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Ulster coach Dan McFarland left frustrated by Toulouse defeat

By PA
(Photo by Liam McBurney/PA Images via Getty Images)

Ulster coach Dan McFarland bemoaned his side’s wasted opportunities and the conceding of “soft tries” after they opened their Heineken Champions Cup campaign with a 29-22 home defeat to Toulouse.

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In a game played in difficult conditions, the Irish province surrendered their two-year unbeaten home record in all competitions to French giants Toulouse, who also put them out at the quarter-final stage of last season’s competition.

The four-time champions left Belfast with a bonus point from this hard-fought win, which saw South African World Cup winner Cheslin Kolbe score two of Toulouse’s four tries. He also bagged a brace in the last-eight clash between the sides in September.

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    “We gave up some soft tries on defence and probably didn’t take a couple of chances we could have done,” said McFarland, whose side picked up a losing bonus point.

    “But we also played some really nice stuff and worked really hard. We had them under pressure for a lot of the game but key moments are absolutely pivotal.

    “You can also say that when we were 12-0 up and gave away a soft try from a penalty ball on the floor and they ran it in from 60 metres out, that was a pretty pivotal moment.

    “We had pinned them down in their half at that stage.”

    Referring to the heavy defeat Ulster suffered in Toulouse in the quarter-final, McFarland took no consolation from getting closer this time around

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    “We weren’t as good as we can be, particularly on the defensive side of the ball,” he said.

    “We had weapons tonight and we didn’t have weapons in the quarter-final.

    “In terms of consolation, no, we’ve lost at home and that’s not something we’re used to doing and I’m really frustrated.”

    Double try scorer Kolbe commented: “Coming to Ulster was never going to be easy.

    “I have to give a lot of credit to the boys and coaching staff for the game plan.”

    Reflecting on his contribution, Kolbe added: “Sometimes I think my body just takes over.

    “But it’s not about me, it’s about the team and the forwards laying the foundation for me.

    “I just had to finish off the opportunities.

    “There aren’t a lot of teams who come here and win, so I think we can take a lot of confidence from this.”

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    JW 3 hours ago
    Reds vs Blues: Ex-All Black missed the mark, Lynagh’s Wallabies statement

    Agree re Lynagh.


    Disagree Beaver got it wrong. Blues made that look easy. It might be a brawn over brains picture though? More in the last point, but, and this may have changed by player selection, the Reds were very lucky this game. Tele’a should not have been red carded as Ryan landed on his shoulder, and both Tate and Jock (was it) should have been yellowed carded for their offenses in stopping tries. We also had a try dissallowed by going back 10 phases in play. We all should have learned after the RWC that that is against the rules. So straight away on this simple decisions alone the result changes to go in the Blues favour, away from home and playing fairly poorly. The sleeping giant if you will. I didn’t agree with the Blues take either tbh, but to flip it around and say it’s the Reds instead is completely inaccurate (though a good side no doubt you have to give them a chance).


    And you’re also riding the wave of defense wins matches a bit much. Aside from Dre’s tackling on Rieko I didn’t see anything in that match other than a bit of tiny goal line defending. I think if you role on the tap for another second you see the ball put placed for the try (not that I jump to agree with Eklund purely because he was adamant), and in general those just get scored more often than not. They are doing something good though stopping line breaks even if it is the Blues (and who also got over the line half a dozen times), I did not expect to be greeted with that stat looking at the game.

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