Ulster Rugby

Sale Sharks began strong and pressed home their advantage as they hammered Ulster in their opening game of the Heineken Champions Cup.

Ulster all over the place. They win the lineout but Doak's pass to O'Connor is far too loose. Ulster all over the place still. Manu Tuilagi is down after a huge bang to the head. 12 conceded now from Ulster. Sale 15-0 Ulster Since they led 22-3 in the latter stages of the first half against Leinster, Ulster have been outscored 74-7. Sale 20-0 Ulster Sale utterly rampant and extremely impressive in victory. And within 10 minutes of the second half, Du Preez got in for another try to make it 20-0. The first 10/15 minutes were quite stop-start with neither side able to get into a rhythm. Sale 27-0 Ulster

Sale started their Heineken Champions Cup Pool B campaign with an emphatic 39-0 victory over Ulster at the AJ Bell Stadium.

[Byron McGuigan](https://www.rugbypass.com/players/byron-mcguigan/), was next to cross after pouncing on a loose Ulster lineout and the scoring was complete when Reed got Sale’s sixth after applying the finishing touch to a brilliant move from the halfway line. [Tom Curtis](https://www.rugbypass.com/players/tom-curtis/) adding his name on the scoresheet after collecting a short pass from Rob du Preez and powering over from 10 metres out. [Gus Warr](https://www.rugbypass.com/players/gus-warr/) taking a quick penalty inside the Ulster 22 and offloading to [Daniel du Preez](https://www.rugbypass.com/players/daniel-du-preez/), who powered over from close range. [Bevan Rodd](https://www.rugbypass.com/players/bevan-rodd/) providing a great impact during the hour he was on the field. [Manu Tuilagi](https://www.rugbypass.com/players/manu-tuilagi/) after a questionable tackle from Ulster prop Andrew Warwick. [Arron Reed](https://www.rugbypass.com/players/arron-reed/), who in turn found England international [Tom Curry](https://www.rugbypass.com/players/tom-curry/) to open the scoring, the flanker dotting down at the second attempt to get his side up and running.

Ulster were nilled for a first ever time in European competition on a shocking day for the northern province against Sale Sharks in the Heineken Champions ...

From the ensuing goal-line drop out, Tuilagi built up a head of steam but it would be his last action of the game after he came off worse in a collision with Andy Warwick. With Sale's pack winning a penalty from the resulting scrum, the chance for Ulster to get on the board was gone. Arron Reed cut a scything line through the Ulster defence with the winger coming onto a delightful offload from Rob du Preez. And yet there was worse still to come. With Ulster lacking accuracy on the occasions they did get on the ball, there was little respite. Ulster were nilled for a first ever time in European competition on a shocking day for the northern province against Sale Sharks in the Heineken Champions Cup.

Ulster started their Heineken Champions Cup Pool B campaign in disappointing fashion as they slumped to a 39-0 loss over to Sale Sharks at the AJ Bell ...

After a tight opening quarter, the hosts soon began to assert their authority on the contest and scored their first try after 23 minutes. The Sharks sealed their bonus point just after the hour mark with a fourth try, substitute Tom Curtis adding his name on the scoresheet after collecting a short pass from Rob du Preez and powering over from 10 metres out. The visitors had to fly over on the morning of the match due to travel issues and struggled to deal with the physicality of their hosts in Salford.

Sale began their Heineken Champions Cup campaign with an emphatic win over Ulster, while Saracens turned things around to beat Edinburgh.

[Toulouse edge to tight European Cup win over Munster in Thomond fog](https://www.skysports.com/rugby-union/munster-vs-toulouse/report/105700) [Sharks beat Quins to make history Saracens returned to the top table of European rugby with a hard-fought 30-26 Heineken Champions Cup win over Edinburgh at a freezing StoneX Stadium. Leicester put speculation linking head coach Steve Borthwick with England's top job to one side as they opened their Heineken Champions Cup campaign by beating the Ospreys 23-17 in Swansea. The visitors had to fly over on the morning of the match due to travel issues and struggled to deal with the physicality of their hosts in Salford. Sale began their Champions Cup campaign with an emphatic win over Ulster, while Saracens turned things around to beat Edinburgh and Leicester beat Ospreys... Sale started their Heineken Champions Cup Pool B campaign with an emphatic 39-0 victory over Ulster at the AJ Bell Stadium.

ULSTER suffered a nightmare start to the Heineken Champions Cup when they were thumped 39-0 in Pool B Sunday at the AJ Bell Stadium. Ulster had to fly over on ...

The Sharks sealed their bonus point just after the hour mark with a fourth try, substitute Tom Curtis adding his name on the scoresheet after collecting a short pass from Rob du Preez and powering over from 10 metres out. After a tight opening quarter, the hosts soon began to assert their authority on the contest and scored their first try after 23 minutes. Ulster had to fly over on Sunday morning due to travel issues and struggled to deal with the physicality of their hosts in Salford.

DAN MCFARLAND refused to use travel chaos as an excuse for Ulster's thumping Champions Cup defeat to Sale.The province drew a blank following a tire.

He said: “We play in the URC, so that’s trains, planes and automobiles most weeks for us — we’re used to that kind of thing. I thought he carried it well today. We thought, with quick ball, our attack can break down most teams, but we couldn’t do that, which is obviously a shame.” “He was the one doing most of the talking in the huddles and he managed the game really well. “We talked in the week about him being captain and that he has got to lead people around him as well. A downbeat McFarland concluded: “They offer a contrasting style with the amount they kick and the physicality they have with their runners.

Alex Sanderson hailed the “on fire” Rob du Preez after Sale's captain for the day inspired his side to a convincing 39-0 win over Ulster.

They have a real hard edge in their defence, which proved really hard for us to breakdown. “They offer a contrasting style with the amount they kick and the physicality they have with their runners. I thought he carried it well today. “We play in the URC, so that’s trains, planes and automobiles most weeks for us – we’re used to that kind of thing,” he said. “He was the one doing most of the talking in the huddles and he managed the game really well. “We talked in the week about him being captain and that he has got to lead people around him as well.

After watching his side be torn to shreds by a rampant Sale Sharks in Manchester yesterday afternoon, Ulster boss Dan McFarland says both he and his players ...

“I think physically we struggled against them all over the park. “Most of our energy going into next week will be focusing on what we have got to do against La Rochelle,” he added. Confidence is a funny thing. 120 minutes of rugby not playing great, we’ll be looking at that as much as anybody else and just refocusing on what we are good at. “We are probably lacking a bit of confidence at the moment, we saw that towards the end of the Leinster game and we definitely saw a bit of that (yesterday). “I have got a job to focus on just as the guys have got a job to focus on.

Sale Sharks ran a six-try riot as they trounced Ulster Rugby 39-0 in their Heineken Champions Cup opener at AJ Bell Stadium on Sunday.

The start of the final quarter saw replacement back Tom Curtis dive over the line and Rob was once again spot on with the conversion. Rob helped Sale extend their lead as his attempted offload landed back in his hands after deflecting off a defender but he missed out on the conversion as the lead remained at 20-0. Sale made a brisk start to the game as Tom Curry touched down after collecting an offload from from fly-half Robert du Preez, who missed out on the conversion.