Ireland’s interest in this season’s Champions Cup was ended this afternoon as Stade Francais recorded the bonus-point win they needed with a 36-21 win against Leicester in Paris.
With Leinster and Munster already eliminated entering the final weekend of games, Ulster were the only province with the chance to reach the quarter-finals, and held up their end of the bargain with a massive 56-3 victory over Oyonnax yesterday.
That lifted Les Kiss’ side into one of the three pool runners-up qualifying spots, but Wasps, Toulon and Northampton all got the victories they need to move back in front of Ulster.
That left the 1999 champions hanging on to a precarious hold on the final place in the knockout stage, and hopes were raised when Leicester took an early lead, but Stade hit back quickly and when they scored their fourth try in the 53rd minute it signalled the end of Ulster’s hopes.
So we've narrowly missed out on a @ChampionsCup QF place. A superb effort yesterday v @OyonnaxRugby but not enough pic.twitter.com/oliXujLDzJ
— Ulster Rugby (@UlsterRugby) January 24, 2016
https://twitter.com/RugbyBanterPag3/status/691272457538371584
Fans were understandably disappointed, with many pointing the finger at the dismal first-half display against Oyonnax, in which they trailed by 23 points at the interval and left themselves too much to do to claim the bonus point they required.
@UlsterRugby too little too late. That ridiculous first half performance in France has came back to haunt Ulster.
— Ron Bell (@Nanno92) January 24, 2016
So no European Rugby for Ulster, and it looks like were a long way off winning the Pro 12 wondering what the hell is going on at Ravenhill?
— David F Scobie (@DavidFScobie) January 24, 2016
The result also means Ireland will be without a quarter-finalist in the top competition for the first time in nearly 20 years, and leaves Connacht, whose weekend victory over Enisei saw them through to a Challenge Cup knockout tie against Grenoble, managed by former Connacht player Bernard Jackman, as the lone Irish flagbearers on the continent.
Ulster out. Confirms the stat – first time no Irish in QFs since 97-98 season. #ChampionsCup
— Will Kelleher (@willgkelleher) January 24, 2016
https://twitter.com/CGGroarke/status/691273160554102786
While Leinster finished up their campaign with a record 51-10 defeat at the hands of Wasps, Munster did at least end on a winning note, with two tries from Ronan O’Mahony helping them to a 28-5 victory over Treviso in Italy.
