Impressive Ulster into Challenge Cup semi-finals
Cormac Izuchukwu's try put Richie Murphy's Ulster in a strong position, but Judicael Cancoriet's converted try at the end of the half reduced the hosts' lead at the break to 24-10. Ward crossed for his second try six minutes after the restart but Tolu Latu responded for the visitors, before Bryn Ward's score put more daylight between the sides. Replacement hooker James McCormick crossed with three minutes left, and Jake Flannery's conversion rounded out an impressive win, despite a late consolation score from Joel Sclavi.
Ulster will face either Benetton or Exeter Chiefs in the last four as they look to win a first trophy since 2006, when they claimed a Celtic League. As the rain and wind battered the Affidea Stadium, Ulster made a superb start when Ward danced inside a number of La Rochelle players to cross for the opening try inside five minutes. Doak converted and the scrum-half, passed fit to start despite an ankle concern, then struck a well-taken penalty with Stuart McCloskey holding the ball in place with the strong breeze.
Fly-half Jurd responded in the 23rd minute with a penalty of his own, but after James Hume smothered Ugo Pacome over his own line, Ulster got their second try when O'Toole crashed over from the resulting five-metre scrum. Ulster were reduced to 14 players when Ward was sent to the sin bin for a dangerous clear out on Hoani Bosmorin and O'Gara's side went on the offensive. Despite a La Rochelle resurgence, Ulster survived that particular storm and, after a superb Werner Kok tackle won a penalty, Izuchukwu powered over for Ulster's third try on his 50th appearance for the province.
It was a near-perfect half for the hosts, but flanker Cancoriet crashed over in the final play of the half for La Rochelle, without a number of their first choice players with through injury and with the Top 14 run-in in mind, and Jurd converted to bring the French side back within two converted scores. Zac Ward scored early in each half to help Ulster to victory Ulster made a strong start to the second half when, after Jacob Stockdale's 50-22 put the hosts in a good position, Ward gathered Jack Murphy's neat kick to dive over in the corner, and Doak could only strike the upright from the tricky conversion. La Rochelle hit back when Latu charged ove, and Jurd converted, but Ulster immediately scored when replacement Bryn Ward picked up a short pass from his brother Zac and showed superb pace to cross.
In a huge defensive set, a number of white jerseys got under a La Rochelle maul over the line to hold the ball up with 12 minutes remaining, and that seemed to suck any remaining momentum out of the French side's sails. The cherry on top of the cake came when McCormick rounded off a maul in the closing stages, which Flannery converted, and Sclavi's score in the final play was a mere consolation. It was far from the La Rochelle team which dominated French rugby and won back-to-back Champions Cups in 2022 and 2023, but Ulster still got the job done without the late drama of their last-16 win over Ospreys.