernest Wallon.
Indeed, had it not been for Toulouse duo Cheslin Kolbe and Antoine Dupont, who were both a class above anyone else on the field, it might have had the feeling of a training game, such was the lack of razor intensity that you would usually associate with matches at this stage of this grand competition - the scoreline would have been closer, too.
But when Kolbe and Dupont are in this mood, only something titanic can stop them. It took the pair only three minutes to produce a try-scoring combination, with the impish scrum-half’s hail-mary pass finding Kolbe out wide, the South African jinking his way over with ease.
It would not be long until they were at it again. After Thomas Ramos increased Toulouse’s lead from the tee, and John Cooney opened Ulster’s account, Kolbe served up a treat; this time, by himself.
Hooker Peato Mauvaka found himself in a touch of space down the right and, sensibly, decided to let Kolbe take it from there. What followed was the moment of the match: a feign to the left, an ankle-breaking step off the right, and Kolbe skipped away from Jacob Stockdale – himself no slouch – leaving the Ulsterman to grasp at dirt. It meant, after a period in which Ulster had held their own against Toulouse’s mighty pack, they entered half-time 12 points adrift. Even then, it had the feeling of ‘game over’.
Behave, Cheslin... 🤯#HeinekenChampionsCup pic.twitter.com/V0MZSLk4fZ
— Rugby on BT Sport (@btsportrugby) September 20, 2020
The normally explosive Sofiane Guitoune had spent large amounts of the first half dilly-dallying with the ball, seeming generally apathetic. Clearly the bull-necked centre had managed to lull Ulster into a false sense of security as, after the break, he erupted through two defenders and burst clear. Such was the time and space that Guitoune found himself in, he managed to adjust his shorts – they were falling down – while advancing up the pitch. He drew lively Ulster full-back Michael Lowry, fed Dupont, and the scrum-half scurried home to put the result beyond doubt.
Ulster had their moments in the second half, however, but they were not clinical or aggressive enough at ruck-time, something that will be most disappointing to a team that has historically prided itself on its aggression and enthusiasm in the contact area. Both Joe Tekori and Julien Marchand won holding-on penalties when the visitors were building dangerous attacks, and the home side’s commitment at the breakdown stood out – Ulster were second best in this area, among others.
By the time punchy centre Pita Ahki had collected his own grubber kick to score, following a majestic leap-and-grab from Yoann Huget, Ulster had about given up. Ramos added one more score for the hosts, with it beginning to look messy, before Cooney’s consolation at the death prevented total embarrassment. Ulster’s eight-year wait for a European semi-final now stretches to nine – at best.
Match details
Scoring sequence: 5-0 (Kolbe try), 8-0 (Ramos pen), 8-3 (Cooney pen), 13-3 (Kolbe try), 15-3 (Ramos con); 20-3 (Dupont try), 22-3 (Ramos con), 27-3 (Ahki try), 29-3 (Ramos con), 34-3 (Ramos try), 36-3 (Ramos con), 36-8 (Cooney try),
Toulouse: T Ramos, Y Huget, S Guitoune, P Ahki (Z Holmes 69), C Kolbe (M Lebel 64), R Ntamack, A Dupont (A Bales 64), C Baille (R Neti 52), P Mauvaka (J Marchand 45), C Faumuina (D Aldegheri 45), R Arnold (A Placines 64), J Tekori (E Meafou 58), J Kaino (c), F Cros, S Tolofua.
Ulster: M Lowry, R Lyttle, J Hume, S McCloskey (A Mathewson 52), J Stockdale, B Burns (M Faddes 17), J Cooney, J McGrath (E O'Sullivan 47), R Herring (J Andrew 64), M Moore (R Kane 64), A O'Connor (S Carter 47), I Henderson (c) (K Treadwell 56), S Reidy, J Murphy, N Timoney (M Rea 43).
Referee: Wayne Barnes (Eng)
